Parallel Bible results for "lamentations 4"

Lamentations 4

New Revised Standard NRS

1 How the gold has grown dim, how the pure gold is changed! The sacred stones lie scattered at the head of every street.

2 The precious children of Zion, worth their weight in fine gold— how they are reckoned as earthen pots, the work of a potter's hands!

3 Even the jackals offer the breast and nurse their young, but my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.

4 The tongue of the infant sticks to the roof of its mouth for thirst; the children beg for food, but no one gives them anything.

5 Those who feasted on delicacies perish in the streets; those who were brought up in purple cling to ash heaps.

6 For the chastisement of my people has been greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, though no hand was laid on it.

7 Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, their hair like sapphire.

8 Now their visage is blacker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as wood.

9 Happier were those pierced by the sword than those pierced by hunger, whose life drains away, deprived of the produce of the field.

10 The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children; they became their food in the destruction of my people.

11 The Lord gave full vent to his wrath; he poured out his hot anger, and kindled a fire in Zion that consumed its foundations.

12 The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did any of the inhabitants of the world, that foe or enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem.

13 It was for the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous in the midst of her.

14 Blindly they wandered through the streets, so defiled with blood that no one was able to touch their garments.

15 "Away! Unclean!" people shouted at them; "Away! Away! Do not touch!" So they became fugitives and wanderers; it was said among the nations, "They shall stay here no longer."

16 The Lord himself has scattered them, he will regard them no more; no honor was shown to the priests, no favor to the elders.

17 Our eyes failed, ever watching vainly for help; we were watching eagerly for a nation that could not save.

18 They dogged our steps so that we could not walk in our streets; our end drew near; our days were numbered; for our end had come.

19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles in the heavens; they chased us on the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

20 The Lord's anointed, the breath of our life, was taken in their pits— the one of whom we said, "Under his shadow we shall live among the nations."

21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter Edom, you that live in the land of Uz; but to you also the cup shall pass; you shall become drunk and strip yourself bare.

22 The punishment of your iniquity, O daughter Zion, is accomplished, he will keep you in exile no longer; but your iniquity, O daughter Edom, he will punish, he will uncover your sins.

The Bible in Basic English BBE

1 How dark has the gold become! how changed the best gold! the stones of the holy place are dropping out at the top of every street.

2 The valued sons of Zion, whose price was the best gold, are looked on as vessels of earth, the work of the hands of the potter!

3 Even the beasts of the waste land have full breasts, they give milk to their young ones: the daughter of my people has become cruel like the ostriches in the waste land.

4 The tongue of the child at the breast is fixed to the roof of his mouth for need of drink: the young children are crying out for bread, and no man gives it to them.

5 Those who were used to feasting on delicate food are wasted in the streets: those who as children were dressed in purple are stretched out on the dust.

6 For the punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overturned suddenly without any hand falling on her.

7 Her holy ones were cleaner than snow, they were whiter than milk, their bodies were redder than corals, their form was as the sapphire:

8 Their face is blacker than night; in the streets no one has knowledge of them: their skin is hanging on their bones, they are dry, they have become like wood.

9 Those who have been put to the sword are better off than those whose death is caused by need of food; for these come to death slowly, burned up like the fruit of the field.

10 The hands of kind-hearted women have been boiling their children; they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

11 The Lord has given full effect to his passion, he has let loose his burning wrath; he has made a fire in Zion, causing the destruction of its bases.

12 To the kings of the earth and to all the people of the world it did not seem possible that the attackers and the haters would go into the doors of Jerusalem.

13 It is because of the sins of her prophets and the evil-doing of her priests, by whom the blood of the upright has been drained out in her.

14 They are wandering like blind men in the streets, they are made unclean with blood, so that their robes may not be touched by men.

15 Away! unclean! they were crying out to them, Away! away! let there be no touching: when they went away in flight and wandering, men said among the nations, There is no further resting-place for them.

16 The face of the Lord has sent them in all directions; he will no longer take care of them: they had no respect for the priests, they gave no honour to the old men.

17 Our eyes are still wasting away in looking for our false help: we have been watching for a nation unable to give salvation.

18 They go after our steps so that we may not go in our streets: our end is near, our days are numbered; for our end has come.

19 Those who went after us were quicker than the eagles of the heaven, driving us before them on the mountains, waiting secretly for us in the waste land.

20 Our breath of life, he on whom the holy oil was put, was taken in their holes; of whom we said, Under his shade we will be living among the nations.

21 Have joy and be glad, O daughter of Edom, living in the land of Uz: the cup will be given to you in your turn, and you will be overcome with wine and your shame will be seen.

22 The punishment of your evil-doing is complete, O daughter of Zion; never again will he take you away as a prisoner: he will give you the reward of your evil-doing, O daughter of Edom; he will let your sin be uncovered.