Lamentations 4 אֵיכָה פרק ד׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Lamentations 4 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1
אֵיכָהhowיוּעַםit is dimmedזָהָבgoldיִשְׁנֶאit is changedהַכֶּתֶםthe goldהַטּוֹבthe goodתִּשְׁתַּפֵּכְנָהthey lie scatteredאַבְנֵי־קֹדֶשׁthe stones of the sanctuaryבְּרֹאשׁin the top ofכׇּל־חוּצוֹת׃all the streets
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.
2
בְּנֵיthe sons ofצִיּוֹןZionהַיְקָרִיםpreciousהַמְסֻלָּאִיםwho were weighedבַּפָּזwith the pure goldאֵיכָהhowנֶחְשְׁבוּare they esteemedלְנִבְלֵי־חֶרֶשׂto jars of earthenwareמַעֲשֵׂהwork ofיְדֵיhands ofיוֹצֵר׃potter
The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
3
גַּם־[תַּנִּים]also jackals(תנין)חָלְצוּthey draw outשַׁדa breastהֵינִיקוּthey suckleגּוּרֵיהֶןtheir youngבַּת־עַמִּיdaughter of my peopleלְאַכְזָרinto one cruel(כיענים)[כַּיְעֵנִים]like the ostrichesבַּמִּדְבָּר׃in the wilderness
Even 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.
4
דָּבַקhe cleavedלְשׁוֹןthe language ofיוֹנֵקthe nursing childאֶל־חִכּוֹto his mouthבַּצָּמָאby the thirstעוֹלָלִיםinfantsשָׁאֲלוּthey askedלֶחֶםbreadפֹּרֵשׂbreakingאֵיןthere is noלָהֶם׃to them
The 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.
5
הָאֹכְלִיםthe partake of itלְמַעֲדַנִּיםdelicaciesנָשַׁמּוּthey are appalledבַּחוּצוֹתin the streetsהָאֱמֻנִיםthe ones brought upעֲלֵיonתוֹלָעscarletחִבְּקוּthey embraceאַשְׁפַּתּוֹת׃ash heaps
They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
6
וַיִּגְדַּלand it grewעֲוֺןthe iniquity ofבַּת־עַמִּיdaughter of my peopleמֵחַטַּאתmore than the sin ofסְדֹםSodomהַהֲפוּכָהwhich was overthrownכְמוֹ־רָגַעas in a momentוְלֹא־חָלוּand not they writhedבָהּin itיָדָיִם׃both hands
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.
7
זַכּוּthey are pureנְזִירֶיהָher Nazaritesמִשֶּׁלֶגmore than snowצַחוּthey were dazzlingמֵחָלָבmore than milkאָדְמוּthey were redעֶצֶםin bodyמִפְּנִינִיםis more than pearlsסַפִּירa sapphireגִּזְרָתָם׃their polishing
Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:
8
חָשַׁךְdarknessמִשְּׁחוֹרmore than sootתׇּאֳרָםtheir visageלֹאnotנִכְּרוּthey are recognizedבַּחוּצוֹתin the streetsצָפַדit has shriveledעוֹרָםtheir skinsעַל־עַצְמָםupon themselvesיָבֵשׁit has withered awayהָיָהwasכָעֵץ׃like wood
Their 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.
9
טוֹבִיםgoodהָיוּwereחַלְלֵי־חֶרֶבslain of the sword ofמֵחַלְלֵיfrom slain ofרָעָבhungerשֶׁהֵםthat theyיָזֻבוּthey flowed outמְדֻקָּרִיםpiercedמִתְּנוּבֹתfrom the produce ofשָׂדָי׃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.
10
יְדֵיhands ofנָשִׁיםwomenרַחֲמָנִיּוֹתcompassionateבִּשְּׁלוּthey boiledיַלְדֵיהֶןtheir young onesהָיוּwereלְבָרוֹתfor eatingלָמוֹfor themבְּשֶׁבֶרwith great destructionבַּת־עַמִּי׃daughter of my people
The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11
כִּלָּהhas accomplishedיְהֹוָהthe LORDאֶת־חֲמָתוֹHis furyשָׁפַךְpoured outחֲרוֹןfierceאַפּוֹHis wrathוַיַּצֶּת־אֵשׁand he has kindled fireבְּצִיּוֹןin Zionוַתּאכַלso it may devourיְסֹדֹתֶיהָ׃her foundations
The 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.
