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Lamentations 4-5
King James Version
Lamentations 4-5
King James Version
4 How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.
2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
3 Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.
4 The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.
5 They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
6 For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her.
7 Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:
8 Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.
9 They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.
10 The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 The Lord hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof.
12 The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem.
13 For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her,
14 They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.
15 They cried unto them, Depart ye; it is unclean; depart, depart, touch not: when they fled away and wandered, they said among the heathen, They shall no more sojourn there.
16 The anger of the Lord hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders.
17 As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us.
18 They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.
19 Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen.
21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.
22 The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins.
5 Remember, O Lord, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach.
2 Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens.
3 We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.
4 We have drunken our water for money; our wood is sold unto us.
5 Our necks are under persecution: we labour, and have no rest.
6 We have given the hand to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.
7 Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities.
8 Servants have ruled over us: there is none that doth deliver us out of their hand.
9 We gat our bread with the peril of our lives because of the sword of the wilderness.
10 Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine.
11 They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah.
12 Princes are hanged up by their hand: the faces of elders were not honoured.
13 They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood.
14 The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musick.
15 The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.
16 The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned!
17 For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes are dim.
18 Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.
19 Thou, O Lord, remainest for ever; thy throne from generation to generation.
20 Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, and forsake us so long time?
21 Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.
22 But thou hast utterly rejected us; thou art very wroth against us.
Lamentations 4-5
1599 Geneva Bible
Lamentations 4-5
1599 Geneva Bible
4 1 How is the [a]gold become so [b]dim? the most fine gold is changed, and the stones of the Sanctuary are scattered in the corner of every street.
2 The noble [c]men of Zion comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen [d]pitchers, even the work of the hands of the potter!
3 Even the dragons [e]draw out the breasts, and give suck to their young: but the daughter of my people is become cruel like the [f]ostriches in the wilderness.
4 The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, but no man breaketh it unto them.
5 They that did feed delicately, perish in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet, embrace the dung.
6 For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is become greater than the sin of Sodom, that was (A)destroyed as in a moment, and [g]none pitched camps against her.
7 Her (B)Nazirites were purer than the snow, and whiter than the milk: they were more ruddy in body, than the red precious stones: they were like polished sapphire.
8 Now their [h]visage is blacker than a coal: they cannot know them in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones: it is withered like a stock.
9 They that be slain with the sword, are better than they that are killed with hunger: for they fade away as they were stricken through for the [i]fruits of the field.
10 The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children, which were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 The Lord hath accomplished his indignation: he hath poured out his fierce wrath, he hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured the foundations thereof.
12 The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem:
13 For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of [j]her.
14 They have wandered as blind men[k]in the streets, and they were polluted with blood, so that[l]they would not touch their garments.
15 But they cried unto them, Depart ye polluted, depart, depart, touch not: therefore they fled away, and wandered: they have said among the heathen, They shall no more dwell there.
16 The [m]anger of the Lord hath scattered them, he will no more regard them: [n]they reverenced not the face of the Priest, nor had compassion on the Elders.
17 While we waited for our vain help, our eyes failed: for in our waiting we looked for [o]a nation that could not save us.
18 They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled, for our end is come.
19 Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, and laid wait for us in the wilderness.
20 The [p]breath of our nostrils, the Anointed of the Lord was taken in their nets, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall be preserved alive among the heathen.
21 Rejoice and be glad, [q]O daughter Edom: that dwellest in the land of Uz, the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken [r]and vomit.
22 Thy punishment is accomplished, O daughter Zion: he [s]will no more carry thee away into captivity, but he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter Edom, he will discover thy sins.
5 The prayer of Jeremiah.
1 Remember, O Lord, what is come upon us: [t]consider, and behold our reproach.
2 Our inheritance is turned to the strangers, our houses to the aliens.
3 We are fatherless, even without father, and our mothers are as widows.
4 We have drunk our [u]water for money, and our wood is sold unto us.
5 Our necks are under persecution: we are weary, and have no rest.
6 We have given our [v]hands to the Egyptians, and to Assyria, to be satisfied with bread.
7 Our fathers have sinned, and are not, and we have borne [w]their iniquities.
8 Servants have ruled over us, none would deliver us out of their hands.
9 We got our bread with the peril of our lives, because of the sword [x]of the wilderness.
10 Our skin was black like as an oven because of the terrible famine.
11 They defiled the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah.
12 The princes are hanged up by [y]their hand: the faces of the Elders were not had in honor.
13 They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under [z]the wood.
14 The Elders have ceased from the [aa]gate and the young men from their songs.
15 The joy of our heart is gone, our dance is turned into mourning.
16 The crown of our head is fallen: woe now unto us, that we have sinned.
17 Therefore our heart is heavy for these things, our [ab]eyes are dim,
18 Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate: the foxes run upon it.
