{"meta":{"source":"Prime Bible","sourceUrl":"https://primebible.com","license":"Public domain (translation text); see citation policy at /citation-policy","organization":"501(c)(3) nonprofit — EIN 41-2531951","canonicalUrl":"https://primebible.com/ylt/lamentations/4","llmTxt":"https://primebible.com/llms.txt","generatedAt":"2026-05-26T22:04:39.325Z"},"reference":{"translation":"YLT","book":"Lamentations","bookSlug":"lamentations","chapter":4,"testament":"OLD"},"navigation":{"previousChapter":3,"nextChapter":5,"totalChapters":5,"totalVerses":22},"verses":[{"verseNumber":1,"text":"How is the gold become dim, Changed the best — the pure gold? Poured out are stones of the sanctuary At the head of all out-places."},{"verseNumber":2,"text":"The precious sons of Zion, Who are comparable with fine gold, How have they been reckoned earthen bottles, Work of the hands of a potter."},{"verseNumber":3,"text":"Even dragons have drawn out the breast, They have suckled their young ones, The daughter of my people is become cruel, Like the ostriches in a wilderness."},{"verseNumber":4,"text":"Cleaved hath the tongue of a suckling unto his palate with thirst, Infants asked bread, a dealer out they have none."},{"verseNumber":5,"text":"Those eating of dainties have been desolate in out-places, Those supported on scarlet have embraced dunghills."},{"verseNumber":6,"text":"And greater is the iniquity of the daughter of my people, Than the sin of Sodom, That was overturned as in a moment, And no hands were stayed on her."},{"verseNumber":7,"text":"Purer were her Nazarites than snow, Whiter than milk, ruddier of body than rubies, Of sapphire their form."},{"verseNumber":8,"text":"Darker than blackness hath been their visage, They have not been known in out-places, Cleaved hath their skin unto their bone, It hath withered — it hath been as wood."},{"verseNumber":9,"text":"Better have been the pierced of a sword Than the pierced of famine, For these flow away, pierced through, Without the increase of the field."},{"verseNumber":10,"text":"The hands of merciful women have boiled their own children, They have been for food to them, In the destruction of the daughter of my people."},{"verseNumber":11,"text":"Completed hath Jehovah His fury, He hath poured out the fierceness of His anger, And he kindleth a fire in Zion, And it devoureth her foundations."},{"verseNumber":12,"text":"Believe not did the kings of earth, And any of the inhabitants of the world, That come would an adversary and enemy Into the gates of Jerusalem."},{"verseNumber":13,"text":"Because of the sins of her prophets, The iniquities of her priests, Who are shedding in her midst the blood of the righteous,"},{"verseNumber":14,"text":"They have wandered naked in out-places, They have been polluted with blood, Without any being able to touch their clothing,"},{"verseNumber":15,"text":"Turn aside — unclean,' they called to them, 'Turn aside, turn aside, touch not,' For they fled — yea, they have wandered, They have said among nations: 'They do not add to sojourn.'"},{"verseNumber":16,"text":"The face of Jehovah hath divided them, He doth not add to behold them, The face of priests they have not lifted up, Elders they have not favoured."},{"verseNumber":17,"text":"While we exist — consumed are our eyes for our vain help, In our watch-tower we have watched for a nation that saveth not."},{"verseNumber":18,"text":"They have hunted our steps from going in our broad-places, Near hath been our end, fulfilled our days, For come hath our end."},{"verseNumber":19,"text":"Swifter have been our pursuers, Than the eagles of the heavens, On the mountains they have burned after us, In the wilderness they have laid wait for us."},{"verseNumber":20,"text":"The breath of our nostrils — the anointed of Jehovah, Hath been captured in their pits, of whom we said: 'In his shadow we do live among nations.'"},{"verseNumber":21,"text":"Joy and rejoice, O daughter of Edom, Dwelling in the land of Uz, Even unto thee pass over doth a cup, Thou art drunk, and makest thyself naked."},{"verseNumber":22,"text":"Completed is thy iniquity, daughter of Zion, He doth not add to remove thee, He hath inspected thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom, He hath removed thee because of thy sins!"}],"citation":{"inline":"Lamentations 4 (YLT)","markdown":"[Lamentations 4](https://primebible.com/ylt/lamentations/4)","sbl":"Prime Bible. *The Bible.* YLT. https://primebible.com/ylt/lamentations/4 (accessed 2026-05-26)."}}