King James Version KJV
New International Version NIV
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.
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.
9 They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.
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.
10 The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat 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 hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof.
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 The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates 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 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,
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 have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.
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 They cried unto 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.
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 anger of the LORD hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders.
16
The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor.
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.
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 hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is 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.
The King James Version 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.