Lamentations 1
1 The city that once was full of people is now sitting all alone. She has become like a widow, though she was a mighty nation. She was a princess among the nations, but is now forced into slavery.
Oh how doth she sit solitary—the city that was full of people is become like a widow! she that was so great among the nations, the princess among the provinces, is become tributary!
2 She weeps and wails in the night, and her tears cover her cheeks. None of her lovers comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her. They have become her enemies.
She weepeth sorely in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; she hath none to comfort her among all her lovers; all her friends have dealt treacherously toward her, they are become her enemies.
3 After poverty and affliction, Judah has gone into exile. She lives among the nations and finds no rest. All her pursuers overtook her in her desperation.
Exiled is Judah because of affliction, and because of the greatness of servitude she dwelleth indeed among the nations, she findeth no rest: all her pursuers have overtaken her between the narrow passes.
4 The roads of Zion mourn because none come to the appointed feasts. All her gates are desolate. Her priests groan. Her virgins are sorrowful and she herself is in complete distress.
The ways to Zion are in mourning, because none come to the solemn feasts; all her gates are desolate; her priests sigh; her virgins moan, and she suffereth herself from bitter grief.
5 Her adversaries have become her master; her enemies prosper. Yahweh has afflicted her for her many sins. Her little children go into captivity to her adversary.
Her adversaries are become chiefs, her enemies prosper; for the Lord hath caused her to grieve because of the multitude of her transgressions: her babes are gone into captivity before the adversary.
6 Beauty has left the daughter of Zion. Her princes have become like deer that cannot find pasture, and they go without strength before their pursuer.
And there is gone forth from the daughter of Zion all her splendor: her princes are become like harts that have found no pasture, and they flee without strength before the pursuer.
7 In the days of her affliction and her homelessness, Jerusalem will call to mind all her precious treasures that she had in former days. When her people fell into the hand of the adversary, no one helped her. The adversaries saw her and laughed at her destruction.
Jerusalem remembereth in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her magnificent things which have been in the days of old: when her people fell into the hand of the adversary, with none to help her, the adversaries looked at her, they laughed at the cessation [of her glory].
8 Jerusalem sinned greatly, therefore, she has become scorned as something that is filthy. All who honored her now despise her since they have seen her nakedness. She groans and tries to turn away.
A grievous sin did Jerusalem commit, therefore is she become a wanderer: all that honored her hold her in contempt, because they have seen her nakedness; she also sigheth, and turneth [ashamed] backward.
9 She has become unclean beneath her skirts. She did not think about her future. Her fall was terrible. There was no one to comfort her. She cried out, “Look at my affliction, Yahweh, for the enemy has become too great!”
[With] her uncleanness on her skirts, she thought not of her latter end: therefore is she come down wonderfully, without one to comfort her. Behold, O Lord, my affliction; for the enemy hath become great [above me].
10 The adversary has put his hand on all our precious treasures. She has seen the nations enter her sanctuary, even though you had commanded that they must not enter into your assembly place.
His hand hath the adversary spread out over all her magnificent things; for she hath seen nations entering into her sanctuary, of whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.
11 All her people groan as they search for bread. They have given their precious treasures for food to restore their lives. Look, Yahweh, and consider me, for I have become worthless.
all her people sigh, they are seeking bread; they have given their precious things for food to refresh their soul: see, O Lord, and look, how I have been brought low.
12 Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is anyone else's sorrow like the sorrow that is being inflicted on me, since Yahweh has tormented me on the day of his fierce anger.
“I adjure you, all that pass this way, behold, and see if there be any pain like unto my pain, which hath been inflicted on me, wherewith the Lord hath aggrieved me on the day of his fierce anger.
13 It is from on high that he has sent fire into my bones, and it has conquered them. He has spread a net for my feet and turned me back. He has made me constantly desolate and weak.
From on high hath he sent a fire into my bones, and breaketh [them] one by one: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath caused me to return backward; he hath made me desolate, sick all the day.
14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound together by his hand. They are knit together and placed upon my neck. He has made my strength fail. The Lord has given me over into their hands, and I am not able to stand.
Bound fast is the yoke of my transgressions by his hand, — they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck; he hath made my strength to stumble: the Lord hath given me up into the hands of [those against whom] I am not able to rise up.
15 The Lord has tossed aside all my mighty men who defended me. He has called an assembly against me to crush my vigorous men. The Lord has trampled the virgin daughter of Judah in the winepress.
The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me; he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: a winepress hath the Lord trodden over the virgin, the daughter of Judah.
16 For these things I weep, my eyes overflow with tears; for a comforter is far from me, one who restores my life. My children are desolate because the enemy has conquered me.
For these things do I weep; my eye, my eye runneth down with water; because far from me is the comforter that should refresh my soul: my children are in misery, because the enemy hath prevailed.”
17 Zion has spread her hands wide; there is none to comfort her. Yahweh has commanded that those around Jacob should be his adversaries. Jerusalem is something unclean to them.
Zion spreadeth forth her hands, without one to comfort her; the Lord hath given a charge concerning Jacob to all his adversaries round about him: Jerusalem is become as an unclean woman among them.
18 Yahweh is righteous, for I have rebelled against his commandment. Hear, all you peoples, and see my sorrow. My virgins and my vigorous men have gone into captivity.
“Righteous is the Lord; for against his orders have I rebelled: oh do hear, all ye people, and see my pain! my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.
19 I called for my friends, but they were treacherous toward me. My priests and my elders perished in the city, while they sought food to restore their lives.
I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and my elders perished in the city; for they sought food for themselves to refresh their soul.
20 Look, Yahweh, for I am in distress; my stomach churns, my heart is disturbed within me, for I have been very rebellious. Outside, the sword bereaves a mother, inside the house there is only death.
See, O Lord! how I am in distress; my bowels are heated; my heart is turned round within me; because I have grievously rebelled: abroad bereaveth the sword, at home, like the pestilence.
21 They have heard my groaning, but there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble and they are glad that you have done it. You have brought the day you promised; now let them become like me.
They hear how greatly I sigh, [yet] there is none to comfort me; all my enemies have heard of my misfortune, they are glad that thou hast done it: oh that thou wouldst bring the day which thou hast proclaimed [against me], that they may become like me.
22 Let all their wickedness come before you. deal with them as you have dealt with me because of all my transgressions. My groans are many and my heart is faint.
Let all their wickedness come before thee, and do unto them as thou hast done unto me because of all my transgressions; for many are my sighs, and my heart is sick.”
