Lamentations 1
1 Jerusalem was [once] full of people, but now it is deserted. [Once] it was honored by people all over the world, but now it is [grieving/abandoned] like [SIM] a widow. [Once] it was [honored like] [MET] a princess [is honored] among the nations, but now [we who live here] have become slaves.
How is seated alone, the city that abounded with people, hath become as a widow, —She who abounded among the nations was a princess among provinces, hath come under tribute.
2 We [PRS] weep bitterly [all] night long, with tears flowing down our cheeks. Among [the people in] all [the nations] that loved Jerusalem there are none that comfort us [now]. All [the rulers of those nations that were previously] our allies have betrayed us, and they are all now enemies [of the people of Jerusalem].
She, weepeth sore, in the night, and, her tear, is on her cheek, She hath none to comfort her, of all her lovers, —All her friends, have betrayed her, have become her foes.
3 [The people of] Judah have been (exiled/forced to go to other countries) and caused to suffer greatly as slaves. They live in [other] nations where they do not have peace/safety. Their enemies seized them, and there was no way for them to escape.
Carried away captive is Judah—because of oppression, and because of great servitude, She, hath remained among the nations, hath found no place of rest, —All her pursuers, have overtaken her, between straits.
4 The roads to Zion [Hill] are empty [PRS] because no one comes [here] to [celebrate] the sacred festivals. The city gates are deserted, and the priests groan. The young women [of Jerusalem] cry [because] they are suffering greatly.
The ways to Zion, are mourning, because none come to her appointed feasts, All her gates, are desolate, her priests, are sighing, —her virgins, are grieved, and, she, it is bitter for her.
5 Our enemies have conquered the city, and [now] they prosper. Yahweh has punished [the people of] Jerusalem because of all the sins that they have committed. The children [of Jerusalem] have been captured and taken [to other countries].
Her adversaries have become chief, her foes, are at ease, for, Yahweh, hath grieved her, because of the multitude of her transgressions, —Her children, have gone into captivity, before the adversary.
6 Jerusalem was a beautiful city, but it is not beautiful now. The leaders [of the city] are like [SIM] deer that are starving because of being unable to find any grass [to eat]. They are very weak, with the result that they are unable to run from their enemies.
Thus hath gone forth from the daughter of Zion, all that adorned her, —Her princes have become like harts that have found no pasture, and have gone strengthless before the pursuer.
7 [The people of] Jerusalem are sad and scattered, and they think about the previous greatness of the city. [But now] our enemies have captured the city, and there is no one to help the people. Our enemies destroyed the city and laughed while they were doing that.
Jerusalem hath remembered in the days of her humiliation and her fleeings—all her precious things, which have existed from the days of old, —Now that her people have been falling into the hand of the adversary, with none to help her, the adversaries have seen her, have mocked over her sabbath-keepings.
8 [The people of] [PRS] Jerusalem have sinned very much; [it is as though] [MET] the city has become [like] a filthy [rag]. All those who [previously] honored the city [now] despise it, because they see that it has become very disgraced [MET]. Now [the people of] the city groan, and they cover their faces [because they are very ashamed].
Jerusalem, hath grievously sinned, For this cause, unto exile, hath she been delivered, —All who used to honour her, have despised her, for they have descried her unseemliness, yea, she herself, hath sighed, and turned back.
9 The city has become filthy because of [PRS] the sins that the people have committed; they did not think about what could happen to the city. [Now] the city has been destroyed, and there is no one to comfort [the people]. [The people cry out saying], “Yahweh, look at how we are suffering because our enemies have defeated us!”
Her impurity, is in her skirts, She hath not remembered her hereafter, Therefore hath she come down wonderfully, none to comfort her, —Behold, O Yahweh, my humiliation, that the foe, hath made himself great.
10 Our enemies have taken away all our treasures, all the valuable things that we owned. We have seen [soldiers from other] nations, [men who do not worship Yahweh], enter our sacred temple, [the place] where foreigners/non-Israelis were (forbidden/not allowed) to enter.
His hand, hath the adversary spread out, over all her precious things, —for she saw that, the nations, entered her sanctuary, as to whom thou didst command they should not enter—in the convocation—unto thee!
11 The people of the city groan while they search for food; they have given their treasures to get food [to eat] to remain alive. [They say], “Yahweh, look [at us], and see that we are despised!”
All her people, are sighing, seeking bread, They have given their precious things for food, to bring back life, —Behold, O Yahweh, and discern, that I have become worthless.
