Lam 4:1
Aleph
How H351 dark H6004 the gold H2091 has become H6004,
How the pure H2896 gold H3800 has changed H8132!
The sacred H6944 stones H68 are poured H8210 out H8210
At the head H7218 of every H3605 street H2351.
Lam 4:2
Beth
The precious H3368 sons H1121 of Zion H6726,
Weighed H5537 against fine H6337 gold H6337,
How H351 they are regarded H2803 as earthen H2789 jars H5035,
The work H4639 of a potter’s H3335 hands H3027!
Lam 4:3
Gimel
Even H1571 jackals H8565 offer H2502 the breast H7699;
They nurse H3243 their young H1482;
But the daughter H1323 of my people H5971 has become cruel H393
Like ostriches H3283 in the wilderness H4057.
Lam 4:4
Daleth
The tongue H3956 of the nursing H3243 baby H3243 cleaves H1692
To the roof H2441 of H2441 its mouth H2441 because of thirst H6772;
The infants H5768 ask H7592 for bread H3899,
But no H369 one H369 breaks H6536 it for them.
Lam 4:5
He
Those who ate H398 delicacies H4574
Are desolate H8074 in the streets H2351;
Those [fn]reared H539 in crimson H8438
Embrace H2263 ash H830 pits H830.
Lam 4:6
Vav
So the [fn]iniquity H5771 of the daughter H1323 of my people H5971
Is greater H1431 than H4480 the [fn]sin H2403 of Sodom H5467,
Which was overthrown H2015 as in a moment H7281,
And no H3808 hands H3027 [fn]whirled H2342 toward her.
Lam 4:7
Zayin
Her [fn]Nazirites H5139 were purer H2141 than H4480 snow H7950;
They were whiter H6705 than H4480 milk H2461;
They were more H4480 ruddy H119 in [fn]body H6106 than H4480 corals H6443,
Their polishing H1508 was like [fn]lapis H5601 lazuli H5601.
Lam 4:8
Heth
Their form H8389 is H2821 blacker H2821 than H4480 soot H7815;
They are not recognized H5234 in the streets H2351;
Their skin H5785 is shriveled H6821 on their bones H6106;
It is H3001 withered H3001, it has become H1961 like wood H6086.
Lam 4:9
Teth
Better H2896 are those pierced H2491 through H2491 with the sword H2719
Than H4480 those pierced H2491 through H2491 with hunger H7458;
For their life flows H2100 away H2100, being stricken H1856
For lack of the produce H8570 of [fn]the field H7704.
Lam 4:10
Yodh
The hands H3027 of compassionate H7362 women H802
Boiled H1310 their own children H3206;
They became H1961 food H1262 for them
Because of the destruction H7667 of the daughter H1323 of my people H5971.
Lam 4:11
Kaph
Yahweh H3068 has spent H3615 His wrath H2534;
He has poured H8210 out H8210 His burning H2740 anger H639;
And He has kindled H3341 a fire H784 in Zion H6726
Which has devoured H398 its foundations H3247.
Lam 4:12
Lamedh
The kings H4428 of the earth H776 did not believe H539,
Nor H3808 did any H3605 of the inhabitants H3427 of the world H8398,
That the adversary H6862 and the enemy H340
Could enter H935 the gates H8179 of Jerusalem H3389.
Lam 4:13
Mem
Because H4480 of the sins H2403 of her prophets H5030
And the iniquities H5771 of her priests H3548,
Who have shed H8210 in her midst H7130
The blood H1818 of the righteous H6662;
Lam 4:14
Nun
They wandered H5128, blind H5787, in the streets H2351;
They were defiled H1351 with blood H1818
So that no H3808 one could H3201 touch H5060 their garments H3830.
Lam 4:15
Samekh
“Depart H5493! Unclean H2931!” [fn]they cried H7121 of themselves.
“Depart H5493, depart H5493, do not touch H5060!”
So H3588 they fled H5327 and wandered H5128;
Men among the nations H1471 said H559,
“They shall not continue H3254 to sojourn H1481 with us.”
Lam 4:16
Pe
The presence H6440 of Yahweh H3068 has eradicated H2505 them;
He will not continue H3254 to look H5027 at them;
They did not [fn]honor H5375 H6440 the priests H3548;
They did not favor H2603 the elders H2205.
Lam 4:17
Ayin
Yet H5750 our eyes H5869 were spent H3615,
Looking for [fn]help H5833 was vanity H1892;
In our watching H6836 we have watched H6822
For a nation H1471 that could not save H3467.
Lam 4:18
Tsadhe
They hunted H6679 our steps H6806
So H4480 that H4480 we could not H4480 walk H1980 in our open H7339 squares H7339;
Our end H7093 drew H7126 near H7126,
Our days H3117 were [fn]finished H4390,
For our end H7093 had come H935.
Lam 4:19
Qoph
Our pursuers H7291 were swifter H7031
Than H4480 the eagles H5404 of the sky H8064;
They hotly H1814 pursued H1814 us on the mountains H2022;
They waited H693 in H693 ambush H693 for us in the wilderness H4057.
Lam 4:20
Resh
The breath H7307 of our nostrils H639, the anointed H4899 of Yahweh H3068,
Was captured H3920 in their pits H7825,
Of whom H834 we had said H559, “Under his shadow H6738
We shall live H2421 among the nations H1471.”
Lam 4:21
Sin
Rejoice H7797 and be H8055 glad H8055, O daughter H1323 of Edom H123,
Who inhabits H3427 the land H776 of Uz H5780;
But the cup H3563 will pass H5674 on H5674 to you as well H1571;
You will become H7937 drunk H7937 and make H6168 yourself naked H6168.
Lam 4:22
Tav
The punishment of your iniquity H5771 has come H8552 to an end H8552, O daughter H1323 of Zion H6726;
He will exile H1540 you no H3808 longer H3254.
But He will punish H6485 your iniquity H5771, O daughter H1323 of Edom H123;
He will expose H1540 your sins H2403!
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