Lamentations 4:4-5,9-10
Lamentations 4:4-5 New King James Version (NKJV)
The tongue of the infant clings To the roof of its mouth for thirst; The young children ask for bread, But no one breaks it for them. Those who ate delicacies Are desolate in the streets; Those who were brought up in scarlet Embrace ash heaps.
Lamentations 4:9-10 New King James Version (NKJV)
Those slain by the sword are better off Than those who die of hunger; For these pine away, Stricken for lack of the fruits of the field. The hands of the compassionate women Have cooked their own children; They became food for them In the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Lamentations 4:4-5 The Message (MSG)
Babies have nothing to drink. Their tongues stick to the roofs of their mouths. Little children ask for bread but no one gives them so much as a crust. People used to the finest cuisine forage for food in the streets. People used to the latest in fashions pick through the trash for something to wear.
Lamentations 4:9-10 The Message (MSG)
Better to have been killed in battle than killed by starvation. Better to have died of battle wounds than to slowly starve to death. Nice and kindly women boiled their own children for supper. This was the only food in town when my dear people were broken.
Lamentations 4:4-5 King James Version (KJV)
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. They that did feed delicately Are desolate in the streets: They that were brought up In scarlet embrace dunghills.
Lamentations 4:9-10 King James Version (KJV)
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. The hands of the pitiful women Have sodden their own children: They were their meat In the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Lamentations 4:4-5 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
The tongue of the infant cleaves To the roof of its mouth because of thirst; The little ones ask for bread, But no one breaks it for them. Those who ate delicacies Are desolate in the streets; Those reared in purple Embrace ash pits.
Lamentations 4:9-10 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
Better are those slain with the sword Than those slain with hunger; For they pine away, being stricken For lack of the fruits of the field. The hands of compassionate women Boiled their own children; They became food for them Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Lamentations 4:4-5 New Century Version (NCV)
The babies are so thirsty their tongues stick to the roofs of their mouths. Children beg for bread, but no one gives them any. Those who once ate fine foods are now starving in the streets. People who grew up wearing nice clothes now pick through trash piles.
Lamentations 4:9-10 New Century Version (NCV)
Those who were killed in the war were better off than those killed by hunger. They starve in pain and die, because there is no food from the field. With their own hands kind women cook their own children. They became food when my people were destroyed.
Lamentations 4:4-5 American Standard Version (ASV)
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. They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: They that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
Lamentations 4:9-10 American Standard Version (ASV)
They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field. The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children; They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Lamentations 4:4-5 New International Version (NIV)
Because of thirst the infant’s tongue sticks to the roof of its mouth; the children beg for bread, but no one gives it to them. Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets. Those brought up in royal purple now lie on ash heaps.
Lamentations 4:9-10 New International Version (NIV)
Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of famine; racked with hunger, they waste away for lack of food from the field. With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food when my people were destroyed.
Lamentations 4:4-5 Amplified Bible (AMP)
The tongue of the infant clings To the roof of its mouth because of thirst; The little ones ask for food, But no one gives it to them. Those who feasted on delicacies Are perishing in the streets; Those reared in purple [as nobles] Embrace ash heaps.
Lamentations 4:9-10 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Those killed with the sword Are more fortunate than those killed with hunger; For the hungry pine and ebb away, For the lack of the fruits of the field. The hands of compassionate women Boiled their own children; They became food for them Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people [Judah].
Lamentations 4:4-5 New Living Translation (NLT)
The parched tongues of their little ones stick to the roofs of their mouths in thirst. The children cry for bread, but no one has any to give them. The people who once ate the richest foods now beg in the streets for anything they can get. Those who once wore the finest clothes now search the garbage dumps for food.
Lamentations 4:9-10 New Living Translation (NLT)
Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger. Starving, they waste away for lack of food from the fields. Tenderhearted women have cooked their own children. They have eaten them to survive the siege.
Lamentations 4:4-5 The Passion Translation (TPT)
The nursing babies have such thirst that their tongues stick to the roofs of their mouths. Little children ask for bread, but no one gives them a crumb. Those who used to feast on delicacies now lie dying in the streets. Those who were raised in luxury now huddle in garbage dumps.
Lamentations 4:9-10 The Passion Translation (TPT)
Better are those killed by the sword than those killed by famine. They slowly starve to death for lack of food. The hands of caring women cooked their own children; they became their food when my beloved people were destroyed.
Lamentations 4:4-5 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
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. Those who once feasted on delicacies perish in the streets; those who were brought up in purple embrace ash heaps.
Lamentations 4:9-10 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who wasted away, pierced by lack of the fruits of the field. The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children; they became their food during the destruction of the daughter of my people.