Lam finish readthrough and edit.

25-LAM/04.usfm

@@ -3,99 +3,111 @@
 \c 4
 \p
 \q
-\v 1 The gold has become completely tarnished; the purest gold has changed.
-\q The holy stones have been poured out at the head of every street.
+\v 1 The gold has become tarnished; how the purest gold has changed!
+\q The holy stones are scattered at the corner of every street.
 \q
-\v 2 The sons of Zion were precious, valued greater than pure gold.
-\q But now they are regarded as nothing but clay jars made by potter's hands.
+\v 2 The precious sons of Zion were worth their weight in pure gold, 
+\q but now they are worth no more than clay jars, the work of the potter's hands!
 
 \s5
 \q
-\v 3 Even the jackals reveal the breast to nurse their cubs, but 
-\q the daughter of my people is as cruel as ostriches in the desert.
+\v 3 Even the jackals offer the breast to nurse their cubs, but 
+\q the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the desert.
 
 
 \s5
 \q
-\v 4 The tongue of the nursing baby sticks to the roof of his mouth with thirst;
-\q children ask for bread, but there is nothing for them.
+\v 4 The tongue of the nursing baby sticks to the roof of his mouth by thirst;
+\q the children ask for food, but there is none for them.
 \q
-\v 5 The ones who used to eat expensive food are now abandoned, starving in the streets; 
-\q those who wore scarlet clothing are now on top of garbage heaps.
+\v 5 The ones who used to feast on expensive food now starve in the streets; 
+\q those who were brought up wearing purple clothing, now lie dying on piles of garbage. 
 
 \s5
 \q
-\v 6 The iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom,
-\q that was overthrown in a moment, though no hands seized her.
+\v 6 The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than that of Sodom, 
+\q and it was overthrown in a moment 
+\q and no one lifted a hand to help her.
 
 \s5
 \q
-\v 7 Her leaders used to shine like snow and were as white as milk.
-\q Their bodies were more ruddy than coral; their form like sapphire.
+\v 7 Her leaders were purer than snow, whiter than milk;
+\q their bodies were more ruddy than coral, their form was like sapphire.
 \q
-\v 8 Now darkness blackens their appearance, and they are unrecognizable in the streets,
-\q for their skin clings to their withered bones. It has become as dry as wood!
+\v 8 Their appearance now is darker than soot; 
+\q they are not recognized in the streets. 
+\q Their skin has shriveled on their bones; 
+\q it has become as dry as wood. 
 
 \s5
 \q
-\v 9 Those who have been killed by the sword are better off than those killed by hunger;
-\q they are better off than those who waste away, pierced by hunger for the lack of any crops from fields.
+\v 9 Those who have been killed by the sword were happier than those killed by hunger,
+\q who wasted away, pierced by the lack of any harvest from the field.
 \q
-\v 10 The hands of compassionate women boiled their own children! 
-\q Their children became their food 
-\q when my people were being destroyed.
+\v 10 The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children; 
+\q they became their food during the time 
+\q when the daughter of my people was being destroyed. 
 \b
 
 \s5
 \q
-\v 11 Yahweh has satisfied his rage. He has poured out his burning anger; he has kindled a fire
-\q in Zion, and it has devoured her foundations.
+\v 11 Yahweh showed all his wrath; he poured out his fierce anger.
+\q He kindled a fire in Zion that consumed her foundations.
 
 \s5
 \q
-\v 12 Neither the kings of the earth nor any of the world's inhabitants would believe
-\q that an adversary and enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
+\v 12 The kings of the earth did not believe,
+\q nor did any of the inhabitants of the world believe,
+\q that enemies or opponents could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
 \q
-\v 13 But they did, because of the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests
+\v 13 The the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests
 \q who have shed the blood of the righteous in her midst.
 
 \s5
 \q
-\v 14 Those prophets and priests now wander like blind men in the streets.
-\q They are defiled by that blood so no one is able to even touch their clothes.
+\v 14 They wandered, blind, through the streets.
+\q They were so defiled by that blood that no one was allowed to touch their clothes.
 \q
-\v 15 "Flee! Unclean!" these prophets and priests cry out. "Flee, flee! Do not touch us!"
-\q So they wander to other lands, but even the Gentiles say, "They can no longer live here as foreigners."
+\v 15 "Away! Unclean!" people cried at them. "Away! Away! Do not touch!"
+\q So they wandered about; people said among the nations, "They can stay here no longer."
 
 \s5
 \q
-\v 16 Yahweh has scattered them from his presence; he does not look on them with favor any longer.
-\q No one receives the priests with any respect any more, and they show no concern for the elders.
+\v 16 Yahweh himself scattered them; he does not watch over them any more. 
+\q They do not honor the priests, 
+\q and they did not show any favor to the elders. 
 \b
 
 \s5
 \q
-\v 17 Our eyes constantly failed to find even worthless help,
-\q though they eagerly watched for a nation that would not save us.
+\v 17 Our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; 
+\q from our watchtowers we watched 
+\q for a nation that could not rescue us. 
 \q
-\v 18 They hunted our steps going through our streets.
-\q Our end was near and our days were finished, for our end had come.
+\v 18 They followed our steps, 
+\q we could not walk in our streets.
+\q Our end was near and our days were numbered,
+\q our end had come. 
 \s5
 \q
 \v 19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles in the sky.
 \q They chased us to the mountains and lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
 \q
-\v 20 The breath in our nostrils, Yahweh's anointed one—our king, was captured in their pits;
-\q it was our king of whom we said, "We will live under his protection among the nations."
+\v 20 The breath in our nostrils—Yahweh's anointed one—he was the one who was captured in their pits;
+\q of whom it was said, "Under his shadow we would live among the nations."
 \b
 
