Lamentations

Lamentations 4:4–10

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.

⁷Her dignitaries were brighter than snow,

whiter than milk;

their bodies were more ruddy than rubies,

their appearance^d like sapphires.^e

⁸But now their appearance is blacker than soot;

they are not recognized in the streets.

Their skin has shriveled on their bones;

it has become as dry as a stick.

⁹Those slain by the sword are better off

than those who die of hunger,

who waste away, pierced with pain

because the fields lack produce.

¹⁰The hands of compassionate women

have cooked their own children,

who became their food

in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

Footnotes

c 4:6 Or iniquity
d 4:7 Or their polishing or their hair
e 4:7 Hebrew lapis lazuli

Read all of Lamentations 4

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.

Lamentations 4:4

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

Lamentations 4:5

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

Lamentations 4:6

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

Lamentations 4:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Her dignitaries	נְזִירֶ֙יהָ֙	nə·zî·re·hā	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H5139 one consecrated, devoted
were brighter	זַכּ֤וּ	zak·kū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2141 be bright, clean, pure
than snow	מִשֶּׁ֔לֶג	miš·še·leḡ	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H7950 snow
whiter	צַח֖וּ	ṣa·ḥū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H6705 be dazzling
than milk	מֵחָלָ֑ב	mê·ḥā·lāḇ	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H2461 milk
their bodies	עֶ֙צֶם֙	‘e·ṣem	Noun - feminine singular	H6106 bone, substance, self
were more ruddy	אָ֤דְמוּ	’ā·ḏə·mū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H119 be red
than rubies	מִפְּנִינִ֔ים	mip·pə·nî·nîm	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine plural	H6443 pearl
their appearance	גִּזְרָתָֽם׃ס	giz·rā·ṯām	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H1508 cutting, separation
like sapphires	סַפִּ֖יר	sap·pîr	Noun - masculine singular	H5601 sapphire

Lamentations 4:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But now their appearance	תָּֽאֳרָ֔ם	tā·’o·rām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H8389 outline, form
is blacker	חָשַׁ֤ךְ	ḥā·šaḵ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H2821 be, grow dark
than soot	מִשְּׁחוֹר֙	miš·šə·ḥō·wr	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H7815 blackness
they are not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
recognized	נִכְּר֖וּ	nik·kə·rū	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural	H5234 regard, recognize
in the streets	בַּחוּצ֑וֹת	ba·ḥū·ṣō·wṯ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H2351 the outside
Their skin	עוֹרָם֙	‘ō·w·rām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H5785 skin
has shriveled	צָפַ֤ד	ṣā·p̄aḏ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6821 draw together, contract
on	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
their bones	עַצְמָ֔ם	‘aṣ·mām	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H6106 bone, substance, self
it has become	הָיָ֥ה	hā·yāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
as dry	יָבֵ֖שׁ	yā·ḇêš	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3001 be dry, dried up, withered
as a stick	כָעֵֽץ׃ס	ḵā·‘êṣ	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6086 tree, trees, wood

Lamentations 4:9

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Those slain	חַלְלֵי־	ḥal·lê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H2491 pierced
by the sword	חֶ֔רֶב	ḥe·reḇ	Noun - feminine singular	H2719 sword
are	הָיוּ֙	hā·yū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
better off	טוֹבִ֤ים	ṭō·w·ḇîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
than those who die	מֵֽחַלְלֵ֖י	mê·ḥal·lê	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct	H2491 pierced
of hunger	רָעָ֑ב	rā·‘āḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H7458 famine, hunger
who	שֶׁ֣הֵ֤ם	še·hêm	Pronoun - relative; Pronoun - third person masculine plural	H1992 they, them
waste away	יָז֙וּבוּ֙	yā·zū·ḇū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H2100 flow, gush
pierced with pain	מְדֻקָּרִ֔ים	mə·ḏuq·qā·rîm	Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine plural	H1856 pierce, pierce through
because the fields	שָׂדָֽי׃ס	śā·ḏāy	Noun - masculine singular	H7704 id.
lack produce	מִתְּנוּבֹ֖ת	mit·tə·nū·ḇōṯ	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine plural construct	H8570 fruit, produce

Lamentations 4:10

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The hands	יְדֵ֗י	yə·ḏê	Noun - feminine dual construct	H3027 hand
of compassionate	רַחֲמָ֣נִיּ֔וֹת	ra·ḥă·mā·nî·yō·wṯ	Adjective - feminine plural	H7362 id.
women	נָשִׁים֙	nā·šîm	Noun - feminine plural	H802 woman, wife, female
have cooked	בִּשְּׁל֖וּ	biš·šə·lū	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural	H1310 boil, seethe
their own children	יַלְדֵיהֶ֑ן	yal·ḏê·hen	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine plural	H3206 child, son, boy, youth
who became	הָי֤וּ	hā·yū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
their food	לְבָרוֹת֙	lə·ḇā·rō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H1262 eat
in the destruction	בְּשֶׁ֖בֶר	bə·še·ḇer	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7667 breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crash
of the daughter	בַּת־	baṯ-	Noun - feminine singular construct	H1323 daughter
of my people	עַמִּֽי׃ס	‘am·mî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H5971 people