Lamentations 2:14-16

New Catholic Bible

¹⁴The visions that your prophets revealed to you
    were false and worthless.
They did not lay bare your guilt
    so that you might reverse your fortunes.
The visions they proclaimed to you
    were erroneous and deceptive.^[a]
¹⁵All those who pass by
    clap their hands at you.
They hiss and wag their heads
    at the daughter of Jerusalem,
“Is this the city once described as perfect in beauty,
    the joy of the whole world?”
¹⁶All your enemies do not hesitate
    to open their mouths against you.
They hiss and gnash their teeth;
    they cry out, “We have devoured her!
This is the day we longed for;
    at last we have seen it.”

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Footnotes

Lamentations 2:14 How to distinguish between true and false prophets is necessary to grow in the spiritual life (see 1 Jn 4:1-6). It’s easy to listen to those who say what we want to hear, but much better to gain the wisdom of true prophets who challenge and question our actions and motives.

Lamentations 2:14-16

New International Version

¹⁴The visions of your prophets
    were false^(A) and worthless;
they did not expose your sin
    to ward off your captivity.^(B)
The prophecies they gave you
    were false and misleading.^(C)

¹⁵All who pass your way
    clap their hands at you;^(D)
they scoff^(E) and shake their heads^(F)
    at Daughter Jerusalem:^(G)
“Is this the city that was called
    the perfection of beauty,^(H)
    the joy of the whole earth?”^(I)

¹⁶All your enemies open their mouths
    wide against you;^(J)
they scoff and gnash their teeth^(K)
    and say, “We have swallowed her up.^(L)
This is the day we have waited for;
    we have lived to see it.”^(M)

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Lamentations 2:14-16

King James Version

¹⁴Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.

¹⁵All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?

¹⁶All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it.

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