13 What can I say for you?

With what can I compare you,

Daughter Jerusalem?

To what can I liken you,

that I may comfort you,

Virgin Daughter Zion?

Your wound is as deep as the sea.

Who can heal you?

14 The visions of your prophets

were false and worthless;

they did not expose your sin

to ward off your captivity.

The prophecies they gave you

were false and misleading.

15 All who pass your way

clap their hands at you;

they scoff and shake their heads

at Daughter Jerusalem:

“Is this the city that was called

the perfection of beauty,

the joy of the whole earth?”

13 What can I say for you, to what compare you,

O daughter of Jerusalem?

What can I liken to you, that I may comfort you,

O virgin daughter of Zion?

For your ruin is vast as the sea;

who can heal you?

14 Your prophets have seen for you

false and deceptive visions;

they have not exposed your iniquity

to restore your fortunes,

but have seen for you oracles

that are false and misleading.

15 All who pass along the way

clap their hands at you;

they hiss and wag their heads

at the daughter of Jerusalem:

“Is this the city that was called

the perfection of beauty,

the joy of all the earth?”

13 What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem?

What shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion?

For thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee?

14 Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee:

And they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity;

But have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.

15 All that pass by clap their hands at thee;

They hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying,

Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?

13 What can I say about you?

Who has ever seen such sorrow?

O daughter of Jerusalem,

to what can I compare your anguish?

O virgin daughter of Zion,

how can I comfort you?

For your wound is as deep as the sea.

Who can heal you?

14 Your prophets have said

so many foolish things, false to the core.

They did not save you from exile

by pointing out your sins.

Instead, they painted false pictures,

filling you with false hope.

15 All who pass by jeer at you.

They scoff and insult beautiful Jerusalem, saying,

“Is this the city called ‘Most Beautiful in All the World’

and ‘Joy of All the Earth’?”

13 How shall I console you?

To what shall I liken you,

O daughter of Jerusalem?

What shall I compare with you, that I may comfort you,

O virgin daughter of Zion?

For your ruin is spread wide as the sea;

Who can heal you?

14 Your prophets have seen for you

False and deceptive visions;

They have not uncovered your iniquity,

To bring back your captives,

But have envisioned for you false prophecies and delusions.

15 All who pass by clap their hands at you;

They hiss and shake their heads

At the daughter of Jerusalem:

“Is this the city that is called

‘The perfection of beauty,

The joy of the whole earth’?”

13 What can I say about you, Jerusalem?

What can I compare you to?

What can I say you are like?

How can I comfort you, Jerusalem?

Your ruin is as deep as the sea.

No one can heal you.

14 Your prophets saw visions,

but they were false and worth nothing.

They did not point out your sins

to keep you from being captured.

They preached what was false

and led you wrongly.

15 All who pass by on the road

clap their hands at you;

they make fun of Jerusalem

and shake their heads.

They ask, “Is this the city that people called

the most beautiful city,

the happiest place on earth?”

13 What shall I testify unto thee? what shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem?

What shall I compare to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion?

For thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee?

14 Thy prophets have seen for thee false and foolish visions;

And they have not uncovered thine iniquity, to bring back thy captivity,

But have seen for thee false oracles and causes of banishment.

15 All that pass by clap their hands at thee;

They hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying,

Is this the city that men called

The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?

13 What shall I take to witness for thee? what shall I liken unto thee, daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, virgin daughter of Zion? For thy ruin is great as the sea: who will heal thee? 14 Thy prophets have seen vanity and folly for thee; and they have not revealed thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee burdens of falsehood and causes of expulsion. 15 All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and shake their head at the daughter of Jerusalem: Is this the city which they called, The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?

13 “What example can I give you? 

What parallel can I show you, people of Jerusalem? 

What comparison can I make that will comfort you, beloved people of Zion? 

Your wounds are as deep as the sea. 

Who can heal you? 

14 Your prophets saw misleading visions about you. 

They painted a good picture of you. 

They didn’t expose your guilt in order to make things better again. 

They gave you false prophecies that misled you. 

15 Everyone who walks along the road shakes a fist at you. 

They hiss and shake their heads at Jerusalem’s people: 

‘Is this the city they used to call absolutely beautiful, 

the joy of the whole world?’ 

13 What can I say on your behalf?

What can I compare you to, Daughter Jerusalem?

What can I liken you to,

so that I may console you, Virgin Daughter Zion?

For your ruin is as vast as the sea.

Who can heal you?

14 Your prophets saw visions for you

that were empty and deceptive;

they did not reveal your guilt

and so restore your fortunes.

They saw oracles for you

that were empty and misleading.

15 All who pass by

scornfully clap their hands at you.

They mock and shake their heads

at Daughter Jerusalem:

Is this the city that was called

the perfection of beauty,

the joy of the whole earth?

13 What can I say for you? What can I compare to you,

O daughter of Jerusalem?

To what can I liken you so that I can comfort you,

O virgin daughter of Zion?

For your destruction is as vast as the sea;

who can heal you?

14 Your prophets had a vision for you,

false and worthless;

they have not exposed your sin,

to restore your fortune;

they have seen oracles for you,

false and misleading.

15 They clap hands over you,

all who pass along the way;

they hiss and they shake their head,

at the daughter of Jerusalem.

Is this the city of which it is said,

“A perfection of beauty, a joy for all the earth?”

13 City of Jerusalem, what can I say about you?

What can I compare you to?

People of Zion, what are you like?

I want to comfort you.

Your wound is as deep as the ocean.

Who can heal you?

14 The visions of your prophets were lies.

They weren’t worth anything.

They didn’t show you the sins you had committed.

So that’s why you were captured.

The messages they gave you were lies.

They led you down the wrong path.

15 All those who pass by

clap their hands and make fun of you.

They laugh at you and shake their heads

at the city of Jerusalem.

They say, “Could that be the city

that was called perfect and beautiful?

Is that the city that brought joy to everyone on earth?”

13 How shall I admonish you?

To what shall I compare you,

O daughter of Jerusalem?

To what shall I liken you as I comfort you,

O virgin daughter of Zion?

For your ruin is as vast as the sea;

Who can heal you?

14 Your prophets have seen for you

False and foolish visions;

And they have not exposed your iniquity

So as to restore you from captivity,

But they have seen for you false and misleading oracles.

15 All who pass along the way

Clap their hands in derision at you;

They hiss and shake their heads

At the daughter of Jerusalem,

“Is this the city of which they said,

‘The perfection of beauty,

A joy to all the earth’?”