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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 NIV</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><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/lamentations/4.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" 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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">New International Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/niv/esv/lamentations/4.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>How the gold has lost its luster,</p><p class="line2">the fine gold become dull!</p><p class="line1">The sacred gems are scattered</p><p class="line2">at every street corner.</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>How the precious children of Zion,</p><p class="line2">once worth their weight in gold,</p><p class="line1">are now considered as pots of clay,</p><p class="line2">the work of a potter’s hands!</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Even jackals offer their breasts</p><p class="line2">to nurse their young,</p><p class="line1">but my people have become heartless</p><p class="line2">like ostriches in the desert.</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Because of thirst the infant’s tongue</p><p class="line2">sticks to the roof of its mouth;</p><p class="line1">the children beg for bread,</p><p class="line2">but no one gives it to them.</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>Those who once ate delicacies</p><p class="line2">are destitute in the streets.</p><p class="line1">Those brought up in royal purple</p><p class="line2">now lie on ash heaps.</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>The punishment of my people</p><p class="line2">is greater than that of Sodom,</p><p class="line1">which was overthrown in a moment</p><p class="line2">without a hand turned to help her.</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>Their princes were brighter than snow</p><p class="line2">and whiter than milk,</p><p class="line1">their bodies more ruddy than rubies,</p><p class="line2">their appearance like lapis lazuli.</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>But now they are blacker than soot;</p><p class="line2">they are not recognized in the streets.</p><p class="line1">Their skin has shriveled on their bones;</p><p class="line2">it has become as dry as a stick.</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>Those killed by the sword are better off</p><p class="line2">than those who die of famine;</p><p class="line1">racked with hunger, they waste away</p><p class="line2">for lack of food from the field.</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><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="line2">have cooked their own children,</p><p class="line1">who became their food</p><p class="line2">when my people were destroyed.</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>The <span class="name">Lord</span> has given full vent to his wrath;</p><p class="line2">he has poured out his fierce anger.</p><p class="line1">He kindled a fire in Zion</p><p class="line2">that consumed her foundations.</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>The kings of the earth did not believe,</p><p class="line2">nor did any of the peoples of the world,</p><p class="line1">that enemies and foes could enter</p><p class="line2">the gates of Jerusalem.</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>But it happened because of the sins of her prophets</p><p class="line2">and the iniquities of her priests,</p><p class="line1">who shed within her</p><p class="line2">the blood of the righteous.</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>Now they grope through the streets</p><p class="line2">as if they were blind.</p><p class="line1">They are so defiled with blood</p><p class="line2">that no one dares to touch their garments.</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>“Go away! You are unclean!” people cry to them.</p><p class="line2">“Away! Away! Don’t touch us!”</p><p class="line1">When they flee and wander about,</p><p class="line2">people among the nations say,</p><p class="line2">“They can stay here no longer.”</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>The <span class="name">Lord</span> himself has scattered them;</p><p class="line2">he no longer watches over them.</p><p class="line1">The priests are shown no honor,</p><p class="line2">the elders no favor.</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>Moreover, our eyes failed,</p><p class="line2">looking in vain for help;</p><p class="line1">from our towers we watched</p><p class="line2">for a nation that could not save us.</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>People stalked us at every step,</p><p class="line2">so we could not walk in our streets.</p><p class="line1">Our end was near, our days were numbered,</p><p class="line2">for our end had come.</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Our pursuers were swifter</p><p class="line2">than eagles in the sky;</p><p class="line1">they chased us over the mountains</p><p class="line2">and lay in wait for us in the desert.</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>The <span class="name">Lord</span>’s anointed, our very life breath,</p><p class="line2">was caught in their traps.</p><p class="line1">We thought that under his shadow</p><p class="line2">we would live among the nations.</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>Rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom,</p><p class="line2">you who live in the land of Uz.</p><p class="line1">But to you also the cup will be passed;</p><p class="line2">you will be drunk and stripped naked.</p></div> <div class="stanza"><p class="line1"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/lamentations/4-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>Your punishment will end, Daughter Zion;</p><p class="line2">he will not prolong your exile.</p><p class="line1">But he will punish your sin, Daughter Edom,</p><p class="line2">and expose your wickedness.</p></div><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><p class="ntext"><a href="http://niv.scripturetext.com/version.htm">New International Version</a> (NIV)</p><p class="ntext2">Holy Bible, New International Version&reg, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by <a href="http://biblica.com">Biblica, Inc.</a>® Used by permission. 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