Lamentations 5
1 Remember, O YHWH, what has befallen us, Look attentively, and see our reproach.
Remember, O Lord, what has happened to us: behold, and look on our reproach.
2 Our inheritance has been turned to strangers, Our houses to foreigners.
Our inheritance has been turned away to aliens, our houses to strangers:
3 Orphans we have been—without a father, our mothers [are] as widows.
we are become orphans, we have no father, our mothers are as widows.
4 We have drunk our water for money, Our wood comes for a price.
We have drunk our water for money; our wood is sold to us [for a burden] on our neck:
5 For our neck we have been pursued, We have labored—there has been no rest for us.
we have been persecuted, we have laboured, we have had no rest.
6 [To] Egypt we have given a hand, [To] Asshur, to be satisfied with bread.
Egypt gave the hand [to us], Assur to their own satisfaction.
7 Our fathers have sinned—they are not, We have borne their iniquities.
Our fathers sinned, [and] are not: we have borne their iniquities.
8 Servants have ruled over us, There is no deliverer from their hand.
Servants have ruled over us: there is none to ransom [us] out of their hand.
9 With our lives we bring in our bread, Because of the sword of the wilderness.
We shall bring in our bread with [danger of] our lives, because of the sword of the wilderness.
10 Our skin as an oven has been burning, Because of the raging of the famine.
Our skin is blackened like an oven; they are convulsed, because of the storms of famine.
11 Wives in Zion they have humbled, Virgins—in cities of Judah.
They humbled the women in Sion, the virgins in the cities of Juda.
12 Princes have been hanged by their hand, Elderly faces have not been honored.
Princes were hanged up by their hands: the elders were not honored.
13 They have taken young men to grind, And youths have stumbled with wood.
The chosen men lifted up [the voice in] weeping, and the youths fainted under the wood.
14 Elderly have ceased from the gate, Young men from their song.
And the elders ceased from the gate, the chosen men ceased from their music.
15 The joy of our heart has ceased, Our dancing has been turned to mourning.
The joy of our heart has ceased; our dance is turned into 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: yes, woe to us! for we have sinned.
17 Our heart has been sick for this, Our eyes have been dim for these.
For this has grief come; our heart is sorrowful: for this our eyes are darkened.
18 For the Mount of Zion—that is desolate, Foxes have gone up on it.
Over the mountain of Sion, because it is made desolate, foxes have walked therein.
19 You, O YHWH, remain for all time, Your throne to generation and generation.
But you, O Lord, shall dwell for ever; your throne [shall endure] to generation and generation.
20 Why do You forget us forever? You forsake us for [the] length of [our] days!
Therefore will you utterly forget us, and abandon us a long time?
21 Turn us back, O YHWH, to You, And we turn back, renew our days as of old.
Turn us, O Lord, to you, and we shall be turned; and renew our days as before.
22 For have You utterly rejected us? You have been angry against us—exceedingly?
For you have indeed rejected us; you have been very angry against us.
