| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1How the gold has become dim! How changed the fine gold! The stones of the sanctuary are 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, Valuable as fine gold, How they are regarded as clay pots, The work of the hands of the potter! | 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 the jackals present their breasts To nurse their young; But the daughter of my people is cruel, Like 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 infant clings To the roof of its mouth for thirst; The young children ask for bread, But no one breaks it for 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 ate delicacies Are desolate in the streets; Those who were brought up in scarlet Embrace ash heaps. | 5Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets. Those brought up in royal purple now lie on ash heaps. |
| 6The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people Is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown in a moment, With no hand to help 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 Nazirites were brighter than snow And whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, Like sapphire in their appearance. | 7Their princes were brighter than snow and whiter than milk, their bodies more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like lapis lazuli. |
| 8Now their appearance is blacker than soot; They go unrecognized in the streets; Their skin clings to 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. |
| 9Those 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. | 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 the compassionate women Have cooked their own children; They became food for them In 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 has fulfilled His fury, He has poured out His fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion, And it has devoured 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, And all inhabitants of the world, Would not have believed That the adversary and the 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. |
| 13Because of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests, Who shed in her midst The blood of the just. | 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 in the streets; They have defiled themselves with blood, So that no one would 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. |
| 15They cried out to them, “Go away, unclean! Go away, go away, Do not touch us!” When they fled and wandered, Those among the nations said, “They shall no longer dwell here.” | 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 face of the LORD scattered them; He no longer regards them. The people do not respect the priests Nor show 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. |
| 17Still our eyes failed us, Watching vainly for our help; In our watching we watched For a nation that could not save us. | 17Moreover, our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our towers we watched for a nation that could not save us. |
| 18They tracked our steps So that we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near; Our days were over, 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 of the heavens. They pursued us on the mountains And 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 anointed of the LORD, Was caught 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! The cup shall also pass over to you And you shall become drunk and make yourself naked. | 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 is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; He will no longer send you into captivity. He will punish your iniquity, O daughter of Edom; 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. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. 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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