12
לֹאnotהֶאֱמִינוּdid they believeמַלְכֵי־אֶרֶץthe kings of land of(וכל)[כֹּל]allיֹשְׁבֵיinhabitants ofתֵבֵלthe worldכִּיthatיָבֹאshall comeצַרadversaryוְאוֹיֵבand is an enemyבְּשַׁעֲרֵיin the gates ofיְרוּשָׁלָ͏ִם׃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.
13
מֵחַטֹּאותfrom the sins ofנְבִיאֶיהָits prophetsעֲוֺנֹתthe iniquities ofכֹּהֲנֶיהָhaving their priestsהַשֹּׁפְכִיםthose who shedבְּקִרְבָּהּin her inner beingדַּםthe blood ofצַדִּיקִים׃just
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,
14
נָעוּthey swingעִוְרִיםthe blindבַּחוּצוֹתin the streetsנְגֹאֲלוּthey are defiledבַּדָּםin the bloodבְּלֹאwithoutיוּכְלוּcould theyיִגְּעוּthey will touchבִּלְבֻשֵׁיהֶם׃their clothes
They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.
15
סוּרוּturn awayטָמֵאuncleanקָרְאוּcalled uponלָמוֹfor themסוּרוּturn awayסוּרוּturn awayאַל־תִּגָּעוּdo not touchכִּיbecauseנָצוּthey fledגַּם־נָעוּalso they swingאָמְרוּthey saidבַּגּוֹיִםamong the nationsלֹאnotיוֹסִפוּthey will repeatלָגוּר׃to sojourn
They 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.
16
פְּנֵיface ofיְהֹוָהthe LORDחִלְּקָםhas divided themלֹאnotיוֹסִיףwill he againלְהַבִּיטָםto pay attention to themפְּנֵיface ofכֹהֲנִיםpriestsלֹאnotנָשָׂאוּthey lifted up(זקנים)[וּזְקֵנִים]and eldersלֹאnotחָנָנוּ׃they showed favor to
The 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.
17
[עוֹדֵינוּ]yet weתִּכְלֶינָהthey will failעֵינֵינוּour eyesאֶל־עֶזְרָתֵנוּto our helpהָבֶלvanityבְּצִפִּיָּתֵנוּin our watchtowerצִפִּינוּwe watchedאֶל־גּוֹיagainst nationלֹאnotיוֹשִׁעַ׃he will save
As 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.
18
צָדוּthey huntedצְעָדֵינוּour stepsמִלֶּכֶתnot to walkבִּרְחֹבֹתֵינוּin our open placesקָרַבdrew nearקִצֵּנוּour endמָלְאוּhad comeיָמֵינוּour daysכִּי־בָאthat cameקִצֵּנוּ׃our end
They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.
19
קַלִּיםswiftהָיוּwereרֹדְפֵינוּour pursuersמִנִּשְׁרֵיmore than the eagles ofשָׁמָיִםheavenlyעַל־הֶהָרִיםupon the mountainsדְּלָקֻנוּthey hotly pursued usבַּמִּדְבָּרin the wildernessאָרְבוּwaitלָנוּ׃to us
Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
20
רוּחַthe spirit ofאַפֵּינוּour nostrilsמְשִׁיחַthe anointed ofיְהֹוָהthe LORDנִלְכַּדhe was capturedבִּשְׁחִיתוֹתָםin their pitsאֲשֶׁרwhichאָמַרְנוּsaid usבְּצִלּוֹin his shadeנִחְיֶהwe shall liveבַגּוֹיִם׃among the nations
The 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.
21
שִׂישִׂיexultוְשִׂמְחִיand rejoiceבַּת־אֱדוֹםdaughter of Edom[יוֹשֶׁבֶת]dwellsבְּאֶרֶץin the land ofעוּץUzגַּם־עָלַיִךְalso upon youתַּעֲבׇר־כּוֹסmay pass the cup ofתִּשְׁכְּרִיyou will become drunkוְתִתְעָרִי׃and you may strip yourself naked
Rejoice 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.
22
תַּם־עֲוֺנֵךְended your iniquityבַּת־צִיּוֹןthe daughter of Zionלֹאnotיוֹסִיףwill he againלְהַגְלוֹתֵךְto take into exile youפָּקַדHe will visitעֲוֺנֵךְyour iniquityבַּת־אֱדוֹםdaughter of Edomגִּלָּהhe has uncoveredעַל־חַטֹּאתָיִךְ׃upon 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.