<h3>The Holy Stones Lie Scattered</h3>4 <poetry> How the gold has grown dim, <indent>how the pure gold is changed!</indent> The holy stones lie scattered <indent> at the head of every street.</indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 2 <poetry>The precious sons of Zion, <indent>worth their weight in fine gold,</indent> how they are regarded as earthen pots, <indent>the work of a potter's hands!</indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 3 <poetry>Even jackals offer the breast; <indent>they nurse their young;</indent> but the daughter of my people has become cruel, <indent>like the ostriches in the wilderness.</indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 4 <poetry>The tongue of the nursing infant sticks <indent>to the roof of its mouth for thirst;</indent> the children beg for food, <indent>but no one gives to them.</indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 5 <poetry>Those who once feasted on delicacies <indent>perish in the streets;</indent> those who were brought up in purple <indent>embrace ash heaps.</indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 6 <poetry> For the chastisement of the daughter of my people has been greater <indent>than the punishment of Sodom,</indent> which was overthrown in a moment, <indent>and no hands were wrung for her. </indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 7 <poetry>Her princes were purer than snow, <indent>whiter than milk;</indent> their bodies were more ruddy than coral, <indent>the beauty of their form was like sapphire. </indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 8 <poetry> Now their face is blacker than soot; <indent>they are not recognized in the streets;</indent> their skin has shriveled on their bones; <indent>it has become as dry as wood.</indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 9 <poetry>Happier were the victims of the sword <indent>than the victims of hunger,</indent> who wasted away, pierced <indent>by lack of the fruits of the field.</indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 10 <poetry> The hands of compassionate women <indent> have boiled their own children;</indent> they became their food <indent>during the destruction of the daughter of my people.</indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 11 <poetry> The <smallCap>Lord</smallCap> gave full vent to his wrath; <indent>he poured out his hot anger,</indent> and he kindled a fire in Zion <indent>that consumed its foundations.</indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 12 <poetry> The kings of the earth did not believe, <indent>nor any of the inhabitants of the world,</indent> that foe or enemy could enter <indent>the gates of Jerusalem.</indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 13 <poetry>This was for the sins of her prophets <indent>and the iniquities of her priests,</indent> who shed in the midst of her <indent>the blood of the righteous.</indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 14 <poetry> They wandered, blind, through the streets; <indent>they were so defiled with blood</indent> that no one was able to touch <indent>their garments.</indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 15 <poetry>“Away! Unclean!” people cried at them. <indent>“Away! Away! Do not touch!”</indent> So they became fugitives and wanderers; <indent>people said among the nations,</indent> <indent>“They shall stay with us no longer.”</indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 16 <poetry> The <smallCap>Lord</smallCap> himself has scattered them; <indent>he will regard them no more;</indent> no honor was shown to the priests, <indent> no favor to the elders.</indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 17 <poetry> Our eyes failed, ever watching <indent> vainly for help;</indent> in our watching we watched <indent>for a nation which could not save.</indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 18 <poetry> They dogged our steps <indent>so that we could not walk in our streets;</indent> our end drew near; our days were numbered, <indent>for our end had come.</indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 19 <poetry>Our pursuers were swifter <indent>than the eagles in the heavens;</indent> they chased us on the mountains; <indent>they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.</indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 20 <poetry> The breath of our nostrils, the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>'s anointed, <indent>was captured in their pits,</indent> of whom we said, “Under his shadow <indent>we shall live among the nations.”</indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 21 <poetry> Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, <indent>you who dwell in the land of Uz;</indent> but to you also the cup shall pass; <indent>you shall become drunk and strip yourself bare.</indent></poetry><poetry></poetry> 22 <poetry> The punishment of your iniquity, O daughter of Zion, is accomplished; <indent>he will keep you in exile no longer; </indent> but your iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he will punish; <indent>he will uncover your sins.</indent></poetry></poetry>

Lamentations 4:1

<cr>1</cr>How the gold has grown dim, <indent>how the pure gold is changed!</indent> The holy stones lie scattered <indent><cr>2</cr>at the head of every street.</indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

The precious sons of Zion, <indent>worth their weight in <cr>1</cr>fine gold,</indent> how they are regarded as <cr>2</cr>earthen pots, <indent>the work of a potter's hands!</indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:2

