« | Lamentations 4 | » |
1 How the gold has lost its luster! Even the finest gold has become dull. The sacred gemstones lie scattered in the streets!
2 See how the precious children of Jerusalem, worth their weight in fine gold, are now treated like pots of clay made by a common potter.
3 Even the jackals feed their young, but not my people Israel. They ignore their children's cries, like ostriches in the desert.
4 The parched tongues of their little ones stick to the roofs of their mouths in thirst. The children cry for bread, but no one has any to give them.
5 The people who once ate the richest foods now beg in the streets for anything they can get. Those who once wore the finest clothes now search the garbage dumps for food.
6 The guilt of my people is greater than that of Sodom, where utter disaster struck in a moment and no hand offered help.
7 Our princes once glowed with health-- brighter than snow, whiter than milk. Their faces were as ruddy as rubies, their appearance like fine jewels.
8 But now their faces are blacker than soot. No one recognizes them in the streets. Their skin sticks to their bones; it is as dry and hard as wood.
9 Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger. Starving, they waste away for lack of food from the fields.
10 Tenderhearted women have cooked their own children. They have eaten them to survive the siege.
11 But now the anger of the LORD is satisfied. His fierce anger has been poured out. He started a fire in Jerusalem that burned the city to its foundations.
12 Not a king in all the earth-- no one in all the world-- would have believed that an enemy could march through the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the sins of her priests, who defiled the city by shedding innocent blood.
14 They wandered blindly through the streets, so defiled by blood that no one dared touch them.
15 "Get away!" the people shouted at them. "You're defiled! Don't touch us!" So they fled to distant lands and wandered among foreign nations, but none would let them stay.
16 The LORD himself has scattered them, and he no longer helps them. People show no respect for the priests and no longer honor the leaders.
17 We looked in vain for our allies to come and save us, but we were looking to nations that could not help us.
18 We couldn't go into the streets without danger to our lives. Our end was near; our days were numbered. We were doomed!
19 Our enemies were swifter than eagles in flight. If we fled to the mountains, they found us. If we hid in the wilderness, they were waiting for us there.
20 Our king-- the LORD's anointed, the very life of our nation-- was caught in their snares. We had thought that his shadow would protect us against any nation on earth!
21 Are you rejoicing in the land of Uz, O people of Edom? But you, too, must drink from the cup of the LORD's anger. You, too, will be stripped naked in your drunkenness.
22 O beautiful Jerusalem, your punishment will end; you will soon return from exile. But Edom, your punishment is just beginning; soon your many sins will be exposed.
The New Living Translation (NLT)
The New Living Translation (NLT) is a modern English translation of the Bible that aims to make the Scriptures accessible and engaging for contemporary readers. First published in 1996 by Tyndale House Publishers, the NLT was conceived as an effort to create a translation that combines both accuracy and readability. Unlike many other translations that focus on a word-for-word rendering of the original texts, the NLT employs a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, also known as dynamic equivalence. This approach prioritizes conveying the meaning and message of the original texts in a way that is natural and understandable in modern English.
One of the defining features of the NLT is its commitment to clarity and simplicity. The translators, a team of over 90 evangelical scholars, aimed to create a text that would be approachable for a wide audience, including those who may find traditional translations challenging to read. The NLT’s language is contemporary and conversational, making it particularly effective for public reading, teaching, and personal study. This emphasis on readability helps ensure that the profound messages of the Bible are easily grasped and retained by readers from various backgrounds and levels of biblical knowledge.
The NLT also incorporates a rich array of study aids designed to enhance the reader’s understanding of the biblical text. These include book introductions, footnotes, cross-references, and explanatory notes that provide historical, cultural, and theological context. These features are particularly useful for readers who seek a deeper comprehension of the Scriptures and their application to modern life. The translation also includes clear and concise headings that help guide readers through the narrative and thematic structure of each book, making it easier to follow and comprehend the overall message.
Despite its many strengths, the New Living Translation has faced some criticism, particularly from those who favor more literal translations. Critics argue that the dynamic equivalence approach, while making the text more readable, can sometimes result in a loss of the precise nuances and literary qualities of the original languages. Some scholars believe that certain theological concepts might be oversimplified in the process of making the text more accessible. Nevertheless, the NLT remains one of the most popular and widely used translations today, valued for its readability, clarity, and ability to convey the timeless truths of the Bible in a way that resonates with contemporary readers.