4:1 How is the gold become dim! (how) is the most pure gold changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street.
4:1 How dark the gold has become, How the pure gold has changed! The sacred stones are poured out At the corner of every street.

4:2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
4:2 The precious sons of Zion, Weighed against fine gold, How they are regarded as earthen jars, The work of a potter's hands!

4:3 Even the jackals draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: The daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.
4:3 Even jackals offer the breast, They nurse their young; [But] the daughter of my people has become cruel Like ostriches in the wilderness.

4:4 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.
4:4 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.

4:5 They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: They that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
4:5 Those who ate delicacies Are desolate in the streets; Those reared in purple Embrace ash pits.

4:6 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.
4:6 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.

4:7 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.
4:7 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.

4:8 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.
4:8 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.

4:9 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.
4:9 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.

4:10 The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children; They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
4:10 The hands of compassionate women Boiled their own children; They became food for them Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.

4:11 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.
4:11 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.

4:12 The kings of the earth believed not, neither all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.
4:12 The kings of the earth did not believe, Nor [did] any of the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy Could enter the gates of Jerusalem.

4:13 (It is) because of the sins of her prophets, (and) the iniquities of her priests, That have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.
4:13 Because of the sins of her prophets [And] the iniquities of her priests, Who have shed in her midst The blood of the righteous,

4:14 They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, So that men cannot touch their garments.
4:14 They wandered, blind, in the streets; They were defiled with blood So that no one could touch their garments.

4:15 Depart ye, they cried unto them, Unclean! depart, depart, touch not! When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, They shall no more sojourn (here).
4:15 "Depart! Unclean!" they cried of themselves. "Depart, depart, do not touch!" So they fled and wandered; [Men] among the nations said, "They shall not continue to dwell [with us.]"

4:16 The anger of Jehovah hath scattered them; He will no more regard them: They respected not the persons of the priests, they favored not the elders.
4:16 The presence of the LORD has scattered them; He will not continue to regard them. They did not honor the priests, They did not favor the elders.

4:17 Our eyes do yet fail (in looking) for our vain help: In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.
4:17 Yet our eyes failed; [Looking] for help was useless. In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save.

4:18 They hunt our steps, so that we cannot go in our streets: Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.
4:18 They hunted our steps So that we could not walk in our streets; Our end drew near, Our days were finished For our end had come.

4:19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heavens: They chased us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
4:19 Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the sky. They chased us on the mountains; They waited in ambush for us in the wilderness.

4:20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits; Of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.
4:20 The breath of our nostrils, the Lord's anointed, Was captured in their pits, Of whom we had said, "Under his shadow We shall live among the nations."

4:21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz: The cup shall pass through unto thee also; thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.
4:21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, Who dwells in the land of Uz; [But] the cup will come around to you as well, You will become drunk and make yourself naked.

4:22 The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; He will no more carry thee away into captivity: He will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will uncover thy sins.
4:22 [The punishment] of your iniquity has been completed, O daughter of Zion; He will exile you no longer. [But] He will punish your iniquity, O daughter of Edom; He will expose your sins!