19 But thou, O Lord, remainest [ac]forever: thy throne is from generation to generation.
20 Wherefore dost thou forget us forever, and forsake us so long time?
21 [ad]Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned: renew our days as of old.
22 But thou hast utterly rejected us: thou art exceedingly angry against us.
Footnotes
- Lamentations 4:1 By the gold, he meaneth the princes, as by the stones he understandeth the Priests.
- Lamentations 4:1 Or, hid.
- Lamentations 4:2 Or, sons.
- Lamentations 4:2 Which are of small estimation, and have none honor.
- Lamentations 4:3 Though the dragons be cruel, yet they pity their young, and nourish them, which things Jerusalem doth not.
- Lamentations 4:3 The women forsake their children, as the ostrich doth her eggs, Job 39:17.
- Lamentations 4:6 Or, no strength was against her.
- Lamentations 4:8 They that were before most in God’s favor, are now in greatest abomination unto him.
- Lamentations 4:9 For lack of food they pine away and consume.
- Lamentations 4:13 He meaneth that these things are come to pass therefore, contrary to all men’s expectation.
- Lamentations 4:14 Some refer this to the blind men, which as they went, stumbled on the blood, whereof the city was full.
- Lamentations 4:14 Meaning, the heathen which came to destroy them, could not abide them.
- Lamentations 4:16 Or, face.
- Lamentations 4:16 That is, the enemies.
- Lamentations 4:17 He showeth two principal causes of their destruction: their cruelty and their vain confidence in man: for they trusted in the help of the Egyptians.
- Lamentations 4:20 Our king Josiah, in whom stood our hope of God’s favor, and on whom depended our state and life, was slain, whom he calleth Anointed, because he was a figure of Christ.
- Lamentations 4:21 This is spoken by derision.
- Lamentations 4:21 Or, show thy nakedness.
- Lamentations 4:22 He comforteth the Church, by that after seventy years their sorrows shall have an end, whereas the wicked should be tormented forever.
- Lamentations 5:1 This prayer as is thought, was made when some of the people were carried away captive, others, as the poorest remained, and some went into Egypt, and other places for succor: albeit it seemeth that the Prophet foreseeing their miseries to come, thus prayed.
- Lamentations 5:4 Meaning, their extreme servitude and bondage.
- Lamentations 5:6 We are joined in league and amity with them, or have submitted ourselves unto them.
- Lamentations 5:7 As our fathers have been punished for their sins: so we that are culpable of the same sins, are punished.
- Lamentations 5:9 Because of the enemy that came from the wilderness, and would not suffer us to go and seek our necessary food.
- Lamentations 5:12 That is, by the enemy’s hand.
- Lamentations 5:13 Their slavery was so great, that they were not able to abide it.
- Lamentations 5:14 There were no more laws nor form of commonwealth.
- Lamentations 5:17 With weeping.
- Lamentations 5:19 And therefore thy covenant and mercies can never fail.
- Lamentations 5:21 Whereby is declared that it is not in man’s power to turn to God, but is only his work to convert us, and thus God worketh in us before we can turn to him, Jer. 31:18.
Lamentations 4-5
New International Version
Lamentations 4-5
New International Version
4 [a]How the gold has lost its luster,
the fine gold become dull!
The sacred gems are scattered
at every street corner.(A)
2 How the precious children of Zion,(B)
once worth their weight in gold,
are now considered as pots of clay,
the work of a potter’s hands!
3 Even jackals offer their breasts
to nurse their young,
but my people have become heartless
like ostriches in the desert.(C)
4 Because of thirst(D) the infant’s tongue
sticks to the roof of its mouth;(E)
the children beg for bread,
but no one gives it to them.(F)
5 Those who once ate delicacies
are destitute in the streets.
