< Lamentations 2 >
1 How! he covers with a cloud in anger his - [the] Lord [the] daughter of Zion he has thrown from heaven earth [the] splendor of Israel and not he has remembered [the] footstool of feet his in [the] day of anger his.
Yahweh was extremely angry [with us]; as a result, [it was as though] [MET] he covered Jerusalem with a dark cloud. Previously it was a beautiful/glorious city, but he has caused it to become a ruins. At the time he punished [MET] Israel, he [even] abandoned his temple [MET] [in Jerusalem].
2 He has swallowed up [the] Lord (and not *Q(K)*) he has spared all [the] settlements of Jacob he has torn down in wrath his [the] fortifications of [the] daughter of Judah he has made [them] touch the ground he has profaned [the] kingdom and princes its.
Yahweh destroyed the homes of [the people of] [PRS] Judah; he did not act mercifully. Because he was very angry, he broke down the fortresses of Judah. He has caused our kingdom and our rulers to become disgraced, and he has gotten rid of them.
3 He has cut off (in [the] heat of *L(abh)*) anger every horn of Israel he has turned back backward right [hand] his from before [the] enemy and he has burned Jacob like a fire of flame [which] it has consumed all around.
Because he was extremely angry, he has caused Israel to not be powerful [MET] any more. He has refused to assist us when our enemies attacked us. He has destroyed Israel like [SIM] a raging fire destroys everything.
4 He has bent bow his like an enemy [he has] taken a stand right [hand] his like an opponent and he has killed all [the] delights of eye in [the] tent of [the] daughter of Zion he has poured out like fire rage his.
He bent his bow [to prepare to shoot us, his people], as though we were his enemies. He [prepared to] kill the people whom we love the most [MET], members of our own families. He is extremely angry [MTY] with us people of Jerusalem; his anger is like [SIM] a fire.
5 He has become [the] Lord - like an enemy he has swallowed up Israel he has swallowed up all palaces its he has ruined fortifications its and he has multiplied in [the] daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.
Yahweh has become like an enemy to [us] Israelis; he has destroyed our palaces and caused our fortresses to become ruins. He has gotten rid of many people in Jerusalem, and caused us to mourn and weep [for those who were killed].
6 And he has treated violently like garden booth his he has ruined appointed place his he has caused to be forgotten Yahweh - in Zion appointed feast and sabbath and he has spurned in [the] indignation of anger his king and priest.
He has caused his temple to be smashed [as easily] as [SIM] if it was a shelter in a garden. He has caused [us, his people], to forget all our sacred festivals and Sabbath days. He has caused [our] kings and priests to be rejected because he was extremely angry with them.
7 He has rejected [the] Lord - altar his he has repudiated sanctuary his he has delivered up in [the] hand of an enemy [the] walls of palaces its voice people have given forth in [the] house of Yahweh like [the] day of an appointed feast.
Yahweh has rejected his own altar and abandoned his temple. He has allowed [our] enemies to tear down the walls of [our temple and] our palaces. They shout [victoriously] in the temple of Yahweh, like we [previously shouted] during our sacred festivals.
8 He has planned Yahweh - to destroy [the] wall of [the] daughter of Zion he has stretched out a measuring-line not he has turned back hand his from swallowing up and he has caused to mourn rampart and wall together they have languished.
Yahweh was determined to cause the walls of our city [MTY] to be torn down. [It was as though] he measured the walls and [then he completely] destroyed [MTY] them. [It was as though] he caused the towers and walls to lament/weep, [because they were now ruins].
9 They have sunk in the ground gates its he has destroyed and he has broken bars its king its and princes its [are] among the nations there not [is] instruction also prophets its not they have found a vision from Yahweh.
The city gates have collapsed; the bars that fastened the gates shut have been smashed. The king and his officials have [been forced to] go to other countries. No longer does anyone teach the people the laws [that God gave to Moses]. The prophets do not receive any visions [because] Yahweh does not give them any.
10 They sit to the ground they are silent [the] elders of [the] daughter of Zion they have caused to rise dust on head their they have girded on sackcloth they have brought down to the ground head their [the] virgins of Jerusalem.
The old men of Jerusalem [MTY] sit on the ground, and they say nothing. They wear rough sackcloth and throw dust on their heads [to show that they are sad]. The young girls of Jerusalem bow down [sorrowfully], their faces touching the ground.
11 They have failed by tears eyes my they are in turmoil inward parts my it has been poured out to the ground liver my on [the] brokenness of [the] daughter of people my because faint child and suckling-child in [the] open places of a town.
My eyes are very tired because of my tears; I am very grieved in my soul. Because [very many of] my people have been killed, I grieve and am exhausted. [Even] children and babies are fainting [and dying] in the streets [because they have no food].
