Lamentations
Chapter 4
A1How tarnished the gold has become. The fine gold has lost its luster. Why, the sacred stones lie strewn at every street corner!
B2Oh, the precious sons of Zion, once worth their weight in gold— but now reckoned no more than earthen jars from a potter’s mold!
G3Even jackals bare their breasts to suckle their young, but my people have become heartless, like ostriches in the desert land.
D4In thirst the infant’s tongue cleaves to the roof of its mouth. Children are begging for alms, but there is no one to help them.
H5Those accustomed to fine food now lie dying in the streets. Those accustomed to wearing purple now lie destitute upon the ash heaps.
W6The punishment of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant, without a helping hand.
Z7Brighter than snow were their rulers, even whiter than milk; their bodies rosier than coral, their beauty as radiant as sapphires.
H8Now they look blacker than soot, unrecognized in the streets. Their emaciated form shows lack of food, their skin shriveled and dry as wood.
T9Better to have died by the sword than to have perished in hunger. The famine-stricken people perish, and slowly, wretchedly, pass away.
Y10Once loving mothers, our women have cooked their own children and made them their food: such has been the crash of my people!
K11The Lord has given full vent to his wrath; pouring out his fierce anger. He has kindled a fire in Zion, which has consumed her foundation.
L12Never had kings believed nor the world thought possible that the enemy could break through the gates of Jerusalem.
M13But this happened because of the priests, who sinned, because of the prophets who transgressed, shedding in her midst the blood of the just.
N14They wandered like blind men, groping through the streets, so defiled with blood that none could touch their garments.
S15“Go away!” people cried at them. “Do not touch us! You are unclean!” They became fugitives wandering about, but even the nations would drive them out.
P16The Lord himself has dispersed them; no longer does he watch over them. The priests are shown no honor; the elders are given no favor.
Our watchmen strained their eyes, looking for help in vain. We anxiously waited for an ally, who failed to save us.
S18Like dogs, our enemies hounded us and kept us off the streets. As our end drew near, we knew our days were numbered.
Q19Swifter were our pursuers, than the eagles in the sky. Over the hills they chased us, they waylaid us in the wilderness.
R20Our life’s breath, the Lord’s anointed, was taken captive in their pit— he of whom we said, “In his protection we shall live among the nations.”
S21Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz. But you shall be drunk and stripped bare, for to you also the cup will pass.
T22Your ordeal, daughter of Zion, will end; for your exile will not be prolonged. But Edom’s daughter will be chastised, and her wickedness will be exposed.
Commentaries
Fourth Lament.
The structure of this fourth lament closely resembles that of the earlier ones, although each verse has only two lines. The content varies somewhat from the previous laments, as the point of view remains the same—the poet describes the horrors as if experiencing them firsthand—while less focus is placed on the cause of the disaster. It ends, unlike the previous ones, with a curse against Edom and a blessing for Zion.
The ironic and threatening ending of this fourth lamentation might cause some controversy among believers today. What can we say about these feelings of vengeance? Although this reaction is understandable, both from our poet’s perspective and in our responses to the oppression and injustice that many face today, this biblical text helps us realize that pain also has a violent side that we should turn away from. This is what Jesus taught us.