Lamentations 4:8 web — Their appearance is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: Their skin clings to their bones; it is wit…

World English Bible

"Their appearance is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: Their skin clings to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick."

— Lamentations 4:8, World English Bible

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Lamentations 4:8 in Other Translations

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Lamentations 4 — Context

5

Those who did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: Those who were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.

6

For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, That was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands were laid on her.

7

Her nobles were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as of sapphire.

8

Their appearance is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: Their skin clings to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.

9

Those who are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field.

10

The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children; They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

11

Yahweh has accomplished his wrath, he has poured out his fierce anger; He has kindled a fire in Zion, which has devoured its foundations.

Lamentations 4:8 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Lamentations 4:8 say?
Lamentations 4:8 in the World English Bible reads: “Their appearance is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: Their skin clings to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.”
Where is Lamentations 4:8 in the Bible?
Lamentations 4:8 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Lamentations, chapter 4, verse 8.
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 4:8.
What translation should I read Lamentations 4:8 in?
Lamentations 4:8 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 4:8?
Lamentations 4:8 reads (WEB): “Their appearance is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: Their skin clings to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.” 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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