Lamentations

Lamentations 4:8–9

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.

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
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

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

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

Lamentations 4:8 Lamentations 5:10 · Job 30:30 · Psalm 102:3–5 · Job 19:20 · Psalm 119:83

Lamentations 4:9 Ezekiel 24:23 · Leviticus 26:39 · Jeremiah 16:4

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.