|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distress of the Siege Described |
|
|
 |
Lamentations 4:1
|
|
How dark the gold has become, How the pure gold
has changed! The sacred stones are poured out At the corner of every street. |
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:2
|
|
The precious sons of Zion, Weighed against fine
gold, How they are regarded as earthen jars, The work of a potter's hands! |
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:3
|
|
Even jackals offer the breast, They nurse their
young; But the daughter of my people has become cruel Like ostriches in the wilderness.
|
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:4
|
|
The tongue of the infant cleaves To the roof
of its mouth because of thirst; The little ones ask for bread, But no one breaks
it for them. |
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:5
|
|
Those who ate delicacies Are desolate in the
streets; Those reared in purple Embrace ash pits. |
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:6
|
|
For the iniquity of the daughter of my people
Is greater than the sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown as in a moment, And no
hands were turned toward her. |
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:7
|
|
Her consecrated ones were purer than snow, They
were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than corals, Their polishing
was like lapis lazuli. |
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:8
|
|
Their appearance is blacker than soot, They
are not recognized in the streets; Their skin is shriveled on their bones, It
is withered, it has become like wood. |
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:9
|
|
Better are those slain with the sword Than those
slain with hunger; For they pine away, being stricken For lack of the fruits of
the field. |
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:10
|
|
The hands of compassionate women Boiled their
own children; They became food for them Because of the destruction of the daughter
of my people. |
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:11
|
|
The LORD has accomplished His wrath, He has
poured out His fierce anger; And He has kindled a fire in Zion Which has consumed
its foundations. |
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:12
|
|
The kings of the earth did not believe, Nor
did any of the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy Could
enter the gates of Jerusalem. |
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:13
|
|
Because of the sins of her prophets And the
iniquities of her priests, Who have shed in her midst The blood of the righteous; |
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:14
|
|
They wandered, blind, in the streets; They were
defiled with blood So that no one could touch their garments. |
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:15
|
|
"Depart! Unclean!" they cried of themselves.
"Depart, depart, do not touch!" So they fled and wandered; Men among the nations
said, "They shall not continue to dwell with us." |
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:16
|
|
The presence of the LORD has scattered them,
He will not continue to regard them; They did not honor the priests, They did
not favor the elders. |
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:17
|
|
Yet our eyes failed, Looking for help was useless;
In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save. |
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:18
|
|
They hunted our steps So that we could not walk
in our streets; Our end drew near, Our days were finished For our end had come.
|
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:19
|
|
Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of
the sky; They chased us on the mountains, They waited in ambush for us in the
wilderness. |
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:20
|
|
The breath of our nostrils, the LORD'S anointed,
Was captured in their pits, Of whom we had said, "Under his shadow We shall live
among the nations." |
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:21
|
|
Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, Who
dwells in the land of Uz; But the cup will come around to you as well, You will
become drunk and make yourself naked. |
|
|
|
Lamentations 4:22
|
|
The punishment of your iniquity has been completed,
O daughter of Zion; He will exile you no longer. But He will punish your iniquity,
O daughter of Edom; He will expose your sins! |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|