| Holman Christian Standard Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1How the gold has become tarnished, the fine gold become dull! The stones of the temple lie scattered at the corner of every street. | 1How the gold has grown dim, how the pure gold is changed! The holy stones lie scattered at the head of every street. |
| 2Zion's precious people-- once worth their weight in pure gold-- how they are regarded as clay jars, the work of a potter's hands! | 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! |
| 3Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but my dear people have become cruel like ostriches in the wilderness. | 3Even jackals offer the breast; they nurse their young; but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. |
| 4The nursing infant's tongue clings to the roof of his mouth from thirst. Little children beg for bread, but no one gives them any. | 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. |
| 5Those who used to eat delicacies are destitute in the streets; those who were reared in purple garments huddle in garbage heaps. | 5Those who once feasted on delicacies perish in the streets; those who were brought up in purple embrace ash heaps. |
| 6The punishment of my dear people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant without a hand laid on it. | 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. |
| 7Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, their appearance like sapphire. | 7Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, the beauty of their form was like sapphire. |
| 8Now they appear darker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become dry like wood. | 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. |
| 9Those slain by the sword are better off than those slain by hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce. | 9Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who wasted away, pierced by lack of the fruits of the field. |
| 10The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children; they became their food during the destruction of my dear people. | 10The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children; they became their food during the destruction of the daughter of my people. |
| 11The LORD has exhausted His wrath, poured out His burning anger; He has ignited a fire in Zion, and it has consumed her foundations. | 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. |
| 12The kings of the earth and all the world's inhabitants did not believe that an enemy or adversary could enter Jerusalem's gates. | 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. |
| 13Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the guilt of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous within her. | 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. |
| 14Blind, they stumbled in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments." | 14They wandered, blind, through the streets; they were so defiled with blood that no one was able to touch their garments. |
| 15Stay away! Unclean!" people shouted at them." Away, away! Don't touch us!" So they wandered aimlessly. It was said among the nations," They can stay here no longer." | 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.” |
| 16The LORD Himself has scattered them; He regards them no more. The priests are not respected; the elders find no favor. | 16The LORD himself has scattered them; he will regard them no more; no honor was shown to the priests, no favor to the elders. |
| 17All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for assistance; we watched from our towers for a nation that refused to help. | 17Our eyes failed, ever watching vainly for help; in our watching we watched for a nation which could not save. |
| 18Our steps were closely followed so that we could not walk in our streets. Our end drew near; our time ran out. Our end had come! | 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. |
| 19Those who chased us were swifter than eagles in the sky; they relentlessly pursued us over the mountains and ambushed us in the wilderness. | 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. |
| 20The LORD's anointed, the breath of our life, was captured in their traps. We had said about him," We will live under his protection among the nations." | 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.” |
| 21So rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom, you resident of the land of Uz! Yet the cup will pass to you as well; you will get drunk and expose yourself. | 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. |
| 22Daughter Zion, your punishment is complete; He will not lengthen your exile. But He will punish your iniquity, Daughter Edom, and will expose your sins. | 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. |
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