Those brought up in royal purple(G)
now lie on ash heaps.(H)
6 The punishment of my people
is greater than that of Sodom,(I)
which was overthrown in a moment
without a hand turned to help her.
7 Their princes were brighter than snow
and whiter than milk,
their bodies more ruddy than rubies,
their appearance like lapis lazuli.
8 But now they are blacker(J) than soot;
they are not recognized in the streets.
Their skin has shriveled on their bones;(K)
it has become as dry as a stick.
9 Those killed by the sword are better off
than those who die of famine;(L)
racked with hunger, they waste away
for lack of food from the field.(M)
10 With their own hands compassionate women
have cooked their own children,(N)
who became their food
when my people were destroyed.
11 The Lord has given full vent to his wrath;(O)
he has poured out(P) his fierce anger.(Q)
He kindled a fire(R) in Zion
that consumed her foundations.(S)
12 The kings of the earth did not believe,
nor did any of the peoples of the world,
that enemies and foes could enter
the gates of Jerusalem.(T)
13 But it happened because of the sins of her prophets
and the iniquities of her priests,(U)
who shed within her
the blood(V) of the righteous.
14 Now they grope through the streets
as if they were blind.(W)
They are so defiled with blood(X)
that no one dares to touch their garments.
15 “Go away! You are unclean!” people cry to them.
“Away! Away! Don’t touch us!”
When they flee and wander(Y) about,
people among the nations say,
“They can stay here no longer.”(Z)
16 The Lord himself has scattered them;
he no longer watches over them.(AA)
The priests are shown no honor,
the elders(AB) no favor.(AC)
17 Moreover, our eyes failed,
looking in vain(AD) for help;(AE)
from our towers we watched
for a nation(AF) that could not save us.
18 People stalked us at every step,
so we could not walk in our streets.
Our end was near, our days were numbered,
for our end had come.(AG)
19 Our pursuers were swifter
than eagles(AH) in the sky;
they chased us(AI) over the mountains
and lay in wait for us in the desert.(AJ)
20 The Lord’s anointed,(AK) our very life breath,
was caught in their traps.(AL)
We thought that under his shadow(AM)
we would live among the nations.
21 Rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom,
you who live in the land of Uz.(AN)
But to you also the cup(AO) will be passed;
you will be drunk and stripped naked.(AP)
22 Your punishment will end, Daughter Zion;(AQ)
he will not prolong your exile.
But he will punish your sin, Daughter Edom,
and expose your wickedness.(AR)
5 Remember, Lord, what has happened to us;
look, and see our disgrace.(AS)
2 Our inheritance(AT) has been turned over to strangers,(AU)
our homes(AV) to foreigners.(AW)
3 We have become fatherless,
our mothers are widows.(AX)
4 We must buy the water we drink;(AY)
our wood can be had only at a price.(AZ)
5 Those who pursue us are at our heels;
we are weary(BA) and find no rest.(BB)
6 We submitted to Egypt and Assyria(BC)
to get enough bread.
7 Our ancestors(BD) sinned and are no more,
and we bear their punishment.(BE)
8 Slaves(BF) rule over us,
and there is no one to free us from their hands.(BG)
9 We get our bread at the risk of our lives
because of the sword in the desert.
10 Our skin is hot as an oven,
feverish from hunger.(BH)
11 Women have been violated(BI) in Zion,
and virgins in the towns of Judah.
12 Princes have been hung up by their hands;
elders(BJ) are shown no respect.(BK)
13 Young men toil at the millstones;
boys stagger under loads of wood.
14 The elders are gone from the city gate;
the young men have stopped their music.(BL)
15 Joy is gone from our hearts;
our dancing has turned to mourning.(BM)
16 The crown(BN) has fallen from our head.(BO)
Woe to us, for we have sinned!(BP)
17 Because of this our hearts(BQ) are faint,(BR)
because of these things our eyes(BS) grow dim(BT)
18 for Mount Zion,(BU) which lies desolate,(BV)
with jackals prowling over it.
19 You, Lord, reign forever;(BW)
your throne endures(BX) from generation to generation.
20 Why do you always forget us?(BY)
Why do you forsake(BZ) us so long?
21 Restore(CA) us to yourself, Lord, that we may return;
renew our days as of old
22 unless you have utterly rejected us(CB)
and are angry with us beyond measure.(CC)
Footnotes
- Lamentations 4:1 This chapter is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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