| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1How the gold has lost its luster, the fine gold become dull! The sacred gems are scattered at every street corner. | 1How the gold has become tarnished, the pure gold has become dull! The gems of the temple lie scattered on every street corner. |
| 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! | 2How the precious sons of Zion, once worth their weight in pure gold, are now esteemed as jars of clay, the work of a potter’s hands! |
| 3Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but my people have become heartless like ostriches in the desert. | 3Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like an ostrich in the wilderness. |
| 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. | 4The nursing infant’s tongue clings in thirst to the roof of his mouth. Little children beg for bread, but no one gives them any. |
| 5Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets. Those brought up in royal purple now lie on ash heaps. | 5Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets; those brought up in crimson huddle in ash heaps. |
| 6The punishment of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment without a hand turned to help her. | 6The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant without a hand turned to help her. |
| 7Their princes were brighter than snow and whiter than milk, their bodies more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like lapis lazuli. | 7Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires. |
| 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. | 8But now their appearance is 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 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. | 9Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce. |
| 10With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food when my people were destroyed. | 10The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people. |
| 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. | 11The LORD has exhausted His wrath; He has poured out His fierce anger; He has kindled a fire in Zion, and it has consumed her foundations. |
| 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. | 12The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any people of the world, that an enemy or a foe could enter the gates of Jerusalem. |
| 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. | 13But this was for the sins of her prophets and the guilt of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst. |
| 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. | 14They wandered blind in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments. |
| 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." | 15“Go away! Unclean!” men shouted at them. “Away, away! Do not touch us!” So they fled and wandered. Among the nations it was said, “They can stay here no longer.” |
| 16The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor. | 16The presence of the LORD has scattered them; He regards them no more. The priests are shown no honor; the elders find no favor. |
| 17Moreover, our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our towers we watched for a nation that could not save us. | 17All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help. We watched from our towers for a nation that could not save us. |
| 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. | 18They stalked our every step, so that we could not walk in our streets. Our end drew near, our time ran out, for our end had come! |
| 19Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky; they chased us over the mountains and lay in wait for us in the desert. | 19Those who chased us were swifter than the eagles in the sky; they pursued us over the mountains and ambushed us in the wilderness. |
| 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. | 20The LORD’s anointed, the breath of our life, was captured in their pits. We had said of him, “Under his shadow we will live among the nations.” |
| 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. | 21So rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz. Yet the cup will pass to you as well; you will get drunk and expose yourself. |
| 22Your punishment will end, Daughter Zion; he will not prolong your exile. But he will punish your sin, Daughter Edom, and expose your wickedness. | 22O Daughter of Zion, your punishment is complete; He will not prolong your exile. But He will punish your iniquity, O Daughter of Edom; He will expose your sins. |
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