New Century Version NCV
Good News Translation GNT
1 See how the gold has lost its shine, how the pure gold has dulled! at every street corner.
1
Our glittering gold has grown dull; the stones of the Temple lie scattered in the streets.
2 The precious people of Jerusalem were more valuable than gold, but now they are thought of as clay jars made by the hands of a potter.
2
Zion's young people were as precious to us as gold, but now they are treated like common clay pots.
3 Even wild dogs give their milk to feed their young, but my people are cruel like ostriches in the desert.
3
Even a mother wolf will nurse her cubs, but my people are like ostriches, cruel to their young.
4 The babies are so thirsty their tongues stick to the roofs of their mouths. Children beg for bread, but no one gives them any.
4
They let their babies die of hunger and thirst; children are begging for food that no one will give them.
5 Those who once ate fine foods are now starving in the streets. People who grew up wearing nice clothes now pick through trash piles.
5
People who once ate the finest foods die starving in the streets; those raised in luxury are pawing through garbage for food.
6 My people have been punished more than Sodom was. Sodom was destroyed suddenly, and no hands reached out to help her.
6
My people have been punished even more than the inhabitants of Sodom, which met a sudden downfall at the hands of God.
7 Our princes were purer than snow, and whiter than milk. Their bodies were redder than rubies; they looked like sapphires.
7
Our princes were undefiled and pure as snow, vigorous and strong, glowing with health.
8 But now they are blacker than coal, and no one recognizes them in the streets. Their skin hangs on their bones; it is as dry as wood.
8
Now they lie unknown in the streets, their faces blackened in death; their skin, dry as wood, has shriveled on their bones.
9 Those who were killed in the war were better off than those killed by hunger. They starve in pain and die, because there is no food from the field.
9
Those who died in the war were better off than those who died later, who starved slowly to death, with no food to keep them alive.
10 With their own hands kind women cook their own children. They became food when my people were destroyed.
10
The disaster that came to my people brought horror; loving mothers boiled their own children for food.
11 The Lord turned loose all of his anger; he poured out his strong anger. He set fire to Jerusalem, burning it down to the foundations.
11
The Lord turned loose the full force of his fury; he lit a fire in Zion that burned it to the ground.
12 Kings of the earth and people of the world could not believe that enemies and foes could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
12
No one anywhere, not even rulers of foreign nations, believed that any invader could enter Jerusalem's gates.
13 It happened because her prophets sinned and her priests did evil. They killed in the city those who did what was right.
13
But it happened, because her prophets sinned and her priests were guilty of causing the death of innocent people.
14 They wandered in the streets as if they were blind. They were dirty with blood, so no one would touch their clothes.
14
Her leaders wandered through the streets as though blind, so stained with blood that no one would touch them.
15 "Go away! You are unclean," people shouted at them. "Get away! Get away! Don't touch us!" So they ran away and wandered. Even the other nations said, "Don't stay here."
15
"Get away!" people shouted. "You're defiled! Don't touch me!" So they wandered from nation to nation, welcomed by no one.
16 The Lord himself scattered them and did not look after them anymore. No one respects the priests or honors the older leaders.
16
The Lord had no more concern for them; he scattered them himself. He showed no regard for our priests and leaders.
17 Also, our eyes grew tired, looking for help that never came. We kept watch from our towers for a nation to save us.
17
For help that never came, we looked until we could look no longer. We kept waiting for help from a nation that had none to give.
18 Our enemies hunted us, so we could not even walk in the streets. Our end is near. Our time is up. Our end has come.
18
The enemy was watching for us; we could not even walk in the streets. Our days were over; the end had come.
19 Those who chased us were faster than eagles in the sky. They ran us into the mountains and ambushed us in the desert.
19
Swifter than eagles swooping from the sky, they chased us down. They tracked us down in the hills; they took us by surprise in the desert.
20 The Lord's appointed king, who was our very breath, was caught in their traps. We had said about him, "We will be protected by him among the nations."
20
They captured the source of our life, the king the Lord had chosen, the one we had trusted to protect us from every invader.
21 Be happy and glad, people of Edom, you who live in the land of Uz. The cup of God's anger will come to you; then you will get drunk and go naked.
21
Laugh on, people of Edom and Uz; be glad while you can. Your disaster is coming too; you too will stagger naked in shame.
22 Your punishment is complete, Jerusalem. He will not send you into captivity again. But the Lord will punish the sins of Edom; he will uncover your evil.
22
Zion has paid for her sin; the Lord will not keep us in exile any longer. But Edom, the Lord will punish you; he will expose your guilty acts.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.