The Bible in Basic English BBE
New International Version NIV
10 The hands of kind-hearted women have been boiling their children; they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
10
With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food when my people were destroyed.
11 The Lord has given full effect to his passion, he has let loose his burning wrath; he has made a fire in Zion, causing the destruction of its bases.
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.
12 To the kings of the earth and to all the people of the world it did not seem possible that the attackers and the haters would go into the doors of Jerusalem.
12
The 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.
13 It is because of the sins of her prophets and the evil-doing of her priests, by whom the blood of the upright has been drained out in her.
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.
14 They are wandering like blind men in the streets, they are made unclean with blood, so that their robes may not be touched by men.
14
Now they grope through the streets as if they were blind. They are so defiled with blood that no one dares to touch their garments.
15 Away! unclean! they were crying out to them, Away! away! let there be no touching: when they went away in flight and wandering, men said among the nations, There is no further resting-place for them.
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.”
16 The face of the Lord has sent them in all directions; he will no longer take care of them: they had no respect for the priests, they gave no honour to the old men.
16
The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor.
17 Our eyes are still wasting away in looking for our false help: we have been watching for a nation unable to give salvation.
17
Moreover, our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our towers we watched for a nation that could not save us.
18 They go after our steps so that we may not go in our streets: our end is near, our days are numbered; for our end has come.
18
People 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.
19 Those who went after us were quicker than the eagles of the heaven, driving us before them on the mountains, waiting secretly for us in the waste land.
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.
20 Our breath of life, he on whom the holy oil was put, was taken in their holes; of whom we said, Under his shade we will be living among the nations.
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.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.