Lamentations 5:2-14

Other Translations of Lamentations 5:2-14

King James Version

² Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens. ³ We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows. ⁴ We have drunken our water for money; our wood is sold unto us. ⁵ Our necks are under persecution: we labour, and have no rest. ⁶ We have given the hand to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread. ⁷ Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities. ⁸ Servants have ruled over us: there is none that doth deliver us out of their hand. ⁹ We gat our bread with the peril of our lives because of the sword of the wilderness. ¹⁰ Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible terrible: or, terrors, or, storms famine. ¹¹ They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah. ¹² Princes are hanged up by their hand: the faces of elders were not honoured. ¹³ They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood. ¹⁴ The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musick.

English Standard Version

² Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners. ³ We have become orphans, fatherless; our mothers are like widows. ⁴ We must pay for the water we drink; the wood we get must be bought. ⁵ Our pursuers are at our necks;Symmachus With a yoke on our necks we are weary; we are given no rest. ⁶ We have given the hand to Egypt, and to Assyria, to get bread enough. ⁷ Our fathers sinned, and are no more; and we bear their iniquities. ⁸ Slaves rule over us; there is none to deliver us from their hand. ⁹ We get our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness. ¹⁰ Our skin is hot as an oven with the burning heat of famine. ¹¹ Women are raped in Zion, young women in the towns of Judah. ¹² Princes are hung up by their hands; no respect is shown to the elders. ¹³ Young men are compelled to grind at the mill, and boys stagger under loads of wood. ¹⁴ The old men have left the city gate, the young men their music.

The Message

² Our precious land has been given to outsiders, our homes to strangers. ³ Orphans we are, not a father in sight, and our mothers no better than widows. ⁴ We have to pay to drink our own water. Even our firewood comes at a price. ⁵ We're nothing but slaves, bullied and bowed, worn out and without any rest. ⁶ We sold ourselves to Assyria and Egypt just to get something to eat. ⁷ Our parents sinned and are no more, and now we're paying for the wrongs they did. ⁸ Slaves rule over us; there's no escape from their grip. ⁹ We risk our lives to gather food in the bandit-infested desert. ¹⁰ Our skin has turned black as an oven, dried out like old leather from the famine. ¹¹ Our wives were raped in the streets in Zion, and our virgins in the cities of Judah. ¹² They hanged our princes by their hands, dishonored our elders. ¹³ Strapping young men were put to women's work, mere boys forced to do men's work. ¹⁴ The city gate is empty of wise elders. Music from the young is heard no more.

New King James Version

² Our inheritance has been turned over to aliens, And our houses to foreigners. ³ We have become orphans and waifs, Our mothers are like widows. ⁴ We pay for the water we drink, And our wood comes at a price. ⁵ They pursue at our heels; We labor and have no rest. ⁶ We have given our hand to the Egyptians And the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread. ⁷ Our fathers sinned and are no more, But we bear their iniquities. ⁸ Servants rule over us; There is none to deliver us from their hand. ⁹ We get our bread at the risk of our lives, Because of the sword in the wilderness. ¹⁰ Our skin is hot as an oven, Because of the fever of famine. ¹¹ They ravished the women in Zion, The maidens in the cities of Judah. ¹² Princes were hung up by their hands, And elders were not respected. ¹³ Young men ground at the millstones; Boys staggered under loads of wood. ¹⁴ The elders have ceased gathering at the gate, And the young men from their music.

New Living Translation

² Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners. ³ We are orphaned and fatherless. Our mothers are widowed. ⁴ We have to pay for water to drink, and even firewood is expensive. ⁵ Those who pursue us are at our heels; we are exhausted but are given no rest. ⁶ We submitted to Egypt and Assyria to get enough food to survive. ⁷ Our ancestors sinned, but they have died- and we are suffering the punishment they deserved! ⁸ Slaves have now become our masters; there is no one left to rescue us. ⁹ We hunt for food at the risk of our lives, for violence rules the countryside. ¹⁰ The famine has blackened our skin as though baked in an oven. ¹¹ Our enemies rape the women in Jerusalem and the young girls in all the towns of Judah. ¹² Our princes are being hanged by their thumbs, and our elders are treated with contempt. ¹³ Young men are led away to work at millstones, and boys stagger under heavy loads of wood. ¹⁴ The elders no longer sit in the city gates; the young men no longer dance and sing.