Lamentations 4:6-11
Lamentations 4:6-11 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
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. Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, the beauty of their form was like sapphire. 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. 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. 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.
Lamentations 4:6-11 The Message (MSG)
The evil guilt of my dear people was worse than the sin of Sodom— The city was destroyed in a flash, and no one around to help. The splendid and sacred nobles once glowed with health. Their bodies were robust and ruddy, their beards like carved stone. But now they are smeared with soot, unrecognizable in the street, Their bones sticking out, their skin dried out like old leather. 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. GOD let all his anger loose, held nothing back. He poured out his raging wrath. He set a fire in Zion that burned it to the ground.
Lamentations 4:6-11 King James Version (KJV)
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. Her Nazarites were purer than snow, They were whiter than milk, They were more ruddy in body than rubies, Their polishing was of sapphire: 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. 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. 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.
Lamentations 4:6-11 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
For the iniquity of the daughter of my people Is greater than the sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown as in a moment, And no hands were turned toward her. Her consecrated ones were purer than snow, They were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than corals, Their polishing was like lapis lazuli. Their appearance is blacker than soot, They are not recognized in the streets; Their skin is shriveled on their bones, It is withered, it has become like wood. 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. The LORD has accomplished His wrath, He has poured out His fierce anger; And He has kindled a fire in Zion Which has consumed its foundations.
Lamentations 4:6-11 New Century Version (NCV)
My people have been punished more than Sodom was. Sodom was destroyed suddenly, and no hands reached out to help her. Our princes were purer than snow, and whiter than milk. Their bodies were redder than rubies; they looked like sapphires. But now they are blacker than coal, and no one recognizes them in the streets. Their skin hangs on their bones; it is as dry as wood. 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. The LORD turned loose all of his anger; he poured out his strong anger. He set fire to Jerusalem, burning it down to the foundations.
Lamentations 4:6-11 American Standard Version (ASV)
For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, That was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands were laid upon her. Her nobles were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as of sapphire. 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. 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. Jehovah hath accomplished his wrath, he hath poured out his fierce anger; And he hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured the foundations thereof.
Lamentations 4:6-11 New International Version (NIV)
The punishment of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment without a hand turned to help her. Their princes were brighter than snow and whiter than milk, their bodies more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like lapis lazuli. But now they are blacker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as a stick. 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. The LORD has given full vent to his wrath; he has poured out his fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion that consumed her foundations.
Lamentations 4:6-11 New King James Version (NKJV)
The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people Is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown in a moment, With no hand to help her! Her Nazirites were brighter than snow And whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, Like sapphire in their appearance. Now their appearance is blacker than soot; They go unrecognized in the streets; Their skin clings to their bones, It has become as dry as wood. 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. The LORD has fulfilled His fury, He has poured out His fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion, And it has devoured its foundations.
Lamentations 4:6-11 Amplified Bible (AMP)
For the [punishment of the] wickedness of the daughter of my people [Jerusalem] Is greater than the [punishment for the] sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown in a moment, And no hands were turned toward her [to offer help]. [Gen 19:25] Her princes were purer than snow, They were whiter than milk [in appearance]; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, Their polishing was like lapis lazuli (sapphire). Their appearance is [now] blacker than soot [because of the prolonged famine]; They are not recognized in the streets; Their skin clings to their bones; It is withered, and it has become [dry] like wood. 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]. The LORD has fulfilled His wrath; He has poured out His fierce anger And has kindled a fire in Zion That has consumed her foundations.
Lamentations 4:6-11 New Living Translation (NLT)
The guilt of my people is greater than that of Sodom, where utter disaster struck in a moment and no hand offered help. Our princes once glowed with health— brighter than snow, whiter than milk. Their faces were as ruddy as rubies, their appearance like fine jewels. But now their faces are blacker than soot. No one recognizes them in the streets. Their skin sticks to their bones; it is as dry and hard as wood. 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. But now the anger of the LORD is satisfied. His fierce anger has been poured out. He started a fire in Jerusalem that burned the city to its foundations.
Lamentations 4:6-11 The Passion Translation (TPT)
The punishment of my beloved people exceeded the judgment of sinful Sodom, which was suddenly destroyed without an army attacking her. Israel’s nobility was once brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies glowed with health and glistened like jewels. Now their faces are emaciated; they are not even recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones, as dry as a stick. 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. At the peak of YAHWEH’s wrath, he vented his fierce anger! He lit a fire in Zion and burned it down to the ground.