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Lamentations Outline

      • Terrible effects of Jerusalem’s siege

        • Lack of food (4, 5, 9)

        • Women boil their own children (10)

        • Jehovah has poured out his anger (11)

Lamentations 4:1

Footnotes

  • *

    Lit., “at the head of all streets!”

Marginal References

  • +1Ki 6:22
  • +1Ki 5:17; 7:9-12
  • +Jer 52:12, 13

Lamentations 4:2

Footnotes

  • *

    Or “were as precious as.”

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    9/1/1988, p. 27

  • Publications Index

    w88 9/1 27

Lamentations 4:3

Marginal References

  • +Le 26:29; De 28:53-57; Jer 19:9; La 4:10
  • +Job 39:14-16

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    Insight, Volume 1, p. 1242

    Insight, Volume 2, p. 562

    The Watchtower,

    6/1/2007, pp. 10-11

    9/1/1988, p. 27

  • Publications Index

    it-1 1242; it-2 562; w07 6/1 10-11; w88 9/1 27;

    ad 1258; w62 423

Lamentations 4:4

Marginal References

  • +La 1:11; 2:11, 12
  • +Jer 52:6

Indexes

  • Publications Index

    kj 170

Lamentations 4:5

Footnotes

  • *

    Lit., “desolate.”

Marginal References

  • +Am 6:4, 7
  • +Jer 6:2, 26

Lamentations 4:6

Footnotes

  • *

    Lit., “error.”

Marginal References

  • +Eze 16:48
  • +Ge 19:24, 25; Da 9:12

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    Jeremiah, pp. 107-108

  • Publications Index

    jr 107

Lamentations 4:7

Marginal References

  • +Nu 6:2

Lamentations 4:8

Footnotes

  • *

    Lit., “blackness.”

Marginal References

  • +Ps 102:5

Indexes

  • Publications Index

    w62 151

Lamentations 4:9

Marginal References

  • +Jer 29:17; 38:2

Lamentations 4:10

Marginal References

  • +Le 26:29; La 2:20; 4:3
  • +De 28:54-57

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    Jeremiah, pp. 154-155

    The Watchtower,

    8/1/1989, p. 29

  • Publications Index

    jr 155; w89 8/1 29;

    kj 170

Lamentations 4:11

Marginal References

  • +Jer 6:11; 7:20; Eze 22:31
  • +De 32:22; 2Ki 25:9, 10

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    “All Scripture,” p. 164

  • Publications Index

    si 164;

    w72 660; kj 188; nh 300; w52 348

Lamentations 4:12

Marginal References

  • +De 29:24; 1Ki 9:8

Indexes

  • Publications Index

    w78 8/1 7

Lamentations 4:13

Marginal References

  • +Jer 5:31; 14:14; Mic 3:11; Zep 3:4
  • +Jer 26:8; Mt 23:31; Ac 7:52

Indexes

  • Publications Index

    w40 136

Lamentations 4:14

Marginal References

  • +De 28:28; Zep 1:17
  • +Isa 1:15; Jer 2:34

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    “All Scripture,” p. 164

  • Publications Index

    si 164;

    w40 180

Lamentations 4:15

Footnotes

  • *

    Or “reside here as foreigners.”

Marginal References

  • +De 28:25, 65

Lamentations 4:16

Marginal References

  • +Le 26:33; De 28:64; Jer 24:9
  • +2Ki 25:18, 21
  • +La 5:12; Eze 9:6

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    Insight, Volume 2, pp. 193-194

  • Publications Index

    it-2 193-194;

    kj 170

Lamentations 4:17

Marginal References

  • +La 1:19
  • +Jer 37:7; Eze 29:6

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    Insight, Volume 2, pp. 193-194

  • Publications Index

    it-2 193-194

Lamentations 4:18

Marginal References

  • +2Ki 25:5; La 3:52

Lamentations 4:19

Marginal References

  • +De 28:49, 50; Isa 5:26; Jer 4:13; Hab 1:8

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    6/15/1996, pp. 9-10

  • Publications Index

    w96 6/15 9-10;

    w65 186; bf 226; w59 473; yw 170

Lamentations 4:20

Marginal References

  • +Jer 37:1
  • +2Ki 25:5, 6; Jer 39:5

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    The Watchtower,

    9/1/1988, p. 27

  • Publications Index

    w88 9/1 27;

    w71 241; kj 220, 249; w64 733; bf 160

Lamentations 4:21

Marginal References

  • +Ps 137:7; Ob 12
  • +Jer 25:17, 20; Ob 16
  • +Jer 49:10, 12

Indexes

  • Research Guide

    Insight, Volume 1, p. 680

  • Publications Index

    it-1 680;

    ad 486; w37 343

Lamentations 4:22

Marginal References

  • +Le 26:44; Isa 52:1; 60:18
  • +Isa 34:5; Eze 25:13; 35:15; Am 1:11; Ob 13

Parallel Translations

Click a verse number to display parallel Bible verses.

