The LORD's anointed, our very life breath, was caught in their traps. We thought that under his shadow we would live among the nations.
NIV
The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord [our king], was taken in their snares--he of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.
AMP
The 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.
KJV
Now they grope through the streets as if they were blind. They are so defiled with blood that no one dares to touch their garments.
NIV
[The false prophets and priests] wandered [staggering] in the streets as if blind; they had so polluted themselves with blood it was not [lawful] for men to touch their garments.
AMP
They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.
KJV
Your punishment will end, Daughter Zion; he will not prolong your exile. But he will punish your sin, Daughter Edom, and expose your wickedness.
NIV
The punishment of your iniquity will be accomplished and completed, O Daughter of Zion; [the Lord] 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. [Ps. 137:7.]AMP
The 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.
KJV
"Go away! You are unclean!" people cry to them. "Away! Away! Don't touch us!" When they flee and wander about, people among the nations say, "They can stay here no longer."
NIV
[People] cried to them, Go away! Unclean! Depart! Depart! Touch not! When they fled away, then they wandered [as fugitives]; men said among the nations, They shall not stay here any longer.
AMP
They 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.
KJV
Moreover, our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our towers we watched for a nation that could not save us.
NIV
As for us, our eyes yet failed and wasted away in looking for our worthless help. In our watching [on our watchtower] we have watched and waited expectantly for a nation [Egypt or some other one to come to our rescue] that could not save us. [Ezek. 29:16.]AMP
As 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.
KJV
The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor.
NIV
The anger of the Lord has scattered [and divided them among the nations]; He will no longer look after them. They did not respect the persons of the priests; they did not favor the elders.
AMP
The 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.
KJV
Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but my people have become heartless like ostriches in the desert.
NIV
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 [that desert their young].
AMP
Even 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.
KJV
How the precious children of Zion, once worth their weight in gold, are now considered as pots of clay, the work of a potter's hands!
NIV
The noble and precious sons of Zion, [once] worth their weight in fine gold--how they are esteemed [merely] as earthen pots or pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! [Isa. 30:14; Jer. 19:11; II Cor. 4:7.]AMP
The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
KJV
