1 Hvordan har gullet blitt mørkt! Hvordan er det beste gullet blitt forandret! Helligdommens steiner ligger strødd på hvert gatehjørne.

How dark has the gold become! how changed the best gold! the stones of the holy place are dropping out at the top of every street.

2 Sions dyrebare sønner, som var verdt sitt vekt i gull, blir nå ansett som leirkar, laget av pottemakerens hender!

The valued sons of Zion, whose price was the best gold, are looked on as vessels of earth, the work of the hands of the potter!

3 Selv ørkenens dyr har fullmelkede bryst som de gir sine unger: men min folkedatter er blitt grusom, som strutsene i ødemarken.

Even the beasts of the waste land have full breasts, they give milk to their young ones: the daughter of my people has become cruel like the ostriches in the waste land.

4 Tungen til barnet som ammes henger fast i ganen av tørst: småbarn roper etter brød, men ingen gir dem.

The tongue of the child at the breast is fixed to the roof of his mouth for need of drink: the young children are crying out for bread, and no man gives it to them.

5 De som var vant til delikate retter visner bort i gatene: de som bar purpur som barn ligger strukket ut i støvet.

Those who were used to feasting on delicate food are wasted in the streets: those who as children were dressed in purple are stretched out on the dust.

6 Straffen over mitt folk er større enn straffen over Sodoma, som ble ødelagt på et øyeblikk uten at noen hånd slo til.

For the punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overturned suddenly without any hand falling on her.

7 Hennes hellige var renere enn snø, hvitere enn melk, kroppene var rødere enn koraller, og skikkelsen som safir.

Her holy ones were cleaner than snow, they were whiter than milk, their bodies were redder than corals, their form was as the sapphire:

8 Deres ansikter er svartere enn natten; ingen kjenner dem igjen i gaten: huden henger på knoklene, de er tørre, de er blitt som tre.

Their face is blacker than night; in the streets no one has knowledge of them: their skin is hanging on their bones, they are dry, they have become like wood.

9 De som ble drept med sverd har det bedre enn de som dør av sult; for disse tæres bort langsomt, lik frukt på marken som brenner opp.

Those who have been put to the sword are better off than those whose death is caused by need of food; for these come to death slowly, burned up like the fruit of the field.

10 Hendene til nådige kvinner har kokt sine egne barn; de ble deres mat ved ødeleggelsen av mitt folk.

The hands of kind-hearted women have been boiling their children; they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

11 Herren har utøst sin harme fullt ut, han har gitt slipp på sin brennende vrede; han har satt ild på Sion og ødelagt dens grunnvoller.

The Lord has given full effect to his passion, he has let loose his burning wrath; he has made a fire in Zion, causing the destruction of its bases.

12 For jordens konger og alle folk i verden trodde ikke at fiender og hatere kunne gå inn gjennom Jerusalems porter.

To the kings of the earth and to all the people of the world it did not seem possible that the attackers and the haters would go into the doors of Jerusalem.

13 Det er på grunn av profetenes synder og prestenes ondskap, som har utøst de rettferdiges blod der.

It is because of the sins of her prophets and the evil-doing of her priests, by whom the blood of the upright has been drained out in her.

14 De vanker om i gatene som blinde, flekket med blod, så ingen vil røre deres klær.

They are wandering like blind men in the streets, they are made unclean with blood, so that their robes may not be touched by men.

15 Bort! Uren! ble det ropt til dem, Bort! Bort! Rør dem ikke: når de flyktet og vandret omkring, sa folkene blant nasjonene, Det er ingen hvilested for dem lenger.

Away! unclean! they were crying out to them, Away! away! let there be no touching: when they went away in flight and wandering, men said among the nations, There is no further resting-place for them.

16 Herrens ansikt har spredt dem i alle retninger; han bryr seg ikke lenger om dem: de respekterte ikke prestene, viste ingen ære for de eldre.

The face of the Lord has sent them in all directions; he will no longer take care of them: they had no respect for the priests, they gave no honour to the old men.

17 Våre øyne strekker seg fortsatt etter falsk hjelp: vi har speidet etter et folk som ikke kan gi frelse.

Our eyes are still wasting away in looking for our false help: we have been watching for a nation unable to give salvation.

18 De følger våre fotspor så vi ikke kan gå i gatene: vår ende er nær, våre dager er talt; for vår ende er kommet.

They go after our steps so that we may not go in our streets: our end is near, our days are numbered; for our end has come.

19 De som forfulgte oss var raskere enn ørner på himmelen, de jaget oss over fjellene, la bakhold for oss i ødemarken.

Those who went after us were quicker than the eagles of the heaven, driving us before them on the mountains, waiting secretly for us in the waste land.

20 Vår livsånde, han som ble salvet, ble fanget i deres feller; han som vi sa: Under hans skygge skal vi leve blant nasjonene.

Our breath of life, he on whom the holy oil was put, was taken in their holes; of whom we said, Under his shade we will be living among the nations.

21 Gled deg og vær glad, datter av Edom, som bor i landet Us: kalken vil bli overlevert til deg også, og du skal bli beruset og din skam vil bli sett.

Have joy and be glad, O daughter of Edom, living in the land of Uz: the cup will be given to you in your turn, and you will be overcome with wine and your shame will be seen.

22 Din ondskaps straff er fullført, datter av Sion; aldri mer vil han ta deg bort som fange: han vil åpenbare din synd, datter av Edom; han skal la din ondskap bli avdekket.

The punishment of your evil-doing is complete, O daughter of Zion; never again will he take you away as a prisoner: he will give you the reward of your evil-doing, O daughter of Edom; he will let your sin be uncovered.