Lamentations 1
1 And it came to pass, after Israel was taken captive, and Jerusalem made desolate, [that] Jeremias sat weeping, and lamented [with] this lamentation over Jerusalem, and said, ALEPH. How does the city that was filled with people sit solitary! she is become as a widow: she that was magnified among the nations, [and] princess among the provinces, has become tributary.
The city that once was full of people is now sitting all alone. She has become like a widow, though she was a mighty nation. She was a princess among the nations, but is now forced into slavery.
2 BETH. She weeps sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; and there is none of all her lovers to comfort her: all that were her friends have dealt deceitfully with her, they are become her enemies.
She weeps and wails in the night, and her tears cover her cheeks. None of her lovers comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her. They have become her enemies.
3 GIMEL. Judea is gone into captivity by reason of her affliction, and by reason of the abundance of her servitude: she dwells among the nations, she has not found rest: all her pursuers have overtaken her between her oppressors.
After poverty and affliction, Judah has gone into exile. She lives among the nations and finds no rest. All her pursuers overtook her in her desperation.
4 DALETH. The ways of Sion mourn, because there are none that come to the feast: all her gates are ruined: her priests groan, her virgins are led captive, and she is in bitterness in herself.
The roads of Zion mourn because none come to the appointed feasts. All her gates are desolate. Her priests groan. Her virgins are sorrowful and she herself is in complete distress.
5 HE. Her oppressors are become the head, and her enemies have prospered; for the Lord has afflicted her because of the multitude of her sins: her young children are gone into captivity before the face of the oppressor.
Her adversaries have become her master; her enemies prosper. Yahweh has afflicted her for her many sins. Her little children go into captivity to her adversary.
6 VAU. And all her beauty has been taken away from the daughter of Sion: her princes were as rams finding no pasture, and are gone [away] in weakness before the face of the pursuer.
Beauty has left the daughter of Zion. Her princes have become like deer that cannot find pasture, and they go without strength before their pursuer.
7 ZAIN. Jerusalem remembered the days of her affliction, and her rejection; [she thought on] all her desirable things which were from the days of old, when her people fell into the hands of the oppressor, and there was none to help her: when her enemies saw [it] they laughed at her habitation.
In the days of her affliction and her homelessness, Jerusalem will call to mind all her precious treasures that she had in former days. When her people fell into the hand of the adversary, no one helped her. The adversaries saw her and laughed at her destruction.
8 HETH. Jerusalem has sinned a [great] sin; therefore has she come into tribulation, all that used to honor her have afflicted her, for they have seen her shame: yes, she herself groaned, and turned backward.
Jerusalem sinned greatly, therefore, she has become scorned as something that is filthy. All who honored her now despise her since they have seen her nakedness. She groans and tries to turn away.
9 TETH. Her uncleanness is before her feet; she remembered not her last end; she has lowered her boasting [tone], there is none to comfort her. Behold, O Lord, my affliction: for the enemy has magnified himself.
She has become unclean beneath her skirts. She did not think about her future. Her fall was terrible. There was no one to comfort her. She cried out, “Look at my affliction, Yahweh, for the enemy has become too great!”
10 JOD. The oppressor has stretched out his hand on all her desirable things: for she has seen the Gentiles entering into her sanctuary, [concerning] whom you did command that they should not enter into your congregation.
The adversary has put his hand on all our precious treasures. She has seen the nations enter her sanctuary, even though you had commanded that they must not enter into your assembly place.
11 CHAPH. All her people groan, seeking bread: they have given their desirable things for meat, to restore their soul: behold, Lord, and look; for she is become dishonored.
All her people groan as they search for bread. They have given their precious treasures for food to restore their lives. Look, Yahweh, and consider me, for I have become worthless.
12 LAMED. All you that pass by the way, turn, and see if there is sorrow like to my sorrow, which has happened [to me]. The Lord who spoke by me has afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.
Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is anyone else's sorrow like the sorrow that is being inflicted on me, since Yahweh has tormented me on the day of his fierce anger.
13 MEM. He has sent fire from his lofty habitation, he has brought it into my bones: he has spread a net for my feet, he has turned me back: he has made me desolate [and] mourning all the day.
It is from on high that he has sent fire into my bones, and it has conquered them. He has spread a net for my feet and turned me back. He has made me constantly desolate and weak.
14 NUN. He has watched over my sins, they are twined about my hands, they have come up on my neck: my strength has failed; for the Lord has laid pains on my hands, I shall not be able to stand.
The yoke of my transgressions is bound together by his hand. They are knit together and placed upon my neck. He has made my strength fail. The Lord has given me over into their hands, and I am not able to stand.
15 SAMECH. The Lord has cut off all my strong men from the midst of me: he has summoned against me a time for crushing my choice men: the Lord has trodden a wine-press for the virgin daughter of Juda: for these things I weep.
The Lord has tossed aside all my mighty men who defended me. He has called an assembly against me to crush my vigorous men. The Lord has trampled the virgin daughter of Judah in the winepress.
16 AIN. Mine eye has poured out water, because he that should comfort me, that should restore my soul, has been removed far from me: my sons have been destroyed, because the enemy has prevailed.
For these things I weep, my eyes overflow with tears; for a comforter is far from me, one who restores my life. My children are desolate because the enemy has conquered me.
17 PHE. Sion has spread out her hand, [and] there is none to comfort her: the Lord has commanded [concerning] Jacob, his oppressors are round about him: Jerusalem has become among them as a removed woman.
Zion has spread her hands wide; there is none to comfort her. Yahweh has commanded that those around Jacob should be his adversaries. Jerusalem is something unclean to them.
18 TSADE. The Lord is righteous; for I have provoked his mouth: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my grief: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.
Yahweh is righteous, for I have rebelled against his commandment. Hear, all you peoples, and see my sorrow. My virgins and my vigorous men have gone into captivity.
19 KOPH. I called my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and my elders failed in the city; for they sought meat that they might restore their souls, and found [it] not.
I called for my friends, but they were treacherous toward me. My priests and my elders perished in the city, while they sought food to restore their lives.
20 RHECHS. Behold, O Lord; for I am afflicted: my belly is troubled, and my heart is turned within me; for I have been grievously rebellious: abroad the sword has bereaved me, even as death at home.
Look, Yahweh, for I am in distress; my stomach churns, my heart is disturbed within me, for I have been very rebellious. Outside, the sword bereaves a mother, inside the house there is only death.
21 CHSEN. Hear, I pray you, for I groan: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard [of] mine afflictions, and rejoice because you have done [it]: you have brought on the day, you have called the time: they are become like to me.
They have heard my groaning, but there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble and they are glad that you have done it. You have brought the day you promised; now let them become like me.
22 THAU. Let all their wickedness come before your face; and strip them, as they have made a gleaning for all my sins: for my groans are many, and my heart is grieved.
Let all their wickedness come before you. deal with them as you have dealt with me because of all my transgressions. My groans are many and my heart is faint.
