Lamentations 2:12 web — They tell their mothers, Where is grain and wine? When they swoon as the wounded in the streets of the city, When their…

World English Bible

"They tell their mothers, Where is grain and wine? When they swoon as the wounded in the streets of the city, When their soul is poured out into their mothers' bosom."

— Lamentations 2:12, World English Bible

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Lamentations 2:12 in Other Translations

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Lamentations 2 — Context

9

Her gates are sunk into the ground; he has destroyed and broken her bars: Her king and her princes are among the nations where the law is not; Yes, her prophets find no vision from Yahweh.

10

The elders of the daughter of Zion sit on the ground, they keep silence; They have cast up dust on their heads; they have clothed themselves with sackcloth: The virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground.

11

My eyes do fail with tears, my heart is troubled; My liver is poured on the earth, because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, Because the young children and the infants swoon in the streets of the city.

12

They tell their mothers, Where is grain and wine? When they swoon as the wounded in the streets of the city, When their soul is poured out into their mothers' bosom.

13

What shall I testify to you? what shall I liken to you, daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I compare to you, that I may comfort you, virgin daughter of Zion? For your breach is great like the sea: who can heal you?

14

Your prophets have seen for you false and foolish visions; They have not uncovered your iniquity, to bring back your captivity, but have seen for you false oracles and causes of banishment.

15

All that pass by clap their hands at you. They hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, [saying], Is this the city that men called The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?

Lamentations 2:12 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Lamentations 2:12 say?
Lamentations 2:12 in the World English Bible reads: “They tell their mothers, Where is grain and wine? When they swoon as the wounded in the streets of the city, When their soul is poured out into their mothers' bosom.”
Where is Lamentations 2:12 in the Bible?
Lamentations 2:12 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Lamentations, chapter 2, verse 12.
Who wrote Lamentations?
Lamentations is traditionally attributed to Jeremiah (traditional). It was written c. 586–575 BC.
What is the book of Lamentations about?
Lamentations is a series of five funeral poems over the fallen Jerusalem — raw grief, honest confession, and at the very center, an astonishing confession of hope: "his compassions fail not… they are new every morning."
What are the major themes of Lamentations?
Lamentations explores themes including Grief, Judgment, Mercy, Hope, Repentance. These themes shape the meaning and context of Lamentations 2:12.
What translation should I read Lamentations 2:12 in?
Lamentations 2:12 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Lamentations 2:12?
Lamentations 2:12 reads (WEB): “They tell their mothers, Where is grain and wine? When they swoon as the wounded in the streets of the city, When their soul is poured out into their mothers' bosom.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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