Lamentations 5
1 Remember, O LORD, what is come upon us; behold, and see our reproach.
Lord, please remember what's happened to us. Look at us and see how we've been humiliated!
2 Our inheritance is turned unto strangers, our houses unto aliens.
The land we used to own has been handed over to strangers, our houses have been given to foreigners.
3 We are become orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.
We have lost our fathers, and our mothers are widows.
4 We have drunk our water for money; our wood cometh to us for price.
The water we drink we have to pay for; our firewood comes at a price.
5 To our very necks we are pursued; we labour, and have no rest.
Like animals we're driven along with harnesses around our necks; we're worn out but don't find any rest.
6 We have given the hand to Egypt, and to Assyria, to have bread enough;
We allied ourselves with Egypt and Assyria so we could have plenty of food.
7 Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities.
Our forefathers sinned and they're gone, but we're being punished for their sins.
8 Servants rule over us; there is none to deliver us out of their hand.
Servants of our conqueror rule over us; no one can save us from their power.
9 We get our bread with the peril of our lives because of the sword of the wilderness.
We take our lives in our hands when we look for food, because of the armed raiders in the desert.
10 Our skin is hot like an oven because of the burning heat of famine.
Our skin is hot like an oven because of the fever caused by hunger.
11 They have ravished the women in Zion, the maidens in the cities of Judah.
They raped women in Zion, virgins in the towns of Judah.
12 Princes are hanged up by their hand; the faces of elders are not honoured.
Princes have been hung up by their hands; they show elders no respect.
13 The young men have borne the mill, and the children have stumbled under the wood.
Young men are forced to work at hand-mills; boys stagger under bundles of wood.
14 The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their music.
The elders have abandoned their places at the city gate; the young men have given up playing their music.
15 The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.
There's no more happiness for us; our dancing has turned into mourning.
16 The crown is fallen from our head; woe unto us! for we have sinned.
The crown has fallen from our head. What a disaster has come upon us because we have sinned!
17 For this our heart is faint, for these things our eyes are dim;
Because of all this, we're sick at heart; because of all these things, we can hardly look;
18 For the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.
Because of Mount Zion, which has been abandoned, and where only foxes roam.
19 Thou, O LORD, art enthroned for ever, Thy throne is from generation to generation.
But you, Lord, live forever! You rule for all generations!
20 Wherefore dost Thou forget us for ever, and forsake us so long time?
So why have you forgotten us for such a long time? Why have you abandoned us for so many years?
21 Turn Thou us unto Thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.
Bring us back to you, Lord, so we can be with you again. Please remake our lives like they used to be.
22 Thou canst not have utterly rejected us, and be exceeding wroth against us!
Or have you have completely rejected us? Are you still really furious with us?
