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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Lamentations 4 ISV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-LR4HSKRP2H"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-LR4HSKRP2H'); </script><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" 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cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../lamentations/3.htm" title="Lamentations 3">◄</a> Lamentations 4 <a href="../lamentations/5.htm" title="Lamentations 5">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">International Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/isv/esv/lamentations/4.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="heading">Zion’s Punishment</p><p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>How tarnished the gold has become,</p> <p class="poetry2">the finest gold debased!</p> <p class="poetry2">Sacred stones<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:1 Or gems">a</a></span> have been scattered</p> <p class="poetry2">at every street corner.</p> <p class="poetry1 margintop"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>Though the precious people of Zion</p> <p class="poetry2">were like fine gold,</p> <p class="poetry2">how they are valued like clay vessels,</p> <p class="poetry2">the handiwork of a potter!</p> <p class="poetry1 margintop"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Even wild animals nurse,</p> <p class="poetry2">suckling their young;</p> <p class="poetry2">but the women of my people are cruel,</p> <p class="poetry2">like ostriches in the wilderness.</p> <p class="poetry1 margintop"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>The nursing child’s tongue</p> <p class="poetry2">cleaves to its palate from thirst.</p> <p class="poetry2">Young children beg for bread,</p> <p class="poetry2">but no one gives them any.</p> <p class="poetry1 margintop"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>Those who enjoyed delicacies</p> <p class="poetry2">lie desolate in the streets.</p> <p class="poetry2">Those who were reared wearing purple</p> <p class="poetry2">scavenge in piles of trash.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>The guilt of my cherished people surpasses the sin of Sodom,</p> <p class="poetry2">which was overthrown in a moment,</p> <p class="poetry2">without a hand to help her.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>Her princes<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:7 Or Nazirites">b</a></span> were purer than snow,</p> <p class="poetry2">whiter than milk.</p> <p class="poetry2">Their bodies were more ruddy<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:7 i.e. reddish brown skin color">c</a></span> than rubies,</p> <p class="poetry2">their beards like the color of precious stones.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>Now their faces are blacker than coal;</p> <p class="poetry2">they are unrecognized in the streets.</p> <p class="poetry2">Their skin clings to their bones;</p> <p class="poetry2">it has become dry like a stick.</p> <p class="poetry1 margintop"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>Those who die by the sword are better off</p> <p class="poetry2">than those who die from starvation,</p> <p class="poetry2">who slowly waste away like those pierced through</p> <p class="poetry2">for lack of food from the fields.</p> <p class="poetry1 margintop"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>With their own hands, compassionate women</p> <p class="poetry2">boil their own children—</p> <p class="poetry2">they become their food—</p> <p class="poetry2">when my beloved people were<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:10 Lit. when the daughter of my people was">d</a></span> destroyed.</p> <p class="poetry1 margintop"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>The LORD has exhausted his wrath,</p> <p class="poetry2">pouring out his fierce anger.</p> <p class="poetry2">He kindled a fire in Zion,</p> <p class="poetry2">consuming its foundations.</p> <p class="poetry1 margintop"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>None of the kings of the earth would have believed,</p> <p class="poetry2">nor the world’s inhabitants,</p> <p class="poetry2">that the adversary and the enemy</p> <p class="poetry2">could have breached the gates of Jerusalem.</p> <p class="poetry1 margintop"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>Due to the sins committed by her prophets,</p> <p class="poetry2">and the iniquities of her priests</p> <p class="poetry2">who shed in her midst,</p> <p class="poetry2">the blood of the righteous,</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>people stagger around in the streets like the blind,</p> <p class="poetry2">defiled by blood</p> <p class="poetry2">unclean so that no one is able</p> <p class="poetry2">to touch their clothing.</p> <p class="poetry1 margintop"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>“Go away! Unclean!”</p> <p class="poetry2">they shouted at them.</p> <p class="poetry2">“Go away! Go away! Don’t touch!”</p> <p class="poetry2">When they fled away and wandered,</p> <p class="poetry2">those among the nations decreed,</p> <p class="poetry2">“They cannot live here!”</p> <p class="poetry1 margintop"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>The LORD himself separated them;</p> <p class="poetry2">he will do nothing more for them.</p> <p class="poetry2">They did not respect their own priests;</p> <p class="poetry2">they did not honor their elders.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>Our eyes failed,</p> <p class="poetry2">searching in vain for hope;</p> <p class="poetry2">we kept watching and looking</p> <p class="poetry2">for a nation that would not help.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>Our steps were closely stalked,</p> <p class="poetry2">so we couldn’t travel on our own streets.</p> <p class="poetry2">Our end is near,</p> <p class="poetry2">our days are over;</p> <p class="poetry2">indeed, our end has come.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Our pursuers were swifter</p> <p class="poetry2">than soaring eagles;<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:19 Lit. than eagles of the heavens">e</a></span> </p> <p class="poetry2">they pursued us over the mountains,</p> <p class="poetry2">lying in wait for us in the wilderness.</p> <p class="poetry1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>The LORD’s anointed,</p> <p class="poetry2">the breath of our life,</p> <p class="poetry2">was captured in their pits.</p> <p class="poetry2">About him we had said,</p> <p class="poetry2">“Under his protection we will survive</p> <p class="poetry2">among the nations.”</p> <p class="poetry1 margintop"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>Celebrate and rejoice, you women<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:21 Lit. daughter">f</a></span> of Edom,</p> <p class="poetry2">who live in the land of Uz.</p> <p class="poetry2">But to you the cup also will pass—</p> <p class="poetry2">you will become drunk and stripped naked.</p> <p class="poetry1 margintop"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>The punishment for your sin is complete, you women<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:22 Lit. daughter">g</a></span> of Zion,</p> <p class="poetry2">and God<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:22 Lit. he">h</a></span> will no longer exile you.</p> <p class="poetry2">He will punish your iniquity, you women<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:22 Lit. daughter">i</a></span> of Edom,</p> <p class="poetry2">and he will expose your sins.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="ftn"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn1"><span class="fnb">a</span> 4:1 Or <i>gems</i><br /><span class="fnb">b</span> 4:7 Or <i>Nazirites</i><br /><span class="fnb">c</span> 4:7 i.e. reddish brown skin color<br /><span class="fnb">d</span> 4:10 Lit. <i>when the daughter of my people was</i><br /><span class="fnb">e</span> 4:19 Lit. <i>than eagles of the heavens</i><br /><span class="fnb">f</span> 4:21 Lit. <i>daughter</i><br /><span class="fnb">g</span> 4:22 Lit. <i>daughter</i><br /><span class="fnb">h</span> 4:22 Lit. <i>he</i><br /><span class="fnb">i</span> 4:22 Lit. <i>daughter</i><br /></span><br><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><div align="center"><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1<br />Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation<br />ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible 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