General

Lam. 4:11Ki 6:22
Lam. 4:11Ki 5:17; 7:9-12
Lam. 4:1Jer 52:12, 13
Lam. 4:3Le 26:29; De 28:53-57; Jer 19:9; La 4:10
Lam. 4:3Job 39:14-16
Lam. 4:4La 1:11; 2:11, 12
Lam. 4:4Jer 52:6
Lam. 4:5Am 6:4, 7
Lam. 4:5Jer 6:2, 26
Lam. 4:6Eze 16:48
Lam. 4:6Ge 19:24, 25; Da 9:12
Lam. 4:7Nu 6:2
Lam. 4:8Ps 102:5
Lam. 4:9Jer 29:17; 38:2
Lam. 4:10Le 26:29; La 2:20; 4:3
Lam. 4:10De 28:54-57
Lam. 4:11Jer 6:11; 7:20; Eze 22:31
Lam. 4:11De 32:22; 2Ki 25:9, 10
Lam. 4:12De 29:24; 1Ki 9:8
Lam. 4:13Jer 5:31; 14:14; Mic 3:11; Zep 3:4
Lam. 4:13Jer 26:8; Mt 23:31; Ac 7:52
Lam. 4:14De 28:28; Zep 1:17
Lam. 4:14Isa 1:15; Jer 2:34
Lam. 4:15De 28:25, 65
Lam. 4:16Le 26:33; De 28:64; Jer 24:9
Lam. 4:162Ki 25:18, 21
Lam. 4:16La 5:12; Eze 9:6
Lam. 4:17La 1:19
Lam. 4:17Jer 37:7; Eze 29:6
Lam. 4:182Ki 25:5; La 3:52
Lam. 4:19De 28:49, 50; Isa 5:26; Jer 4:13; Hab 1:8
Lam. 4:20Jer 37:1
Lam. 4:202Ki 25:5, 6; Jer 39:5
Lam. 4:21Ps 137:7; Ob 12
Lam. 4:21Jer 25:17, 20; Ob 16
Lam. 4:21Jer 49:10, 12
Lam. 4:22Le 26:44; Isa 52:1; 60:18
Lam. 4:22Isa 34:5; Eze 25:13; 35:15; Am 1:11; Ob 13
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New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures
Lamentations 4:1-22

Lamentations

א [Aleph]

4 How the shining gold has grown dim, the fine gold!+

How the holy stones+ lie scattered at every street corner!*+

ב [Beth]

 2 As for the precious sons of Zion, who were weighed against* refined gold,

How they have been regarded as earthenware jars,

The work of a potter’s hands!

ג [Gimel]

 3 Even jackals offer the udder to nurse their young,

But the daughter of my people has become cruel,+ like ostriches in the wilderness.+

ד [Daleth]

 4 The tongue of the nursing infant sticks to its palate because of thirst.

Children beg for bread,+ but no one gives them any.+

ה [He]

 5 Those who used to eat delicacies lie famished* in the streets.+

Those who were brought up wearing scarlet+ have embraced ash heaps.

ו [Waw]

 6 The punishment* of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment for the sin of Sodʹom,+

Which was overthrown in a moment, with no hand to help her.+

ז [Zayin]

 7 Her Nazʹi·rites+ were purer than snow, whiter than milk.

They were more ruddy than corals; they were like polished sapphires.

ח [Heth]

 8 Their appearance has become darker than soot;*

They are not recognized in the streets.

Their skin has shriveled over their bones;+ it has become like dry wood.

ט [Teth]

 9 Those slain with the sword are better off than those slain by famine,+

Those who waste away, who are pierced through for lack of food from the field.

י [Yod]

10 The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children.+

They have become their food of mourning during the breakdown of the daughter of my people.+

כ [Kaph]

11 Jehovah has expressed his wrath;

He has poured out his burning anger.+

And he starts a fire in Zion that consumes her foundations.+

ל [Lamed]

12 The kings of the earth and all the inhabitants of the productive land did not believe

That the adversary and the enemy would enter the gates of Jerusalem.+

מ [Mem]

13 It was because of the sins of her prophets, the errors of her priests,+

Who shed the blood of righteous ones in her midst.+

נ [Nun]

14 They have wandered blindly+ in the streets.

They are polluted with blood,+

So that none are able to touch their garments.

ס [Samekh]

15 “Go away! Unclean!” they call out to them. “Go away! Go away! Do not touch us!”

For they have gone homeless and wander about.

People have said among the nations: “They cannot stay here with us.*+

פ [Pe]

16 The face of Jehovah has scattered them;+

He will no longer look favorably on them.

Men will show no respect for the priests,+ no favor to the elders.”+

ע [Ayin]

17 Even now our eyes are worn out from looking in vain for help.+

We looked and looked for help from a nation that could not save us.+

צ [Tsade]

18 They have hunted us down at every step+ so that we could not walk in our public squares.

Our end has drawn near; our days have finished, for our end has come.

ק [Qoph]

19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky.+

They chased us on the mountains; they ambushed us in the wilderness.

ר [Resh]

20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed one of Jehovah,+ has been captured in their large pit,+

The one of whom we said: “In his shade we will live among the nations.”

ש [Sin]

21 Exult and rejoice, O daughter of Eʹdom,+ living as you do in the land of Uz.

But to you also the cup will be passed,+ and you will become drunk and expose your nakedness.+

ת [Taw]

22 The punishment for your error, O daughter of Zion, has come to its finish.

He will not carry you off into exile again.+

But he will turn his attention to your error, O daughter of Eʹdom.

He will uncover your sins.+

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