Lamentations 5
1 Lord, please remember what's happened to us. Look at us and see how we've been humiliated!
Keep in mind, O Lord, what has come to us: take note and see our shame.
2 The land we used to own has been handed over to strangers, our houses have been given to foreigners.
Our heritage is given up to men of strange lands, our houses to those who are not our countrymen.
3 We have lost our fathers, and our mothers are widows.
We are children without fathers, our mothers are like widows.
4 The water we drink we have to pay for; our firewood comes at a price.
We give money for a drink of water, we get our wood for a price.
5 Like animals we're driven along with harnesses around our necks; we're worn out but don't find any rest.
Our attackers are on our necks: overcome with weariness, we have no rest.
6 We allied ourselves with Egypt and Assyria so we could have plenty of food.
We have given our hands to the Egyptians and to the Assyrians so that we might have enough bread.
7 Our forefathers sinned and they're gone, but we're being punished for their sins.
Our fathers were sinners and are dead; and the weight of their evil-doing is on us.
8 Servants of our conqueror rule over us; no one can save us from their power.
Servants are ruling over us, and there is no one to make us free from their hands.
9 We take our lives in our hands when we look for food, because of the armed raiders in the desert.
We put our lives in danger to get our bread, because of the sword of the waste land.
10 Our skin is hot like an oven because of the fever caused by hunger.
Our skin is heated like an oven because of our burning heat from need of food.
11 They raped women in Zion, virgins in the towns of Judah.
They took by force the women in Zion, the virgins in the towns of Judah.
12 Princes have been hung up by their hands; they show elders no respect.
Their hands put princes to death by hanging: the faces of old men were not honoured.
13 Young men are forced to work at hand-mills; boys stagger under bundles of wood.
The young men were crushing the grain, and the boys were falling under the wood.
14 The elders have abandoned their places at the city gate; the young men have given up playing their music.
The old men are no longer seated in the doorway, and the music of the young men has come to an end.
15 There's no more happiness for us; our dancing has turned into mourning.
The joy of our hearts is ended; our dancing is changed into sorrow.
16 The crown has fallen from our head. What a disaster has come upon us because we have sinned!
The crown has been taken from our head: sorrow is ours, for we are sinners.
17 Because of all this, we're sick at heart; because of all these things, we can hardly look;
Because of this our hearts are feeble; for these things our eyes are dark;
18 Because of Mount Zion, which has been abandoned, and where only foxes roam.
Because of the mountain of Zion which is a waste; jackals go over it.
19 But you, Lord, live forever! You rule for all generations!
You, O Lord, are seated as King for ever; the seat of your power is eternal.
20 So why have you forgotten us for such a long time? Why have you abandoned us for so many years?
Why have we gone from your memory for ever? why have you been turned away from us for so long?
21 Bring us back to you, Lord, so we can be with you again. Please remake our lives like they used to be.
Make us come back to you, O Lord, and let us be turned; make our days new again as in the past.
22 Or have you have completely rejected us? Are you still really furious with us?
But you have quite given us up; you are full of wrath against us.
