“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
18 of 22 verses have a reading · Berean Standard Bible
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CS
Chuck Smith15
DW
David Wilkerson9
JM
John Murray2
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Keith Malcomson2
EJ
E.A. Johnston1
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Brian Long1
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John Hunter1
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Chuck Smith15
DW
David Wilkerson9
JM
John Murray2
KM
Keith Malcomson2
EJ
E.A. Johnston1
BL
Brian Long1
JH
John Hunter1
All voices →
1How the gold has become tarnished, the pure gold has become dull! The gems of the temple lie scattered on every street corner.
“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.”
“how is the gold become dim? The most fine gold changed. The stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.”
“How is the gold become dim? How is the most fine gold changed? The stalls of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.”
2How the precious sons of Zion, once worth their weight in pure gold, are now esteemed as jars of clay, the work of a potter's hands!
“The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter?”
“The precious sons of Zion weighed against fine gold. How they're regarded as earthen jars, the work of a potter's hands.”
“The precious sons of Zion comparable to fine gold. How are these steamed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter?”
3Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like an ostrich in the wilderness.
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4The nursing infant's tongue clings in thirst to the roof of his mouth. Little children beg for bread, but no one gives them any.
“The tongue of the nursing child cleaves to the roof of his mouth for thirst. The young children ask for bread and no man breaks it unto them.”
5Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets; those brought up in crimson huddle in ash heaps.
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6The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant without a hand turned to help her.
“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.”
“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.”
7Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires.
“Her Nazarites were purer than snow. They were whiter than milk. They were more ruddy in body than rubies. Their polishing was of sapphire.”
“Her Nazarites were purer than snow. They were whiter than milk. They were more ruddy in body than rubies. Their polishing was of sapphire.”
8But now their appearance is 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.
“their visage or their appearance is blacker than a coal. They are not known in the streets. Their skin cleaveth to their bones. It is withered. It has become like a stick.”
9Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.
“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.”
“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.”
10The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
“The hands of compassionate women boiled their own children. They became food for them because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.”
“The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children, and they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of My people.”
11The LORD has exhausted His wrath; He has poured out His fierce anger; He has kindled a fire in Zion, and it has consumed her foundations.
“The Lord has accomplished His fury. He has poured out His fierce anger. He has kindled a fire in Zion, and it has devoured the foundations”
12The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any people of the world, that an enemy or a foe could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
“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.”
13But this was for the sins of her prophets and the guilt of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst.
“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.”
“Because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests who have shed in her midst the blood of the righteous.”
14They wandered blind in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments.
“They have wandered as blind men in the streets. They have polluted themselves with blood so that men could not touch their garments.”
“They wandered blind in the streets. They were defiled with blood so that no one could touch their garments.”
15"Go away! Unclean!" men shouted at them. "Away, away! Do not touch us!" So they fled and wandered. Among the nations it was said, "They can stay here no longer."
“They cried unto them, Depart, ye, it is unclean. Depart, depart, don't touch. When they fled away and wandered, they said among the heathen, They shall no more sojourn there.”
16The presence of the LORD has scattered them; He regards them no more. The priests are shown no honor; the elders find no favor.
“The anger of the Lord hath divided them. He will no more regard them. They respected not the persons of the priests. They favored not the elders.”
17All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help. We watched from our towers for a nation that could not save us.
“Yet our eyes failed. Looking for help was useless. In our watching, we have watched for a nation that could not save.”
“As for us, our eyes has yet failed for our vain help. In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us.”
18They stalked our every step, so that we could not walk in our streets. Our end drew near, our time ran out, for our end had come!
“They hunted our steps so that we could not walk in our streets. Our end drew near. Our days were finished for our end has come.”
“They hunt our steps that we cannot go in the streets. Our end is near. Our days are fulfilled for our end has come.”
19Those who chased us were swifter than the eagles in the sky; they pursued us over the mountains and ambushed us in the wilderness.
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20The LORD's anointed, the breath of our life, was captured in their pits. We had said of him, "Under his shadow we will live among the nations."
“The breath of our nostrils, the anointing of the Lord was taken in their pits of whom we said under his shadow we shall live among the heathen.”
21So rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz. Yet the cup will pass to you as well; you will get drunk and expose yourself.
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22O Daughter of Zion, your punishment is complete; He will not prolong your exile. But He will punish your iniquity, O Daughter of Edom; He will expose your sins.
“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.”