< Lamentations 1 >
1 Howe doeth the citie remaine solitarie that was full of people? she is as a widowe: she that was great among the nations, and princesse among the prouinces, is made tributarie.
Oh how doth she sit solitary—the city that was full of people is become like a widow! she that was so great among the nations, the princess among the provinces, is become tributary!
2 She weepeth continually in the night, and her teares runne downe by her cheekes: among all her louers, she hath none to comfort her: all her friendes haue delt vnfaithfully with her, and are her enemies.
She weepeth sorely in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; she hath none to comfort her among all her lovers; all her friends have dealt treacherously toward her, they are become her enemies.
3 Iudah is caried away captiue because of affliction, and because of great seruitude: shee dwelleth among the heathen, and findeth no rest: all her persecuters tooke her in the straites.
Exiled is Judah because of affliction, and because of the greatness of servitude she dwelleth indeed among the nations, she findeth no rest: all her pursuers have overtaken her between the narrow passes.
4 The wayes of Zion lament, because no man commeth to the solemne feastes: all her gates are desolate: her Priests sigh: her virgins are discomfited, and she is in heauinesse.
The ways to Zion are in mourning, because none come to the solemn feasts; all her gates are desolate; her priests sigh; her virgins moan, and she suffereth herself from bitter grief.
5 Her aduersaries are the chiefe, and her enemies prosper: for the Lord hath afflicted her, for the multitude of her transgressions, and her children are gone into captiuitie before the enemie.
Her adversaries are become chiefs, her enemies prosper; for the Lord hath caused her to grieve because of the multitude of her transgressions: her babes are gone into captivity before the adversary.
6 And from the daughter of Zion all her beautie is departed: her princes are become like harts that finde no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.
And there is gone forth from the daughter of Zion all her splendor: her princes are become like harts that have found no pasture, and they flee without strength before the pursuer.
7 Ierusalem remembred the dayes of her affliction, and of her rebellion, and all her pleasant things, that shee had in times past, when her people fell into the hande of the enemie, and none did helpe her: the aduersarie sawe her, and did mocke at her Sabbaths.
Jerusalem remembereth in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her magnificent things which have been in the days of old: when her people fell into the hand of the adversary, with none to help her, the adversaries looked at her, they laughed at the cessation [of her glory].
8 Ierusalem hath grieuously sinned, therefore shee is in derision: all that honoured her, despise her, because they haue seene her filthinesse: yea, she sigheth and turneth backeward.
A grievous sin did Jerusalem commit, therefore is she become a wanderer: all that honored her hold her in contempt, because they have seen her nakedness; she also sigheth, and turneth [ashamed] backward.
9 Her filthinesse is in her skirts: she remembred not her last ende, therefore she came downe wonderfully: she had no comforter: O Lord, behold mine affliction: for the enemie is proud.
[With] her uncleanness on her skirts, she thought not of her latter end: therefore is she come down wonderfully, without one to comfort her. Behold, O Lord, my affliction; for the enemy hath become great [above me].
10 The enemie hath stretched out his hande vpon al her pleasant things: for she hath seene the heathen enter into her Sanctuarie, whom thou diddest commande, that they shoulde not enter into thy Church.
His hand hath the adversary spread out over all her magnificent things; for she hath seen nations entering into her sanctuary, of whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.
11 All her people sigh and seeke their bread: they haue giuen their pleasant thinges for meate to refresh the soule: see, O Lord, and consider: for I am become vile.
all her people sigh, they are seeking bread; they have given their precious things for food to refresh their soul: see, O Lord, and look, how I have been brought low.
12 Haue ye no regarde, all yee that passe by this way? behold, and see, if there be any sorowe like vnto my sorowe, which is done vnto mee, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath.
“I adjure you, all that pass this way, behold, and see if there be any pain like unto my pain, which hath been inflicted on me, wherewith the Lord hath aggrieved me on the day of his fierce anger.
13 From aboue hath hee sent fire into my bones, which preuaile against them: he hath spred a net for my feete, and turned me backe: hee hath made me desolate, and daily in heauinesse.
From on high hath he sent a fire into my bones, and breaketh [them] one by one: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath caused me to return backward; he hath made me desolate, sick all the day.
14 The yoke of my transgressions is bounde vpon his hand: they are wrapped, and come vp vpon my necke: hee hath made my strength to fall: the Lord hath deliuered me into their hands, neither am I able to rise vp.
Bound fast is the yoke of my transgressions by his hand, — they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck; he hath made my strength to stumble: the Lord hath given me up into the hands of [those against whom] I am not able to rise up.
15 The Lord hath troden vnder foote all my valiant men in the middes of me: he hath called an assembly against me to destroy my yong men: the Lord hath troden the wine presse vpon the virgine the daughter of Iudah.
The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me; he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: a winepress hath the Lord trodden over the virgin, the daughter of Judah.
16 For these things I weepe: mine eye, euen mine eye casteth out water, because the comforter that should refresh my soule, is farre from me: my children are desolate, because the enemie preuailed.
For these things do I weep; my eye, my eye runneth down with water; because far from me is the comforter that should refresh my soul: my children are in misery, because the enemy hath prevailed.”
17 Zion stretcheth out her handes, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath appoynted the enemies of Iaakob rounde about him: Ierusalem is as a menstruous woman in the middes of them.
Zion spreadeth forth her hands, without one to comfort her; the Lord hath given a charge concerning Jacob to all his adversaries round about him: Jerusalem is become as an unclean woman among them.
18 The Lord is righteous: for I haue rebelled against his commandement: heare, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorowe: my virgins and my yong men are gone into captiuitie.
“Righteous is the Lord; for against his orders have I rebelled: oh do hear, all ye people, and see my pain! my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.
19 I called for my louers, but they deceiued me: my Priestes and mine Elders perished in the citie while they sought their meate to refresh their soules.
I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and my elders perished in the city; for they sought food for themselves to refresh their soul.
20 Behold, O Lord, howe I am troubled: my bowels swell: mine heart is turned within me, for I am ful of heauinesse: the sword spoyleth abroad, as death doeth at home.
See, O Lord! how I am in distress; my bowels are heated; my heart is turned round within me; because I have grievously rebelled: abroad bereaveth the sword, at home, like the pestilence.
21 They haue heard that I mourne, but there is none to comfort mee: all mine enemies haue heard of my trouble, and are glad, that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day, that thou hast pronounced, and they shalbe like vnto me.
They hear how greatly I sigh, [yet] there is none to comfort me; all my enemies have heard of my misfortune, they are glad that thou hast done it: oh that thou wouldst bring the day which thou hast proclaimed [against me], that they may become like me.
22 Let all their wickednes come before thee: do vnto them, as thou hast done vnto me, for all my transgressions: for my sighes are many, and mine heart is heauy.
Let all their wickedness come before thee, and do unto them as thou hast done unto me because of all my transgressions; for many are my sighs, and my heart is sick.”