Lamentations 5
1 Remember, O YHWH, what has befallen us, Look attentively, and see our reproach.
Remember, O LORD, what has happened to us. Look and see our disgrace!
2 Our inheritance has been turned to strangers, Our houses to foreigners.
Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to foreigners.
3 Orphans we have been—without a father, our mothers [are] as widows.
We have become fatherless orphans; our mothers are widows.
4 We have drunk our water for money, Our wood comes for a price.
We must buy the water we drink; our wood comes at a price.
5 For our neck we have been pursued, We have labored—there has been no rest for us.
We are closely pursued; we are weary and find no rest.
6 [To] Egypt we have given a hand, [To] Asshur, to be satisfied with bread.
We submitted to Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.
7 Our fathers have sinned—they are not, We have borne their iniquities.
Our fathers sinned and are no more, but we bear their punishment.
8 Servants have ruled over us, There is no deliverer from their hand.
Slaves rule over us; there is no one to deliver us from their hands.
9 With our lives we bring in our bread, Because of the sword of the wilderness.
We get our bread at the risk of our lives because of the sword in the wilderness.
10 Our skin as an oven has been burning, Because of the raging of the famine.
Our skin is as hot as an oven with fever from our hunger.
11 Wives in Zion they have humbled, Virgins—in cities of Judah.
Women have been ravished in Zion, virgins in the cities of Judah.
12 Princes have been hanged by their hand, Elderly faces have not been honored.
Princes have been hung up by their hands; elders receive no respect.
13 They have taken young men to grind, And youths have stumbled with wood.
Young men toil at millstones; boys stagger under loads of wood.
14 Elderly have ceased from the gate, Young men from their song.
The elders have left the city gate; the young men have stopped their music.
15 The joy of our heart has ceased, Our dancing has been turned to mourning.
Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.
16 The crown has fallen [from] our head, Woe [is] now to us, for we have sinned.
The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 Our heart has been sick for this, Our eyes have been dim for these.
Because of this, our hearts are faint; because of these, our eyes grow dim—
18 For the Mount of Zion—that is desolate, Foxes have gone up on it.
because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate, patrolled by foxes.
19 You, O YHWH, remain for all time, Your throne to generation and generation.
You, O LORD, reign forever; Your throne endures from generation to generation.
20 Why do You forget us forever? You forsake us for [the] length of [our] days!
Why have You forgotten us forever? Why have You forsaken us for so long?
21 Turn us back, O YHWH, to You, And we turn back, renew our days as of old.
Restore us to Yourself, O LORD, so we may return; renew our days as of old,
22 For have You utterly rejected us? You have been angry against us—exceedingly?
unless You have utterly rejected us and remain angry with us beyond measure.