12 To mothers their they say where? [are] grain and wine when faint away they like [one] fatally wounded in [the] open places of a city when pours itself out life their to [the] bosom of mothers their.
They cry out to their mothers, “We need [RHQ] something to eat and drink!” They faint like wounded men in the streets of the city. They slowly die in the arms of their mothers.
13 What? will I testify for you what? will I liken to you O daughter of Jerusalem what? will I make equal to you so I may comfort you O virgin of [the] daughter of Zion for [is] great like the sea brokenness your who? will he heal you.
You people of Jerusalem [MTY, DOU], (what can I/there is nothing that I can) say [to help you]. No people have [RHQ] suffered like you are suffering; I do not know what I can do to comfort you. The disaster [MET] that you have experienced is as great as the ocean is deep; there is no one [RHQ] who can restore your [city].
14 Prophets your they have seen for you worthlessness and sham and not they have made known on iniquity your to turn back (captivity your *Q(k)*) and they have seen for you oracles of worthlessness and enticement.
The prophets among you claimed that they had seen visions [from Yahweh], but what they said was false and worthless. They did not save you from being (exiled/forced to go to other countries), because they did not proclaim that you had sinned. Instead, the messages that they gave you deceived you [because] they were not true.
15 They have clapped on you hands all [those who] pass by of [the] road they have hissed and they have shaken head their on [the] daughter of Jerusalem ¿ [is] this the city that people said perfect of beauty a joy to all the earth.
All those who pass by you make fun of [IDM] you; they shake their heads and they hiss/sneer at you. [They say], “Is this that great city of Jerusalem? Is it the city that was the most beautiful city in the world, the city that caused all [the people on] the earth to be joyful?”
16 They have opened on you mouth their all enemies your they have hissed and they have gnashed a tooth they said we have swallowed up surely this [is] the day that we have waited for it we have found we have seen.
[Now] all our enemies scoff [IDM] at you; they hiss/sneer [at you] and gnash their teeth [to show that they hate you]. They say, “We have destroyed them! This is what we longed/waited for, and now it has happened!”
17 He has done Yahweh what he purposed he has fulfilled word his which he commanded from days of antiquity he has torn down and not he has spared and he has caused to rejoice on you an enemy he has lifted up [the] horn of opponents your.
Yahweh has done what he planned; long ago he threatened to destroy you, and [now] he has done it. He has destroyed [your city] without acting mercifully [toward you]; he has enabled your enemies to he happy about defeating you; he has enabled your enemies to [continually] become stronger.
18 It has cried out heart their to [the] Lord O wall of [the] daughter of Zion send down like river tear[s] by day and night may not you give rest to yourself may not it be still [the] daughter of eye your.
I wish/desire that the walls of Jerusalem [APO] would cry out to Yahweh! You people of Jerusalem [MET], Cry day and night! Let your tears flow like rivers. Do not stop grieving; do not stop crying.
19 Arise - cry out (in the night *Q(K)*) to [the] head of [the] night-watches pour out like water heart your before [the] presence of [the] Lord lift up to him hands your on [the] life children your the ones enfeebled by hunger at [the] head of all [the] streets.
Get up [every] night and cry out; tell Yahweh what you are feeling. Raise your arms to plead to him to act mercifully to prevent our children from dying; they are fainting on the street corners because they have no food to eat.
20 See O Yahweh and look! to whom? have you dealt severely thus? will they eat women descendant[s] their children of health or? will he be killed in [the] sanctuary of [the] Lord priest and prophet.
Yahweh, look, and think [about it]! Have you ever [RHQ] caused people to suffer like this before? [It is certainly not right that] [RHQ] women are eating the flesh of their own children, the children whom they have always taken care of! [It is not right that] [RHQ] priests and prophets are being killed in your own temple!
21 They have lain down to the ground streets youth and old [person] young women my and young men my they have fallen by the sword you have killed in [the] day of anger your you have slaughtered not you have spared.
[The corpses of] people of all ages lie in the streets; [there are even corpses of] young men and young women who have been killed by [our enemies’] swords. Because you were very angry, you caused them to be killed; you have slaughtered them without pitying them [at all].
22 You have summoned like [the] day of an appointed feast terrors my from round about and not he was in [the] day of [the] anger of Yahweh an escapee and a survivor [those] whom I had given birth and I had reared enemy my he has made an end of them.
You summoned our enemies to attack us from every direction, as though you were calling/inviting them to come to a feast. At that time when [you showed that] you were very angry, no one escaped. Our enemies murdered [our little children, ] ones whom we took care of and reared/brought up.