Lamentations 4
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1How 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.1How the gold has lost its luster, the fine gold become dull! The sacred gems are scattered at every street corner.
2The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the 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 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.3Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but my people have become heartless like ostriches in the desert.
4The 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.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.
5They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.5Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets. Those brought up in royal purple now lie on ash heaps.
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.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 Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:7Their princes were brighter than snow and whiter than milk, their bodies more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like lapis lazuli.
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.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.
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.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.
10The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.10With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food when my people were destroyed.
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.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.
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.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.
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,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.
14They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.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.
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.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 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.16The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor.
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.17Moreover, our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our towers we 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.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 persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid 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 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.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.
21Rejoice 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.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 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.22Your punishment will end, Daughter Zion; he will not prolong your exile. But he will punish your sin, Daughter Edom, and expose your wickedness.
King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.New International Version (NIV)

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Lamentations 3
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