Even jackals offer the breast; <indent>they nurse their young;</indent> but the daughter of my people has become cruel, <indent>like the ostriches in the wilderness.</indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:3

The tongue of the nursing infant <cr>1</cr>sticks <indent>to the roof of its mouth for thirst;</indent> <cr>2</cr>the children beg for food, <indent>but no one gives to them.</indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:4

Those who once feasted on delicacies <indent>perish in the streets;</indent> <cr>1</cr>those who were brought up in purple <indent>embrace ash heaps.</indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:5

<cr>1</cr>For the chastisement<ft>1</ft> of the daughter of my people has been greater <indent>than the punishment<ft>2</ft> of Sodom,</indent> <cr>2</cr>which was overthrown in a moment, <indent>and no hands were wrung for her.<ft>3</ft></indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:6

Her princes were purer than snow, <indent>whiter than milk;</indent> their bodies were more ruddy than coral, <indent>the beauty of their form<ft>1</ft> was like sapphire.<ft>2</ft></indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:7

<cr>1</cr>Now their face is blacker than soot; <indent>they are not recognized in the streets;</indent> their skin has shriveled on their bones; <indent>it has become as dry as wood.</indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:8

Happier were the victims of the sword <indent>than the victims of hunger,</indent> who wasted away, pierced <indent>by lack of the fruits of the field.</indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:9

<cr>1</cr>The hands of <cr>2</cr>compassionate women <indent><cr>3</cr>have boiled their own children;</indent> <cr>4</cr>they became their food <indent>during the destruction of the daughter of my people.</indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:10

<cr>1</cr>The <smallCap>Lord</smallCap> gave full vent to his wrath; <indent>he poured out his hot anger,</indent> and <cr>2</cr>he kindled a fire in Zion <indent>that consumed its foundations.</indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:11

<cr>1</cr>The kings of the earth did not believe, <indent>nor any of the inhabitants of the world,</indent> that foe or enemy could enter <indent>the gates of Jerusalem.</indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:12

This was for <cr>1</cr>the sins of her prophets <indent>and <cr>2</cr>the iniquities of her priests,</indent> who shed in the midst of her <indent>the blood of the righteous.</indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:13

<cr>1</cr>They wandered, blind, through the streets; <indent>they were so defiled with blood</indent> <cr>2</cr>that no one was able to touch <indent>their garments.</indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:14

“Away! <cr>1</cr>Unclean!” people cried at them. <indent>“Away! Away! Do not touch!”</indent> So they became fugitives and wanderers; <indent>people said among the nations,</indent> <indent>“They shall stay with us no longer.”</indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:15

<cr>1</cr>The <smallCap>Lord</smallCap> himself<ft>1</ft> has scattered them; <indent>he will regard them no more;</indent> <cr>2</cr>no honor was shown to the priests, <indent><cr>3</cr>no favor to the elders.</indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:16

<cr>1</cr>Our eyes failed, ever watching <indent><cr>2</cr>vainly for help;</indent> in our watching we watched <indent>for <cr>3</cr>a nation which could not save.</indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:17

<cr>1</cr>They dogged our steps <indent>so that we could not walk in our streets;</indent> <cr>2</cr>our end drew near; our days were numbered, <indent>for our end had come.</indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:18

Our pursuers were <cr>1</cr>swifter <indent>than the eagles in the heavens;</indent> they chased us on the mountains; <indent>they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.</indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:19

<cr>1</cr>The breath of our nostrils, <cr>2</cr>the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>'s anointed, <indent>was captured <cr>3</cr>in their pits,</indent> of whom we said, <cr>4</cr>“Under his shadow <indent>we shall live among the nations.”</indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:20

<cr>1</cr>Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, <indent>you who dwell in <cr>2</cr>the land of Uz;</indent> but to you also <cr>3</cr>the cup shall pass; <indent>you shall become drunk and strip yourself bare.</indent></poetry><pb/><poetry>

Lamentations 4:21

<cr>1</cr>The punishment of your iniquity, O daughter of Zion, is accomplished; <indent>he will keep you in exile no longer;<ft>1</ft></indent> but <cr>2</cr>your iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he will punish; <indent>he will uncover your sins.</indent></poetry>

