Common English Bible CEB
New Revised Standard NRS
1 LORD, consider what has become of us; take notice of our disgrace. Look at it!
1
Remember, O Lord, what has befallen us; look, and see our disgrace!
2 Our property has been turned over to strangers; our houses belong to foreigners.
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Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to aliens.
3 We have become orphans, having no father; our mothers are like widows.
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We have become orphans, fatherless; our mothers are like widows.
4 We drink our own water—but for a price; we gather our own wood—but pay for it.
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We must pay for the water we drink; the wood we get must be bought.
5 Our hunters have been at our necks; we are worn out, but have no rest.
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With a yoke on our necks we are hard driven; we are weary, we are given no rest.
6 We held out a hand to Egypt and to Assyria, to get sufficient food.
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We have made a pact with Egypt and Assyria, to get enough bread.
7 Our fathers have sinned and are gone, but we are burdened with their iniquities.
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Our ancestors sinned; they are no more, and we bear their iniquities.
8 Slaves rule over us; there is no one to rescue us from their power.
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Slaves rule over us; there is no one to deliver us from their hand.
9 We get our bread at the risk of our lives because of the desert heat.
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We get our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness.
10 Our skin is as hot as an oven because of the burning heat of famine.
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Our skin is black as an oven from the scorching heat of famine.
11 Women have been raped in Zion, young women in Judah's cities.
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Women are raped in Zion, virgins in the towns of Judah.
12 Officials have been hung up by their hands; elders have been shown no respect.
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Princes are hung up by their hands; no respect is shown to the elders.
13 Young men have carried grinding stones; boys have stumbled under loads of wood.
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Young men are compelled to grind, and boys stagger under loads of wood.
14 Elders have left the city gate; young people stop their music.
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The old men have left the city gate, the young men their music.
15 Joy has left our heart; our dancing has changed into lamentation.
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The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has been turned to mourning.
16 The crown has fallen off our head. We are doomed because we have sinned.
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The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 Because of all this our heart is sick; because of these things our glance is dark.
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Because of this our hearts are sick, because of these things our eyes have grown dim:
18 Mount Zion, now deserted— only jackals walk on it now!
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because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate; jackals prowl over it.
19 But you, LORD, will rule forever; your throne lasts from one generation to the next.
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But you, O Lord, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations.
20 Why do you forget us continually; why do you abandon us for such a long time?
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Why have you forgotten us completely? Why have you forsaken us these many days?
21 Return us, LORD, to yourself. Please let us return! Give us new days, like those long ago—
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Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored; renew our days as of old—
22 unless you have completely rejected us, or have become too angry with us.
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unless you have utterly rejected us, and are angry with us beyond measure.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.