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