Lamentations 4 — English–Hebrew Parallel

1 How the zahab (gold) has imam (become) dim! The most katham (pure) gold has shanaa (hate)! The abanay (stones) of the qadash (set apart / make holy) are shapak (poured) out at the raash (head) of every chawatz (street).

2 The yaqar (precious) banay (my son) of Tzayawan (Zion), comparable to paz (fine) gold, How are they chashab (esteemed) as charash (earthen) nabalay (pitchers), the maishah (work) of the yaday (hands) of the yatzar (potter)!

3 Even the jackals chalatz (draw) out the shad (breast), they yanaq (nurse) their gawar (young) ones: The banath (daughter) of my im (nation / people) has become akazar (cruel), like the ostriches in the madabar (wilderness).

4 The lashawan (tongue / language) of the yanaq (nursing) child clings to the roof of his chak (mouth) for tzamaa (thirst): The young iwalalayam (children) shaal (ask) lacham (bread), and no man parash (breaks) it to them.

5 Those who akal (eat) maidan (delicately) are shamam (desolate) in the chawatzawath (streets): Those who were aman (believe / have faith) up in thawalai (scarlet) chabaq (embrace) dunghills.

6 For the iwan (guilt/iniquity) of the banath (daughter) of my im (nation / people) is greater than the chataah (sin) of Sadam (Sodom), That was overthrown as in a ragai (in an instance), and no yadayam (hands) were laid on her.

7 Her nobles were zakak (purer) than shalag (snow), they were tzachach (whiter) than chalab (milk); They were more ruddy in itzam (body) than panayanayam (rubies), their gazarah (polishing) was as of sapayar (sapphire).

8 Their appearance is blacker than a shachawar (coal); they are not nakar (known) in the chawatzawath (streets): Their iwar (skin) clings to their itzam (bones); it is yabash (dry land), it has become like a itz (stick).

9 Those who are chalal (killed) with the charab (sword) are tawab (good / proper function) than those who are chalal (killed) with raib (hunger); For these zawab (flow) away, daqar (stricken) through, for want of the thanawabath (fruits) of the shadah (field).

10 The yaday (hands) of the rachamanay (pitiful) nashayam (women) have bashal (boiled) their own yalad (birth / begot); They were their food in the shabar (destruction) of the banath (daughter) of my im (nation / people).

11 Yahawah () kalah (complete / finish) accomplished his chamah (wrath), he has shapak (poured) out his charawan (fierce) ap (nostril / picture: bull snorting); He has yatzath (kindled) a ash (fire) in Tzayawan (Zion), which has akal (eat) its yasawad (foundations).

12 The malakay (kings) of the aratz (Earth/land) didn't aman (believe / have faith), neither all the yashabay (inhabitants) of the thabal (world), That the tzar (oppressor / distressor) and the ayab (enemy) would bawaa (bring) into the shairay (gates) of Yarawashalam (Yarawashalam / Jerusalem).

13 It is because of the chataath (sins) of her nabayaa (prophet/prophecy), and the iwanawath (iniquities) of her kahan (priest), That have shapak (shed) the dam (blood) of the tzadayaq (righteous) in the qarab (among / near) of her.

14 They nawai (wander) as iwar (blind) men in the chawatzawath (streets), they are gaal (polluted) with dam (blood), So that men can't nagai (touch) their labawash (garments).

15 “Sawar (depart)!” They qaraa (called) to them, “tamaa (unclean)! Sawar (depart), sawar (depart), don't nagai (touch)! When they nawatz (fled) away and nawai (wandered), men amar (said) among the gawayam (heathen), “They shall not live here any more.”

16 The panayam (face) of Yahawah () chalaq (has) scattered them; he will no more nabat (regard) them: They didn't nabat (respect) the panay (persons) of the kahanayam (priests), they didn't favor the zaqanayam (elders).

17 Our iyan (eye) still kalah (complete / finish), looking in habal (vain) for our izarah (help): In our tzapayah (watching) we have tzapah (watchman / keep watch) for a gaway (heathen / nation) that could not yashai (salvation).

18 They tzawad (hunt) our tzaid (steps), so that we can't yalak (go) in our rachab (streets): Our qatz (end) is qarab (come close), our yawam (day) are malaa (fulfilled); for our qatz (end) bawaa (bring) come.

19 Our radap (pursuers) were swifter than the nasharay (eagles) of the sky: They dalaq (chased) us on the harayam (mountains), they arab (laid) wait for us in the madabar (wilderness).

20 The rawach (spirit / wind) of our ap (nostril / picture: bull snorting), the mashayach (anointed one) of Yahawah (), was lakad (taken) in their shachayath (pits); Of whom we amar (spoke), Under his tzal (shadow) we shall chayah (live) among the gawayam (nations).

21 Shawash (rejoice) and be shamach (glad), banath (daughter) of Adawam (Edom), that yashab (inhabit/dwell) in the aratz (Earth/land) of Iwatz (Uz): The kawas (cup) shall ibar (pass over/through) through to you also; you shall be shakar (drunken), and shall irah (make) yourself naked.

22 The punishment of your iwan (guilt/iniquity) is thamam (accomplished), banath (daughter) of Tzayawan (Zion); he will no more galah (carry) you away into captivity: He will paqad (visit) your iwan (guilt/iniquity), banath (daughter) of Adawam (Edom); he will galah (uncover) your chataah (sin).