Lamentations 4:6-18
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 4
6For the wrongdoing 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. 7Her consecrated ones were purer than snow, They shined more than milk; They were more ruddy in body than pearls of coral, Their form was like lapis lazuli. 8Their appearance is darker than soot, They are not recognized in the streets; Their skin is shriveled on their bones, It is dry, it has become like wood. 9Better off are those killed by the sword Than those killed by hunger; For they waste away, stricken By the lack of the produce of the field. 10The hands of compassionate women Boiled their own children; They became food for them Due to the destruction of the daughter of my people. 11The Lord has expended His wrath, He has poured out His fierce anger; And He has kindled a fire in Zion, And it has consumed its foundations. 12The kings of the earth did not believe, Nor did any of the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy Would enter the gates of Jerusalem. 13Because of the sins of her prophets And the wrongdoings of her priests, Who have shed in her midst The blood of the righteous, 14They wandered, blind, in the streets; They were defiled with blood, Such that no one could touch their garments. 15'Keep away! Unclean!' they cried out of themselves. 'Keep away, keep away, do not touch!' For they distanced themselves as well as wandered; People among the nations said, 'They shall not continue to reside with us.' 16The presence of the Lord has scattered them, He will not continue to look at them; They did not honor the priests, They did not favor the elders. 17Yet our eyes failed, Looking for help was useless; At our observation point we have watched For a nation that could not save. 18They 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.King James Version
Chapter 4
6For 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. 7Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire: 8Their 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. 9They 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. 10The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people. 11The 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. 12The 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. 13For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her, 14They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments. 15They 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. 16The 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. 17As 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. 18They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 4
6The punishment of my dear people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant without a hand laid on it. 7Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, their appearance like lapis lazuli. 8Now they appear darker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become dry like wood. 9Those slain by the sword are better off than those slain by hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce. 10The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children; they became their food during the destruction of my dear people. 11The Lord has exhausted his wrath, poured out his burning anger; he has ignited a fire in Zion, and it has consumed her foundations. 12The kings of the earth and all the world’s inhabitants did not believe that an enemy or adversary could enter Jerusalem’s gates. 13Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous within her. 14Blind, they stumbled in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments. 15"Stay away! Unclean!" people shouted at them. "Away, away! Don’t touch us!" So they wandered aimlessly. It was said among the nations, "They can stay here no longer." 16The Lord himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are not respected; the elders find no favor. 17All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help; we watched from our towers for a nation that would not save us. 18Our steps were closely followed so that we could not walk in our streets. Our end approached; our time ran out. Our end had come!New Living Translation
English Standard Version
Chapter 4
6 For the chastisement of the daughter of my people has been greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, and no hands were wrung for her. 7Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, the beauty of their form was like sapphire. 8 Now their face 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. 9Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who wasted away, pierced by lack of the fruits of the field. 10 The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children; they became their food during the destruction of the daughter of my people. 11 The Lord gave full vent to his wrath; he poured out his hot anger, and he kindled a fire in Zion that consumed its foundations. 12 The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any of the inhabitants of the world, that foe or enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem. 13This was for the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed in the midst of her the blood of the righteous. 14 They wandered, blind, through the streets; they were so defiled with blood that no one was able to touch their garments. 15"Away! Unclean!" people cried at them. "Away! Away! Do not touch!" So they became fugitives and wanderers; people said among the nations, "They shall stay with us 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; in our watching we watched for a nation which 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.New International Version
New King James Version
