English Standard Version ESV
The Message Bible MSG
1 Remember, O LORD, what has befallen us; look, and see our disgrace!
1
"Remember, God, all we've been through. Study our plight, the black mark we've made in history.
2 Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners.
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Our precious land has been given to outsiders, our homes to strangers.
3 We have become orphans, fatherless; our mothers are like widows.
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Orphans we are, not a father in sight, and our mothers no better than widows.
4 We must pay for the water we drink; the wood we get must be bought.
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We have to pay to drink our own water. Even our firewood comes at a price.
5 Our pursuers are at our necks; we are weary; we are given no rest.
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We're nothing but slaves, bullied and bowed, worn out and without any rest.
6 We have given the hand to Egypt, and to Assyria, to get bread enough.
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We sold ourselves to Assyria and Egypt just to get something to eat.
7 Our fathers sinned, and are no more; and we bear their iniquities.
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Our parents sinned and are no more, and now we're paying for the wrongs they did.
8 Slaves rule over us; there is none to deliver us from their hand.
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Slaves rule over us; there's no escape from their grip.
9 We get our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness.
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We risk our lives to gather food in the bandit-infested desert.
10 Our skin is hot as an oven with the burning heat of famine.
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Our skin has turned black as an oven, dried out like old leather from the famine.
11 Women are raped in Zion, young women in the towns of Judah.
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Our wives were raped in the streets in Zion, and our virgins in the cities of Judah.
12 Princes are hung up by their hands; no respect is shown to the elders.
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They hanged our princes by their hands, dishonored our elders.
13 Young men are compelled to grind at the mill, and boys stagger under loads of wood.
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Strapping young men were put to women's work, mere boys forced to do men's work.
14 The old men have left the city gate, the young men their music.
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The city gate is empty of wise elders. Music from the young is heard no more.
15 The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has been turned to mourning.
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All the joy is gone from our hearts. Our dances have turned into dirges.
16 The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned!
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The crown of glory has toppled from our head. Woe! Woe! Would that we'd never sinned!
17 For this our heart has become sick, for these things our eyes have grown dim,
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Because of all this we're heartsick; we can't see through the tears.
18 for Mount Zion which lies desolate; jackals prowl over it.
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On Mount Zion, wrecked and ruined, jackals pace and prowl.
19 But you, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations.
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And yet, God, you're sovereign still, your throne intact and eternal.
20 Why do you forget us forever, why do you forsake us for so many days?
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So why do you keep forgetting us? Why dump us and leave us like this?
21 Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old--
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Bring us back to you, God - we're ready to come back. Give us a fresh start.
22 unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with us.
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As it is, you've cruelly disowned us. You've been so very angry with us."
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.