Lamentations

Lamentations 4:3–4

³Even jackals^b offer their breasts

to nurse their young,

but the daughter of my people has become cruel,

like an ostrich in the wilderness.

⁴The nursing infant’s tongue

clings in thirst to the roof of his mouth.

Little children beg for bread,

but no one gives them any.

Footnotes

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Even	גַּם־	gam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
jackals	תַּנִּין	tan·nīn	Noun - common plural	H8577 serpent, dragon, sea-monster
offer	חָ֣לְצוּ	ḥā·lə·ṣū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2502 draw off or out, withdraw
their breasts	שַׁ֔ד	šaḏ	Noun - masculine singular	H7699 violence, havoc, devastation, ruin
to nurse	הֵינִ֖יקוּ	hê·nî·qū	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural	H3243 suck
their young	גּוּרֵיהֶ֑ן	gū·rê·hen	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine plural	H1482 whelp, young
the daughter	בַּת־	baṯ-	Noun - feminine singular construct	H1323 daughter
of my people	עַמִּ֣י	‘am·mî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H5971 people
has become cruel	לְאַכְזָ֔ר	lə·’aḵ·zār	Preposition-l; Adjective - masculine singular	H393 cruel, fierce
like	כִּי	kī	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
an ostrich	עֵנִים	ʿē·nīm	Noun - masculine plural	H3283 ostrich
in the wilderness	בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ס	bam·miḏ·bār	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4057 mouth

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The nursing infant’s	יוֹנֵ֛ק	yō·w·nêq	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H3243 suck
tongue	לְשׁ֥וֹן	lə·šō·wn	Noun - common singular construct	H3956 tongue
clings	דָּבַ֨ק	dā·ḇaq	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1692 cling, cleave, keep close
in thirst	בַּצָּמָ֑א	baṣ·ṣā·mā	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6772 thirst
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the roof of his mouth	חכּ֖וֹ	ḥ·kō	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2441 palate, roof of mouth, gums
Little children	עֽוֹלָלִים֙	‘ō·w·lā·lîm	Noun - masculine plural	H5768 child
beg for	שָׁ֣אֲלוּ	šā·’ă·lū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H7592 ask, inquire
bread	לֶ֔חֶם	le·ḥem	Noun - masculine singular	H3899 bread, food
but no	אֵ֥ין	’ên	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
one gives them any	פֹּרֵ֖שׂ	pō·rêś	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H6566 spread out, spread

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Lamentations 4:3 Luke 23:28–29 · Ezekiel 5:10 · Lamentations 4:10 · Lamentations 2:20 · Leviticus 26:29 · Deuteronomy 28:52–57 · Job 39:13–16 · Jeremiah 19:9 · 2 Kings 6:26–29

Lamentations 4:4 Psalm 22:15 · Lamentations 2:11–12 · Psalm 137:6

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.