 \s5
 \q
-\v 21 Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Edom living in the land of Uz,
-\q for the cup will also pass to you. You will become drunk and strip yourself naked.
+\v 21 Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Edom, 
+\q you who live in the land of Uz.
+\q But to you also the cup will be passed; 
+\q you will be drunk and strip yourself naked.
 \q
-\v 22 Daughter of Zion, the punishment for your iniquity has come to an end. He will no longer keep you in exile.
-\q But daughter of Edom, he will punish your sins and uncover your wickedness.
+\v 22 Daughter of Zion, your punishment will come to an end, 
+\q he will not extend your exile
+\q But daughter of Edom, he will punish;
+\q he will uncover your sins.
 
 
 

25-LAM/05.usfm

@@ -3,83 +3,84 @@
 \c 5
 \p
 \q
-\v 1 Call to mind, Yahweh, what has happened to us.
-\q Look and see our shame.
+\v 1 Remember, Yahweh, what has happened to us
+\q look and see our disgrace.
 \q
 \v 2 Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers;
 \q our houses to foreigners.
 \q
-\v 3 We have become orphans, for there are no more fathers,
+\v 3 We have become orphans, the fatherless,
 \q and our mothers are like widows.
 \q
-\v 4 Our water costs silver to drink, 
-\q and our own wood is sold to us.
+\v 4 We must pay silver for the water we drink, 
+\q and we must pay silver to get our own wood.
 
 \s5
 \q
-\v 5 Our enemies run after us; they are so close that they are breathing down our necks.
-\q We are weary; there is no rest for us.
+\v 5 Those who are coming after us are close behind us; 
+\q we are weary and we can find no rest.
 \q
-\v 6 We have reached out with our hands to the Egyptians
-\q and the Assyrians to be filled with food.
+\v 6 We have given ourselves to Egypt and to Assyria 
+\q to get enough food.
 \q
-\v 7 Our fathers sinned; they are no more,
-\q and we bear their sins.
+\v 7 Our fathers sinned, and they are no more,
+\q and we bear their iniquities.
 
 \s5
 \q
 \v 8 Slaves rule over us,
-\q and there is no one to rescue us out of their hand.
+\q and there is no one to deliver us from their hand.
 \q
-\v 9 We are risking our lives to get our bread
-\q in the face of the sword of the wilderness.
+\v 9 We get our bread only by risking our lives, 
+\q because of the sword in the wilderness.
 \q
-\v 10 Our skin is like an oven,
-\q burned up from the fever of famine.
+\v 10 Our skin has grown as hot as an oven 
+\q because of the burning heat of hunger.
 
 \s5
 \q
-\v 11 They have violated the women in Zion,
-\q the virgins in the cities of Judah.
+\v 11 Women are raped in Zion,
+\q and virgins in the cities of Judah.
 \q
-\v 12 They hung princes by their own hands,
-\q and they have not honored the elders.
+\v 12 Princes are hung up by their own hands,
+\q and no honor is shown to the elders.
 
 \s5
 \q
-\v 13 They have brought up the vigorous men to the grinding house,
-\q and youthful men stagger beneath logs.
+\v 13 Young men are forced to grind grain with a millstone, 
+\q and boys stagger under heaven loads of wood.
 \q
-\v 14 They have removed the elders from the city gate
-\q and the vigorous men from their music.
+\v 14 The elders have left the city gate,
+\q and the young men have left their music.
 
 \s5
 \q
-\v 15 The joy of our heart has ceased;
-\q our dances have changed into mourning.
+\v 15 The joy of our heart has ceased
+\q and our dancing has turned into mourning.
 \q
-\v 16 The crown has fallen from our head!
-\q Woe to us, for we have sinned!
+\v 16 The crown has fallen from our head;
+\q woe to us, for we have sinned!
 
 \s5
 \q
-\v 17 Our hearts have become sick,
+\v 17 For this our heart has become sick,
 \q and our eyes have grown dim,
+\q for these things our eyes grow dim
 \q
-\v 18 because jackals wander on Mount Zion, which is deserted.
+\v 18 for Mount Zion lies desolate, with jackals prowling over it. 
 \b
 
 \s5
 \q
-\v 19 But you are Yahweh; you reign forever,
-\q and your throne is from generation to generation.
+\v 19 But you, Yahweh, reign forever,
+\q and you will sit upon your throne from generation to generation.
 \q
 \v 20 Why do you forget us forever?
-\q Will you forsake us for so very long?
+\q Will do you forsake us for so many days?
 \q
-\v 21 Turn us back to you, Yahweh, and we will repent.
-\q Restore our days as in ancient times,
+\v 21 Restore us to yourself, Yahweh, and we will be restored.
+\q Renew our days as they were long ago—
 \q
-\v 22 unless we truly are rejected
-\q and your anger toward us is too great!
+\v 22 unless you have utterly rejected us
+\q and you are angry with us beyond measure. 
 \q