Lamentations 4:9 — Compare All Translations

English (YLT) 1898 Young's Literal Translation by Robert Young

Better have been the pierced of a sword Than the pierced of famine, For these flow away, pierced through, Without the increase of the field.

English ASV

They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field.

English Amplified

Those who are slain with the sword are more fortunate than those who are the victims of hunger [slain by the famine]; for they [the hungry] pine and ebb away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

English Amplified Classic Bible 1987

Those who are slain with the sword are more fortunate than those who are the victims of hunger [slain by the famine]; for they [the hungry] pine and ebb away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

English Berean Standard Bible (BSB) 2025

Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.

English CSB 2017 - Christian Standard Bible

Those slain by the sword are better off than those slain by hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.

English Darby 1890 : Public Domain

The slain with the sword are happier than the slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

English EASY 2024

It is better for people who died in a battle than for people who have nothing to eat. The fields provided no crops so people died slowly without food.

English ERV 2006 - Only For Website

It was better for those who were killed by the sword than for those who died of hunger. Those starving people were sad and hurt. They died because they got no food from the field.

Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who wasted away, pierced by lack of the fruits of the field.

English GNT (Good News Translation)

Those who died in the war were better off than those who died later, who starved slowly to death, with no food to keep them alive.

English God's Word - GW 1995

Those who were killed with swords are better off than those who are dying from starvation. Those who were stabbed bled to death. The others are dying because there is nothing in the fields to eat.

English HCSB 2004 - Copyrighted Only For Website

Those slain by the sword are better off than those slain by hunger, who waste away, pierced [with pain] because the fields lack produce.

English KJV 1611

They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

English LSB

Better are those pierced through with the sword Than those pierced through with hunger; For their life flows away, being stricken For lack of the produce of the field.

English MEV 2014 (Modern English Version)

Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, for they pine away, stricken for want of the fruits of the field.

English NASB (New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995)

Better are those slain with the sword Than those slain with hunger; For they pine away, being stricken For lack of the fruits of the field.

English NASU 1989 - New American Standard Update - Only for Website

Better for those who perish by the sword than for those who die of hunger, Who waste away, as though pierced through, lacking the fruits of the field!

English NET Bible - 2005 (New English Translation)

Those who died by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, those who waste away, struck down from lack of food. י ( Yod )

English NIRV 1996 - Copyrighted only for Website

Those who have been killed with swords are better off than those who have to die of hunger. Those who are hungry waste away to nothing. They don't have any food from the fields.

English NIV

Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of famine; racked with hunger, they waste away for lack of food from the field.

English NKJ 1982

Those slain by the sword are better off Than those who die of hunger; For these pine away, Stricken for lack of the fruits of the field.

English NLT

Those killed by the sword are far better off than those who die of hunger, wasting away for want of food.

English NRSV 1989 - Only for website

Happier were those pierced by the sword than those pierced by hunger, whose life drains away, deprived of the produce of the field.

English Passion Translation Bible 2020

Better are those killed by the sword than those killed by famine. They slowly starve to death for lack of food.

English RSV (Revised Standard Version)

Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who pined away, stricken by want of the fruits of the field.

English TL (The Living Bible) (1971)

Those killed by the sword are far better off than those who die of slow starvation.

English Tyndale 1537

Teth. They that be slain with the sword, are happier than such as die of hunger, and perish away famishing for the fruits of the field.

Lamentations 4:9 — Compare Translations