Lamentations 4:22

 1  How the gold has grown dim, how the pure gold is changed! The holy stones lie scattered  at the head of every street.  2 The precious sons of Zion, worth their weight in  fine gold, how they are regarded as  earthen pots, the work of a potter's hands!  3 Even jackals offer the breast; they nurse their young; but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.  4 The tongue of the nursing infant  sticks to the roof of its mouth for thirst;  the children beg for food, but no one gives to them.  5 Those who once feasted on delicacies perish in the streets;  those who were brought up in purple embrace ash heaps.  6  For the chastisement  of the daughter of my people has been greater than the punishment  of Sodom,  which was overthrown in a moment, and no hands were wrung for her.   7 Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, the beauty of their form  was like sapphire.   8  Now their face is blacker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets; their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as wood.  9 Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who wasted away, pierced by lack of the fruits of the field.  10  The hands of  compassionate women  have boiled their own children;  they became their food during the destruction of the daughter of my people.  11  The Lord gave full vent to his wrath; he poured out his hot anger, and  he kindled a fire in Zion that consumed its foundations.  12  The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any of the inhabitants of the world, that foe or enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem.  13 This was for  the sins of her prophets and  the iniquities of her priests, who shed in the midst of her the blood of the righteous.  14  They wandered, blind, through the streets; they were so defiled with blood  that no one was able to touch their garments.  15 “Away!  Unclean!” people cried at them. “Away! Away! Do not touch!” So they became fugitives and wanderers; people said among the nations, “They shall stay with us no longer.”  16  The Lord himself  has scattered them; he will regard them no more;  no honor was shown to the priests,  no favor to the elders.  17  Our eyes failed, ever watching  vainly for help; in our watching we watched for  a nation which could not save.  18  They dogged our steps so that we could not walk in our streets;  our end drew near; our days were numbered, for our end had come.  19 Our pursuers were  swifter than the eagles in the heavens; they chased us on the mountains; they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.  20  The breath of our nostrils,  the Lord's anointed, was captured  in their pits, of whom we said,  “Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.”  21  Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, you who dwell in  the land of Uz; but to you also  the cup shall pass; you shall become drunk and strip yourself bare.  22  The punishment of your iniquity, O daughter of Zion, is accomplished; he will keep you in exile no longer;  but  your iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he will punish; he will uncover your sins.

From Wikipedia: 

The English Standard Version (ESV) is an English translation of the Bible. The ESV was published in 2001 by Crossway, having been "created by a team of more than 100 leading evangelical scholars and pastors." The ESV relies on recently published critical editions of the original Hebrew and Greek texts. Crossway claim that the ESV continues a legacy begun by the Tyndale New Testament of precision and faithfulness in English translation of the original text, followed in the same standard by "the King James Version of 1611 (KJV), the English Revised Version of 1885 (RV), the American Standard Version of 1901 (ASV), and the Revised Standard Version of 1952 and 1971." Crossway describes the ESV as a translation that "emphasizes 'word-for-word' accuracy, literary excellence, and depth of meaning." Crossway also describes the ESV as a translation that adheres to an "essentially literal" translation philosophy, taking into account "differences in grammar, syntax, and idiom between current literary English and the original languages."

The ESV is derived from the 1971 text edition of the Revised Standard Version (RSV). ESV Translation Oversight Committee member Wayne Grudem claims that approximately eight percent (or about 60,000 words) of the 1971 RSV text being used for the ESV was revised as of first publication in 2001. Grudem states that the committee removed "every trace of liberal influence that had caused such criticism from evangelicals when the RSV was first published in 1952." Although, Grudem also states that much of the 1971 RSV text left unchanged by the committee "is simply 'the best of the best' of the KJV tradition."

With regard to gender language, the ESV Translation Oversight Committee state that "the goal of the ESV is to render literally what is in the original."[9] The committee expands on this position in claiming that, although the ESV avoids using gender-neutral language (for the purpose of preserving contextual meaning found in the original text), the translation does utilize gender-neutral language in specific cases. The committee further state that their objective was "transparency to the original text, allowing the reader to understand the original on its own terms rather than in the terms of our present-day Western culture."[9] The ESV Study Bible often details in its commentary why a complementarian interpretation of the original text may have been rendered in translation.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (5th ed., 1997); additional sources in difficult cases
NT: UBS Greek New Testament (5th corrected ed.); Novum Testamentum Graece (28th ed., 2012)

Lamentations4 - ESV

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