| The Webster Bible (WBT) |
New International Version (NIV) |
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1 How is the gold become dim! [how] is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street.
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1 How the gold has lost its luster, the fine gold become dull! The sacred gems are scattered at the head of every street.
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2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
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2 How the precious sons of Zion, once worth their weight in gold, are now considered as pots of clay, the work of a potter's hands!
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3 Even the sea-monsters draw out the breast, they nurse their young ones: the daughter of my people [is become] cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.
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3 Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but my people have become heartless like ostriches in the desert.
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4 The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, [and] no man breaketh [it] to them.
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4 Because 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.
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5 They that fed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
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5 Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets. Those nurtured in purple now lie on ash heaps.
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6 For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her.
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6 The punishment of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment without a hand turned to help her.
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7 Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing [was] of sapphire:
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7 Their princes were brighter than snow and whiter than milk, their bodies more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires.
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8 Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.
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8 But 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.
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9 [They that are] slain with the sword are better than [they that are] slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for [want of] the fruits of the field.
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9 Those 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.
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10 The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children: they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
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10 With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food when my people were destroyed.
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11 The LORD hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured her foundations.
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11 The 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.
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12 The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy would have entered into the gates of Jerusalem.
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12 The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did any of the world's people, that enemies and foes could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
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13 For the sins of her prophets, [and] the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.
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13 But it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed within her the blood of the righteous.
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14 They have wandered [as] blind [men] in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.
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14 Now they grope through the streets like men who are blind. They are so defiled with blood that no one dares to touch their garments.
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15 They cried to them, Depart ye; [it is] unclean; depart, depart, touch not: when they fled away and wandered, they said among the heathen, They shall no more sojourn [there].
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15 "Go away! You are unclean!" men 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."
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16 The anger of the LORD hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favored not the elders.
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16 The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor.
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17 As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation [that] could not save [us].
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17 Moreover, our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our towers we watched for a nation that could not save us.
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18 They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.
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18 Men 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.
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19 Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
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19 Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky; they chased us over the mountains and lay in wait for us in the desert.
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20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen.
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20 The LORD's anointed, our very life breath, was caught in their traps. We thought that under his shadow we would live among the nations.
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21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through to thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.
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21 Rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of 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.
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22 The punishment of thy iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will disclose thy sins.
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22 O Daughter of Zion, your punishment will end; he will not prolong your exile. But, O Daughter of Edom, he will punish your sin and expose your wickedness.
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| The Webster Bible is in the public domain. (The Webster Bible Online) |
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |
