Lamentations 4:5
3 Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like an ostrich in the wilderness.
4 The nursing infant’s tongue clings in thirst to the roof of his mouth. Little children beg for bread, but no one gives them any.
Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets; those brought up in crimson huddle in ash heaps.
6 The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant without a hand turned to help her.
7 Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets; those brought up in crimson huddle in ash heaps.
- KJV
- They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
- WEB
- Those who ate delicacies are desolate in the streets. Those who were brought up in purple embrace dunghills.
- ASV
- They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: They that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
- DARBY
- They that fed delicately are desolate in the streets; they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dung-hills.
- BLB
- Those once eating delicacies are desolate in the streets; those being set firmly in scarlet embrace heaps of rubbish.
- ÅB
- De som spiste fine retter, ligger elendige på gatene; de som ble båret på skarlagen, favner møkkdynger.
- OTB
- De som før nøt delikatesser, skjelver nå i gatene; de som ble oppdratt i purpur, ligger nå på askehauger.
- B1930
- De som åt fine retter, ligger elendige på gatene; de som blev båret på skarlagen, favner møkkdynger.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Luke 16:19
Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor.
Read in contextProverbs 31:21
When it snows, she has no fear for her household, for they are all clothed in scarlet.
Read in contextAmos 6:3–7
You dismiss the day of calamity and bring near a reign of violence.
Read in contextLuke 15:16
He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing.
Read in context1 Timothy 5:6
But she who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still alive.
Read in contextDeuteronomy 28:54–56
The most gentle and refined man among you will begrudge his brother, the wife he embraces, and the rest of his children who have survived,
Read in context2 Samuel 1:24
O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and luxury, who decked your garments with ornaments of gold.
Read in contextRevelation 18:7–9
As much as she has glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her the same measure of torment and grief. In her heart she says, ‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow and will never see grief.’
Read in context