Lamentations 4 ISV NIV Parallel

◄ Lamentations 4 ►

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International Standard Version

New International Version

1How tarnished the gold has become, the finest gold debased! Sacred stones have been scattered at every street corner.

1How the gold has lost its luster, the fine gold become dull! The sacred gems are scattered at every street corner.

2Though the precious people of Zion were like fine gold, how they are valued like clay vessels, the handiwork of a potter!

2How the precious children of Zion, once worth their weight in gold, are now considered as pots of clay, the work of a potter's hands!

3Even wild animals nurse, suckling their young; but the women of my people are cruel, like ostriches in the wilderness.

3Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but my people have become heartless like ostriches in the desert.

4The nursing child's tongue cleaves to its palate from thirst. Young children beg for bread, but no one gives them any.

4Because of thirst the infant's tongue sticks to the roof of its mouth; the children beg for bread, but no one gives it to them.

5Those who enjoyed delicacies lie desolate in the streets. Those who were reared wearing purple scavenge in piles of trash.

5Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets. Those brought up in royal purple now lie on ash heaps.

6The guilt of my cherished people surpasses the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, without a hand to help her.

6The punishment of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment without a hand turned to help her.

7Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk. Their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their beards like the color of precious stones.

7Their princes were brighter than snow and whiter than milk, their bodies more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like lapis lazuli.

8Now their faces are blacker than coal; they are unrecognized in the streets. Their skin clings to their bones; it has become dry like a stick.

8But now they are blacker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as a stick.

9Those who die by the sword are better off than those who die from starvation, who slowly waste away like those pierced through for lack of food from the fields.

9Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of famine; racked with hunger, they waste away for lack of food from the field.

10With their own hands, compassionate women boil their own children— they become their food— when my beloved people were destroyed.

10With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food when my people were destroyed.

11The LORD has exhausted his wrath, pouring out his fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion, consuming its foundations.

11The LORD has given full vent to his wrath; he has poured out his fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion that consumed her foundations.

12None of the kings of the earth would have believed, nor the world's inhabitants, that the adversary and the enemy could have breached the gates of Jerusalem.

12The 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.

13Due to the sins committed by her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests who shed in her midst, the blood of the righteous,

13But it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed within her the blood of the righteous.

14people stagger around in the streets like the blind, defiled by blood unclean so that no one is able to touch their clothing.

14Now they grope through the streets as if they were blind. They are so defiled with blood that no one dares to touch their garments.

15"Go away! Unclean!" they shouted at them. "Go away! Go away! Don't touch!" When they fled away and wandered, those among the nations decreed, "They cannot live here!"

15"Go away! You are unclean!" people cry to them. "Away! Away! Don't touch us!" When they flee and wander about, people among the nations say, "They can stay here no longer."

16The LORD himself separated them; he will do nothing more for them. They did not respect their own priests; they did not honor their elders.

16The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor.

17Our eyes failed, searching in vain for hope; we kept watching and looking for a nation that would not help.

17Moreover, our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our towers we watched for a nation that could not save us.

18Our steps were closely stalked, so we couldn't travel on our own streets. Our end is near, our days are over; indeed, our end has come.

18People 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.

19Our pursuers were swifter than soaring eagles; they pursued us over the mountains, lying in wait for us in the wilderness.

19Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky; they chased us over the mountains and lay in wait for us in the desert.

20The LORD's anointed, the breath of our life, was captured in their pits. About him we had said, "Under his protection we will survive among the nations."

20The LORD's anointed, our very life breath, was caught in their traps. We thought that under his shadow we would live among the nations.

21Celebrate and rejoice, you women of Edom, who live in the land of Uz. But to you the cup also will pass— you will become drunk and stripped naked.

21Rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom, you who live in the land of Uz. But to you also the cup will be passed; you will be drunk and stripped naked.

22The punishment for your sin is complete, you women of Zion, and God will no longer exile you. He will punish your iniquity, you women of Edom, and he will expose your sins.

22Your punishment will end, Daughter Zion; he will not prolong your exile. But he will punish your sin, Daughter Edom, and expose your wickedness.

New International Version (NIV)

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