| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1How the gold has lost its luster, the fine gold become dull! The sacred gems are scattered at every street corner. | 1Alas! Gold has lost its luster; pure gold loses value. Jewels are 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! | 2The precious sons of Zion were worth their weight in gold--Alas!--but now they are treated like broken clay pots, made by a potter. |
| 3Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but my people have become heartless like ostriches in the desert. | 3Even the jackals nurse their young at their breast, but my people are cruel, like ostriches in the desert. |
| 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 infant's tongue sticks to the roof of its mouth due to thirst; little children beg for bread, but no one gives them even a morsel. |
| 5Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets. Those brought up in royal purple now lie on ash heaps. | 5Those who once feasted on delicacies are now starving to death in the streets. Those who grew up wearing expensive clothes are now dying amid garbage. |
| 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 my people exceeded that of of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment with no one 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 consecrated ones were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies more ruddy than corals, their hair like lapis lazuli. |
| 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. | 8Now their appearance is darker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it is dried up, like tree bark. |
| 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 who died by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, those who waste away, struck down from lack of food. |
| 10With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food when my people were destroyed. | 10The hands of tenderhearted women cooked their own children, who became their food, when my people were destroyed. |
| 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 fully vented his wrath; he poured out his fierce anger. He started a fire in Zion; it 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. | 12Neither the kings of the earth nor the people of the lands ever thought that enemy or foe would 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 it happened due to the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who poured out in her midst the blood of the righteous. |
| 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 wander blindly through the streets, defiled by the blood they shed, while no one dares 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." | 15People cry to them, "Turn away! You are unclean! Turn away! Turn away! Don't touch us!" So they have fled and wander about; but the nations say, "They may not stay here any longer." |
| 16The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor. | 16The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. They did not honor the priests; they did not show favor to the elders. |
| 17Moreover, our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our towers we watched for a nation that could not save us. | 17Our eyes continually failed us as we looked in vain for help. From our watchtowers we watched for a nation that could not rescue 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. | 18Our enemies hunted us down at every step so that we could not walk about in our streets. Our end drew near, our days were numbered, 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 pursued us were swifter than eagles in the sky. They chased us over the mountains; they 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. | 20Our very life breath--the LORD's anointed king--was caught in their traps, of whom we thought, "Under his protection we will survive 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. | 21Rejoice and be glad for now, O people of Edom, who reside in the land of Uz. But the cup of judgment will pass to you also; you will get drunk and take off your clothes. |
| 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 people of Zion, your punishment will come to an end; he will not prolong your exile. But, O people of Edom, he will punish your sin and reveal your offenses! |
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