Lamentations 5
1 Yahweh, think about what has happened to us. See that we have been disgraced.
Remember, O LORD, what has happened to us. Look and see our disgrace!
2 Foreigners have seized our property, [and now] they live in our homes.
Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to foreigners.
3 [Our enemies] have killed our fathers; they caused our mothers to become widows.
We have become fatherless orphans; our mothers are widows.
4 [Now] we are required to pay for water to drink, and we must pay [a lot of money] for firewood.
We must buy the water we drink; our wood comes at a price.
5 [It is as though] those who pursue us are at our heels; we are exhausted, but they do not allow us to rest.
We are closely pursued; we are weary and find no rest.
6 In order to get enough food [to remain alive], we went to Egypt and Assyria and offered to work [for the people there].
We submitted to Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.
7 Our ancestors sinned, and now they are dead, but we are being punished for the sins that they committed.
Our fathers sinned and are no more, but we bear their punishment.
8 [Officials from Babylon] who were [previously] slaves [now] rule over us, and there is no one who can rescue us from their power.
Slaves rule over us; there is no one to deliver us from their hands.
9 When we roam around in the desert searching for food, we are in danger of being killed, because people there kill strangers with their swords.
We get our bread at the risk of our lives because of the sword in the wilderness.
10 Our skin has become hot like [SIM] an oven, and we have a very high fever because we are extremely hungry.
Our skin is as hot as an oven with fever from our hunger.
11 [Our enemies] have raped the women in Jerusalem, [and they have done that to] the young women in [all] the towns of Judea.
Women have been ravished in Zion, virgins in the cities of Judah.
12 [Our enemies] have hanged our leaders, and they do not respect our elders.
Princes have been hung up by their hands; elders receive no respect.
13 They force our young men to grind [flour] with millstones, and boys stagger while they [are forced to] carry [heavy] loads of firewood.
Young men toil at millstones; boys stagger under loads of wood.
14 [Our] elders no longer sit at the city gates [to make important decisions]; the young men no longer play their musical [instruments].
The elders have left the city gate; the young men have stopped their music.
15 We [SYN] are no longer joyful; instead of dancing [joyfully], we now mourn.
Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.
16 The wreaths [of flowers] have fallen off our heads. Terrible things have happened to us because of the sins that we committed.
The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 We [SYN] are tired and discouraged [IDM], and we cannot see well because our eyes are [full of tears].
Because of this, our hearts are faint; because of these, our eyes grow dim—
18 Jerusalem is [completely] deserted, and jackals/wolves prowl around it.
because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate, patrolled by foxes.
19 But Yahweh, you rule forever! You continue to rule [MTY] from one generation to the next generation.
You, O LORD, reign forever; Your throne endures from generation to generation.
20 [So] why [RHQ] have you forgotten us? Why [RHQ] have you abandoned us for a very long time?
Why have You forgotten us forever? Why have You forsaken us for so long?
21 [Please] enable us to return to you, and enable us to prosper [MTY] as we did previously.
Restore us to Yourself, O LORD, so we may return; renew our days as of old,
22 Please do that, because we hope that [RHQ] you have not rejected us forever and that [RHQ] you do not continue to be extremely angry with us!
unless You have utterly rejected us and remain angry with us beyond measure.
