Berean Standard Bible

Lamentations 4

1HowH349 1 the goldH2091 has become tarnishedH6004, the pureH2896 goldH3800 has become dullH8132! The gemsH68 of the templeH6944 lie scatteredH8210 on everyH3605 streetH2351 cornerH7218.

2HowH349 the preciousH3368 sonsH1121 of ZionH6726,once worth their weightH5537 in pure goldH6337,are now esteemedH2803 as jarsH5035 of clayH2789,the workH4639 of a potter’sH3335 handsH3027!

3EvenH1571 jackalsH8577 2 offerH2502 their breastsH7699to nurseH3243 their youngH1482,but the daughterH1323 of my peopleH5971 has become cruelH393,likeH3588 an ostrichH3283 in the wildernessH4057.

4The nursing infant’sH3243 tongueH3956clingsH1692 in thirstH6772 toH413 the roof of his mouthH2441.Little childrenH5768 beg forH7592 breadH3899,but noH369 one gives them anyH6566.

5Those who once ateH398 delicaciesH4574are destituteH8074 in the streetsH2351;those brought upH539 inH5921 crimsonH8438huddleH2263 in ash heapsH830.

6The punishmentH5771 3 of the daughterH1323 of my peopleH5971is greaterH1431 thanH2403 that of SodomH5467,which was overthrownH2015 inH3644 an instantH7281withoutH3808 a handH3027 turned to helpH2342 her.

7Her dignitariesH5139 were brighterH2141 than snowH7950,whiterH6705 than milkH2461;their bodiesH6106 were more ruddyH119 than rubiesH6443,their appearanceH1508 4 like sapphiresH5601.5

8But now their appearanceH8389 is blackerH2821 than sootH7815;they are notH3808 recognizedH5234 in the streetsH2351.Their skinH5785 has shriveledH6821 onH5921 their bonesH6106;it has becomeH1961 as dryH3001 as a stickH6086.

9Those slainH2491 by the swordH2719 areH1961 better offH2896than those who dieH2491 of hungerH7458,whoH1992 waste awayH2100, pierced with painH1856because the fieldsH7704 lack produceH8570.

10The handsH3027 of compassionateH7362 womenH802have cookedH1310 their own childrenH3206,who becameH1961 their foodH1262in the destructionH7667 of the daughterH1323 of my peopleH5971.

11The LORDH3068 has exhaustedH3615 His wrathH2534;He has poured outH8210 His fierceH2740 angerH639;He has kindledH3341 a fireH784 in ZionH6726,and it has consumedH398 her foundationsH3247.

12The kingsH4428 of the earthH776 did notH3808 believeH539,nor anyH3605 peopleH3427 of the worldH8398,thatH3588 an enemyH6862 or a foeH341could enterH935 the gatesH8179 of JerusalemH3389.

13But this was for the sinsH2403 of her prophetsH5030and the guiltH5771 of her priestsH3548,who shedH8210 the bloodH1818 of the righteousH6662in her midstH7130.

14They wanderedH5128 blindH5787 in the streetsH2351,defiledH1351 by this bloodH1818,so that noH3808 one daredH3201to touchH5060 their garmentsH3830.

15“Go awayH5493! UncleanH2931!”men shoutedH7121 at them.“AwayH5493, awayH5493! Do notH408 touch usH5060!”SoH3588 they fledH5132 andH1571 wanderedH5128.Among the nationsH1471 it was saidH559,“They can stayH1481 here noH3808 longerH3254.”

16The presenceH6440 of the LORDH3068 has scattered themH2505;He regards themH5027 noH3808 moreH3254.The priestsH3548 are shown no honorH3808 H6440 H5375;the eldersH2205 find noH3808 favorH2603.

17All the whileH5750 our eyesH5869 were failingH3615as we looked in vainH1892 forH413 helpH5833.We watchedH6836 from our towersH6822forH413 a nationH1471 that could notH3808 save usH3467.

18They stalkedH6679 our every stepH6806,so that we could not walkH1980 in our streetsH7339.Our endH7093 drew nearH7126, our timeH3117 H3588 ran outH4390,for our endH7093 had comeH935!

19Those who chased usH7291 wereH1961 swifterH7031than the eaglesH5404 in the skyH8064;they pursued usH1814 overH5921 the mountainsH2022and ambushedH693 us in the wildernessH4057.

20The LORD’sH3068 anointedH4899, the breathH7307 of our lifeH639,was capturedH3920 in their pitsH7825.We had saidH559 of himH834,“Under his shadowH6738 we will liveH2421 among the nationsH1471.”

21So rejoiceH7797 and be gladH8055, O DaughterH1323 of EdomH123,you who dwellH3427 in the landH776 of UzH5780.Yet the cupH3563 will passH5674 toH5921 you as wellH1571;you will get drunkH7937 and expose yourselfH6168.

22O DaughterH1323 of ZionH6726, your punishmentH5771 is completeH8552;He will notH3808 prolongH3254 your exileH1540.6But He will punishH6485 your iniquityH5771, O DaughterH1323 of EdomH123;He will exposeH1540 H5921 your sinsH2403.

Notes

1. Lamentations 4:1 This chapter is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. ↩
2. Lamentations 4:3 Or serpents or dragons ↩
3. Lamentations 4:6 Or iniquity ↩
4. Lamentations 4:7 Or their polishing or their hair ↩
5. Lamentations 4:7 Hebrew lapis lazuli ↩
6. Lamentations 4:22 Or He will not exile you again ↩