< Lamentations 5 >

1 Remember, O Lord, what has happened to us: behold, and look on our reproach.
Remember, LORD, what has come on us. Look, and see our reproach.
2 Our inheritance has been turned away to aliens, our houses to strangers:
Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to aliens.
3 we are become orphans, we have no father, our mothers are as widows.
We are orphans and fatherless. Our mothers are as widows.
4 We have drunk our water for money; our wood is sold to us [for a burden] on our neck:
We must pay for water to drink. Our wood is sold to us.
5 we have been persecuted, we have laboured, we have had no rest.
Our pursuers are on our necks. We are weary, and have no rest.
6 Egypt gave the hand [to us], Assur to their own satisfaction.
We have given our hands to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.
7 Our fathers sinned, [and] are not: we have borne their iniquities.
Our fathers sinned, and are no more. We have borne their iniquities.
8 Servants have ruled over us: there is none to ransom [us] out of their hand.
Servants rule over us. There is no one to deliver us out of their hand.
9 We shall bring in our bread with [danger of] our lives, because of the sword of the wilderness.
We get our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness.
10 Our skin is blackened like an oven; they are convulsed, because of the storms of famine.
Our skin is black like an oven, because of the burning heat of famine.
11 They humbled the women in Sion, the virgins in the cities of Juda.
They ravished the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah.
12 Princes were hanged up by their hands: the elders were not honoured.
Princes were hanged up by their hands. The faces of elders were not honoured.
13 The chosen men lifted up [the voice in] weeping, and the youths fainted under the wood.
The young men carry millstones. The children stumbled under loads of wood.
14 And the elders ceased from the gate, the chosen men ceased from their music.
The elders have ceased from the gate, and the young men from their music.
15 The joy of our heart has ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.
The joy of our heart has ceased. Our dance is turned into mourning.
16 The crown has fallen [from] our head: yes, woe to us! for we have sinned.
The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 For this has grief come; our heart is sorrowful: for this our eyes are darkened.
For this our heart is faint. For these things our eyes are dim:
18 Over the mountain of Sion, because it is made desolate, foxes have walked therein.
for the mountain of Zion, which is desolate. The foxes walk on it.
19 But you, O Lord, shall dwell for ever; your throne [shall endure] to generation and generation.
You, LORD, remain forever. Your throne is from generation to generation.
20 Therefore will you utterly forget us, and abandon us a long time?
Why do you forget us forever, and forsake us for so long a time?
21 Turn us, O Lord, to you, and we shall be turned; and renew our days as before.
Turn us to yourself, LORD, and we will be turned. Renew our days as of old.
22 For you have indeed rejected us; you have been very angry against us.
But you have utterly rejected us. You are very angry against us.

< Lamentations 5 >