12 You people who pass by, you do not [RHQ] seem to care at all [about what has happened to us]. Look around and see that there are no other [RHQ] people who are suffering like we are. Yahweh has caused us to suffer because he was extremely angry [with us].
Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Look around and see, whether there is pain like my pain, which is severely dealt out to me, —in that Yahweh, hath caused grief, in the day of the glow of his anger?
13 [It is as though] he sent a fire from heaven [MTY] that burned in our bones; [it is as though] [MET] he has placed a trap for our feet, and has prevented us from walking any further. He has abandoned us; we are weak/miserable [every day], all day long.
From on high, sent he fire, among my bones, and laid them prostrate, —He spread out a net for my feet, he made me turn back, he made me desolate, all the day, faint.
14 He caused the sins that we have committed to be [like] a heavy load for us to carry; [it is as though] [MET] he tied them around our necks. Previously we were strong, but he has caused us to become weak. He has allowed our enemies to capture us, and we were not able to do anything to resist them.
The yoke of my transgressions, hath been bound, by his hand—They have intertwined themselves, have come up on my neck, it hath paralysed my strength, —My Lord, hath delivered me, into the hands of those against whom I cannot rise up.
15 Yahweh looked at our mighty soldiers and laughed at them. He has summoned a great army to [come and] crush our young soldiers. [It is as though] [MET] Yahweh has trampled on [us] people of Judah like [SIM] [people trample] on grapes in a pit [to make wine].
My Lord, hath flouted at all my magnates, in my midst, He hath called against me a host, to crush my young men, —A winepress, hath My Lord trodden, to the virgin, the daughter of Judah.
16 I weep because of [all] those things; my eyes are filled with tears. There is no one to comfort me; those who could encourage me are far away. Our enemies have conquered [us], so our children have nothing good to (hope for/expect to happen).
For these things, am, I, weeping, Mine eye, mine eye, is running down with waters, for, far from me, is any who could comfort, could bring back my life, —My sons are amazed, for strong is the foe.
17 [We people of] [PRS] Jerusalem reach out our hands [to get help], but there is no one to comfort us. Yahweh has decided concerning [us descendants of] Jacob that the people in nearby nations will become our enemies; so they consider that Jerusalem has become [like] [MET] a filthy rag.
Zion, hath spread forth, her hands, there is none to comfort her, Yahweh, hath given command, respecting Jacob, unto them who surround him—his adversaries, —Jerusalem, hath become as a removed woman, in their midst.
18 But what Yahweh has done [to us] is fair, because we have rebelled against obeying the commands that he gave [us]. You people everywhere, listen [to us]; [look and] see that we are suffering [greatly]. We had [many] sons and daughters, but they have been captured and forced to go to distant countries.
Righteous is Yahweh, for, against his bidding, had I rebelled, —Hear, I pray you, all ye peoples, and see my pain, My virgins and my young men, have gone into exile.
19 We pleaded with our allies [to help us], but they [all] refused. Our priests and our leaders have died [from hunger] in the city while they were searching for food [to eat] to remain alive.
I called to my lovers, they, deceived me, My priests and mine elders, in the city, have breathed their last, —for they sought them food, that they might bring back their life.
20 Yahweh, see that we are suffering very much. [It is as though] our inner beings are tormented. We are sad [SYN] because we have rebelled [against you]. Our enemies kill people in the streets with their swords; people are dying [because they have no food to eat].
See, O Yahweh, that I am in distress, Mine inward parts, are in ferment, My heart is turned within me, for I have obstinately rebelled, —Without, bereaveth the sword, Within, is like death,
21 People have heard us while we groaned, but no one [came to] comfort us. [Yahweh, ] you caused us to experience this [disaster], and our enemies are happy to see what you have done [to us]. But cause it soon to be the time that you have promised, when our enemies will suffer like we have suffered!
They have heard—that, sighing am, I, [and am saying] —There is none to comfort me, All my foes, —having heard of my calamity—have rejoiced, because, thou, hast done it, —thou hast brought in the day thou didst proclaim, So let them become like me.
22 [Yahweh, ] see all the evil things that they have done and punish them! [Punish them] like you have punished us for all the sins that we committed! [We say this to you] because we suffer and groan very much, and we (faint/are very sad).
Let all their wickedness, come in, before thee, and deal thou severely with them, according as thou hast dealt severely with me, for all my transgressions; for many are my sighs, and, my heart, is sick.
