Lamentations

Lamentations 4:3–6

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.

⁵Those who once ate delicacies

are destitute in the streets;

those brought up in crimson

huddle in ash heaps.

⁶The punishment^c 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.

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

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Those who once ate	הָאֹֽכְלִים֙	hā·’ō·ḵə·lîm	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H398 eat
delicacies	לְמַ֣עֲדַנִּ֔ים	lə·ma·‘ă·ḏan·nîm	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural	H4574 dainty
are destitute	נָשַׁ֖מּוּ	nā·šam·mū	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural	H8074 be desoleted, appalled
in the streets	בַּחוּצ֑וֹת	ba·ḥū·ṣō·wṯ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H2351 the outside
those brought up	הָאֱמֻנִים֙	hā·’ĕ·mu·nîm	Article; Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural	H539 confirm, support
in	עֲלֵ֣י	‘ă·lê	Preposition	H5921 height
crimson	תוֹלָ֔ע	ṯō·w·lā‘	Noun - masculine singular	H8438 worm, scarlet stuff
huddle	חִבְּק֖וּ	ḥib·bə·qū	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural	H2263 clasp, embrace
in ash heaps	אַשְׁפַּתּֽוֹת׃ס	’aš·pat·tō·wṯ	Noun - masculine plural	H830 ash-heap(?), refuse-heap, dung-hill

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The punishment	עֲוֺ֣ן	‘ă·wōn	Noun - common singular construct	H5771 iniquity, guilt, or punishment of iniquity
of the daughter	בַּת־	baṯ-	Noun - feminine singular construct	H1323 daughter
of my people	עַמִּ֔י	‘am·mî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H5971 people
is greater	וַיִּגְדַּל֙	way·yiḡ·dal	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1431 grow up, become great
than	מֵֽחַטַּ֖את	mê·ḥaṭ·ṭaṯ	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct	H2403 offence, penalty, occasion
of Sodom	סְדֹ֑ם	sə·ḏōm	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H5467 Sodom
which was overthrown	הַֽהֲפוּכָ֣ה	ha·hă·p̄ū·ḵāh	Article; Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular	H2015 turn, overturn
in	כְמוֹ־	ḵə·mōw-	Preposition	H3644 like, as, when
an instant	רָ֔גַע	rā·ḡa‘	Noun - masculine singular	H7281 a moment
without	וְלֹא־	wə·lō-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
a hand	יָדָֽיִם׃ס	yā·ḏā·yim	Noun - fd	H3027 hand
turned to help	חָ֥לוּ	ḥā·lū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2342 whirl, dance, writhe
her	בָ֖הּ	ḇāh	Preposition; third person feminine singular