Lamentations 4 – NIV & BPH

New International Version

Lamentations 4:1-22

This chapter is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. 1How the gold has lost its luster,

the fine gold become dull!

The sacred gems are scattered

at every street corner.

2How the precious children of Zion,

once worth their weight in gold,

are now considered as pots of clay,

the work of a potter’s hands!

3Even jackals offer their breasts

to nurse their young,

but my people have become heartless

like ostriches in the desert.

4Because 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.

5Those who once ate delicacies

are destitute in the streets.

Those brought up in royal purple

now lie on ash heaps.

6The punishment of my people

is greater than that of Sodom,

which was overthrown in a moment

without a hand turned to help her.

7Their princes were brighter than snow

and whiter than milk,

their bodies more ruddy than rubies,

their appearance like lapis lazuli.

8But 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.

9Those 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.

10With their own hands compassionate women

have cooked their own children,

who became their food

when my people were destroyed.

11The 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.

12The kings of the earth did not believe,

nor did any of the peoples of the world,

that enemies and foes could enter

the gates of Jerusalem.

13But it happened because of the sins of her prophets

and the iniquities of her priests,

who shed within her

the blood of the righteous.

14Now they grope through the streets

as if they were blind.

They are so defiled with blood

that no one dares to touch their garments.

15“Go away! You are unclean!” people cry to them.

“Away! Away! Don’t touch us!”

When they flee and wander about,

people among the nations say,

“They can stay here no longer.”

16The Lord himself has scattered them;

he no longer watches over them.

The priests are shown no honor,

the elders no favor.

17Moreover, our eyes failed,

looking in vain for help;

from our towers we watched

for a nation that could not save us.

18People stalked us at every step,

so we could not walk in our streets.

Our end was near, our days were numbered,

for our end had come.

19Our pursuers were swifter

than eagles in the sky;

they chased us over the mountains

and lay in wait for us in the desert.

20The Lord’s anointed, our very life breath,

was caught in their traps.

We thought that under his shadow

we would live among the nations.

21Rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom,

you who live in the land of Uz.

But to you also the cup will be passed;

you will be drunk and stripped naked.

22Your punishment will end, Daughter Zion;

he will not prolong your exile.

But he will punish your sin, Daughter Edom,

and expose your wickedness.

Bibelen på hverdagsdansk

Klagesangene 4:1-22

Hungersnødens gru

1Ak, Jerusalems guldklumper har mistet deres herlighed.

Hendes hellige øjestene ligger og vansmægter på hvert gadehjørne.

2Byens befolkning var deres vægt værd i guld,

men nu ligger de som værdiløse lerkar, en pottemagers værk.

3De vilde sjakaler giver deres unger die,

men mit folks mødre er følelseskolde som ørkenens strudse.

4Ethvert spædbarn skriger af tørst med tungen klæbende til ganen.

Småbørn tigger om mad, men ingen har noget at give.

5Folk, som var vant til festmiddage, er nu ved at forgå af sult.

De, som levede i luksus, roder nu efter føde i rendestenen.

6Går det ikke mit folk værre end Sodomas indbyggere?

De døde dog på et øjeblik ved Herrens direkte indgreb.

7Hendes fyrster havde hud som silke og struttede af sundhed,

deres ansigter var rødmossede og håret skinnede så smukt.

8Ingen ville kunne genkende dem nu, hvis de mødte dem på gaden,

for de er det rene skind og ben med ansigter sorte som sod.

9Ja, hellere dræbes af sværdet, end at dø langsomt af sult,

fordi madforsyninger ikke kan komme ind i byen.

10Kan man forestille sig, hvad der sker med en kærlig mor,

som tvinges til at koge og spise sine børn for at overleve?

11Landet er lamslået over Herrens forfærdelige vrede.

Jerusalem er ødelagt og brændt ned til grunden.

12Man mente ikke, det kunne lade sig gøre at indtage Jerusalem.

Ingen af jordens konger troede, det var muligt.

13Nedsablingen skete, fordi profeter og præster havde syndet.

De havde myrdet uskyldige folk midt i Herrens hellige by.

14Overalt i byen raver folk rundt i blinde.

De kan ikke undgå at røre ved blod, og derfor er de urene.

15„Pas på!” advarer folk hinanden, „der kommer en uren!”

Flygter de, siger de fremmede folkeslag: „Her kan I ikke bo!”

16Respekt for præsterne og landets ledere hører fortiden til,

for Herren har slået hånden af dem og spredt dem for alle vinde.

17Skildvagterne stod og spejdede efter hjælp, men forgæves.

Ingen af vores allierede havde magt til at redde os.

18Tidspunktet nærmede sig, hvor alt var forbi.

Vi kunne ikke gå ud på gaden af frygt for at blive dræbt.

19Uden at vise nåde kastede fjenderne sig over os som gribbe.

De forfulgte os i bjergene og lå på lur efter os i ørkenen.

20Vores egen konge, Herrens udvalgte, gik lige i deres fælde,

han, som vi troede kunne beskytte os fra enhver fjende.

21Østpå glæder I jer, Edoms folk, for denne gang var det ikke jer, der blev ramt.

Men en dag skal også I drikke Herrens vredes vin, så I mister besindelsen.

22Åh, Jerusalem, din straf var hård, men en dag bliver du genoprettet.

Edoms folk, derimod, vil blive straffet, fordi de svigtede os.