1 H ow is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.

How the gold has become dim! How the most pure gold has changed! The hallowed stones are poured out at the head of every street.

2 T he precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

The noble and precious sons of Zion, worth their weight in fine gold—how they are esteemed as earthen pots or pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

3 E ven the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.

Even the jackals draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones, but the daughter of my people has become cruel like ostriches in the wilderness.

4 T he tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.

The tongue of the nursing babe cleaves to the roof of its mouth because of thirst; the young children beg for food, but no one gives it to them.

5 T hey that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.

Those who feasted on dainties are perishing in the streets; those who were brought up in purple lie cleaving to refuse and ash heaps.

6 F or the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her.

For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, and no hands had come against her or been laid on her.

7 H er Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:

her princes were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; they were more ruddy in body than rubies or corals, their shapely figures sapphire.

8 t heir 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.

them look blacker than soot and darkness; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin clings to their bones; it is withered and it has become like a stick.

9 T hey 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.

Those who are slain with the sword are more fortunate than those who are the victims of hunger; for they pine and ebb away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

10 T he hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children; they were their food during the destruction of the daughter of my people.

11 T he 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.

The Lord has fulfilled His wrath; He has poured out His fierce anger and has kindled a fire in Zion that has consumed her foundations.

12 T he 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.

The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did any of the inhabitants of the earth, that the oppressor and enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem.

13 F or the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her,

because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed the blood of the just and righteous in the midst of her.

14 t hey have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.

wandered in the streets as if blind; they had so polluted themselves with blood it was not for men to touch their garments.

15 T hey 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.

cried to them, Go away! Unclean! Depart! Depart! Touch not! When they fled away, then they wandered; men said among the nations, They shall not stay here any longer.

16 T he 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.

The anger of the Lord has scattered; He will no longer look after them. They did not respect the persons of the priests; they did not favor the elders.

17 A s 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.

As for us, our eyes yet failed and wasted away in looking for our worthless help. In our watching we have watched and waited expectantly for a nation that could not save us.

18 T hey hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.

dog our steps, so that we cannot go into our streets; our end is near, our days are fulfilled—yes, our end has come.

19 O ur persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.

Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky; they pursued us on the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

20 T he breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen.

The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their snares—he of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.

21 R ejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.

Rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz. But the cup also shall pass to you; you shall become drunk and make yourself naked.

22 T he punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins.

The punishment of your iniquity will be accomplished and completed, O Daughter of Zion; will no more carry you away or keep you in exile. But He will inspect and punish your iniquity and guilt, O Daughter of Edom; He will uncover your sins.