| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1How the gold has grown dim, how the pure gold is changed! The holy stones lie scattered at the head of every street. | 1How the gold has lost its luster, the fine gold become dull! The sacred gems are scattered at every street corner. |
| 2The precious sons of Zion, worth their weight in fine gold, how they are regarded as earthen pots, the work of a potter’s hands! | 2How the precious children of Zion, once worth their weight in gold, are now considered as pots of clay, the work of a potter's hands! |
| 3Even jackals offer the breast; they nurse their young; but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. | 3Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but my people have become heartless like ostriches in the desert. |
| 4The tongue of the nursing infant sticks to the roof of its mouth for thirst; the children beg for food, but no one gives to them. | 4Because of thirst the infant's tongue sticks to the roof of its mouth; the children beg for bread, but no one gives it to them. |
| 5Those who once feasted on delicacies perish in the streets; those who were brought up in purple embrace ash heaps. | 5Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets. Those brought up in royal purple now lie on ash heaps. |
| 6For the chastisement of the daughter of my people has been greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, and no hands were wrung for her. | 6The punishment of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment without a hand turned to help her. |
| 7Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, the beauty of their form was like sapphire. | 7Their princes were brighter than snow and whiter than milk, their bodies more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like lapis lazuli. |
| 8Now their face is blacker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets; their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as wood. | 8But now they are blacker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as a stick. |
| 9Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who wasted away, pierced by lack of the fruits of the field. | 9Those 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. |
| 10The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children; they became their food during the destruction of the daughter of my people. | 10With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food when my people were destroyed. |
| 11The LORD gave full vent to his wrath; he poured out his hot anger, and he kindled a fire in Zion that consumed its foundations. | 11The LORD has given full vent to his wrath; he has poured out his fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion that consumed her foundations. |
| 12The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any of the inhabitants of the world, that foe or enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem. | 12The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did any of the peoples of the world, that enemies and foes could enter the gates of Jerusalem. |
| 13This was for the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed in the midst of her the blood of the righteous. | 13But it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed within her the blood of the righteous. |
| 14They wandered, blind, through the streets; they were so defiled with blood that no one was able to touch their garments. | 14Now they grope through the streets as if they were blind. They are so defiled with blood that no one dares to touch their garments. |
| 15“Away! Unclean!” people cried at them. “Away! Away! Do not touch!” So they became fugitives and wanderers; people said among the nations, “They shall stay with us no longer.” | 15"Go away! You are unclean!" people cry to them. "Away! Away! Don't touch us!" When they flee and wander about, people among the nations say, "They can stay here no longer." |
| 16The LORD himself has scattered them; he will regard them no more; no honor was shown to the priests, no favor to the elders. | 16The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor. |
| 17Our eyes failed, ever watching vainly for help; in our watching we watched for a nation which could not save. | 17Moreover, our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our towers we watched for a nation that could not save us. |
| 18They dogged our steps so that we could not walk in our streets; our end drew near; our days were numbered, for our end had come. | 18People stalked us at every step, so we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near, our days were numbered, for our end had come. |
| 19Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles in the heavens; they chased us on the mountains; they lay in wait for us in the wilderness. | 19Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky; they chased us over the mountains and lay in wait for us in the desert. |
| 20The breath of our nostrils, the LORD’s anointed, was captured in their pits, of whom we said, “Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.” | 20The LORD's anointed, our very life breath, was caught in their traps. We thought that under his shadow we would live among the nations. |
| 21Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz; but to you also the cup shall pass; you shall become drunk and strip yourself bare. | 21Rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom, you who live in the land of Uz. But to you also the cup will be passed; you will be drunk and stripped naked. |
| 22The punishment of your iniquity, O daughter of Zion, is accomplished; he will keep you in exile no longer; but your iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he will punish; he will uncover your sins. | 22Your punishment will end, Daughter Zion; he will not prolong your exile. But he will punish your sin, Daughter Edom, and expose your wickedness. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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