Lamentations 5
1 Yahweh, think about what has happened to us. See that we have been disgraced.
Remember, O Jehovah, what is come upon us! Look down and behold our reproach!
2 Foreigners have seized our property, [and now] they live in our homes.
Our inheritance is fallen to strangers, Our houses to aliens.
3 [Our enemies] have killed our fathers; they caused our mothers to become widows.
We are orphans; we are without a father; Our mothers are as widows.
4 [Now] we are required to pay for water to drink, and we must pay [a lot of money] for firewood.
Our water we drink for money; Our wood is sold to us.
5 [It is as though] those who pursue us are at our heels; we are exhausted, but they do not allow us to rest.
With the yoke upon our necks, we are driven; We are wearied, and have 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 have given the hand to the Egyptians, And to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.
7 Our ancestors sinned, and now they are dead, but we are being punished for the sins that they committed.
Our fathers sinned; they are no more, And we bear their iniquities.
8 [Officials from Babylon] who were [previously] slaves [now] rule over us, and there is no one who can rescue us from their power.
Servants rule over us; There is none that delivereth out of their hand.
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.
With the peril of our lives we get our bread, Because of the sword of 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 parched like an oven Because of the burnings of 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.
Matrons in Zion have they ravished, And maidens in the cities of Judah.
12 [Our enemies] have hanged our leaders, and they do not respect our elders.
Princes were hanged up by their hand; The faces of the elders were not honored.
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 carried millstones, And boys fell under burdens 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 sit no more at the gate; The young men have ceased from their music.
15 We [SYN] are no longer joyful; instead of dancing [joyfully], we now mourn.
The joy of our heart is at an end; Our dancing is turned into 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 is fallen from our head; Woe unto us, that we have sinned!
17 We [SYN] are tired and discouraged [IDM], and we cannot see well because our eyes are [full of tears].
For this is our heart faint, For these things our eyes are dim;
18 Jerusalem is [completely] deserted, and jackals/wolves prowl around it.
On account of mount Zion, which is desolate; Foxes roam over it.
19 But Yahweh, you rule forever! You continue to rule [MTY] from one generation to the next generation.
But thou, O Jehovah, sittest as king forever; Thy throne endureth from generation to generation.
20 [So] why [RHQ] have you forgotten us? Why [RHQ] have you abandoned us for a very long time?
Wherefore dost thou wholly forget us, And abandon us, for so long a time?
21 [Please] enable us to return to you, and enable us to prosper [MTY] as we did previously.
Turn us again to thee, O Jehovah, that we may be restored! 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!
For shouldst thou utterly reject us? Shouldst thou be so exceedingly wroth against us?
