Lamentations 5
1 Remember, LORD, what has come on us. Look, and see our reproach.
Lord, please remember what's happened to us. Look at us and see how we've been humiliated!
2 Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to aliens.
The land we used to own has been handed over to strangers, our houses have been given to foreigners.
3 We are orphans and fatherless. Our mothers are as widows.
We have lost our fathers, and our mothers are widows.
4 We must pay for water to drink. Our wood is sold to us.
The water we drink we have to pay for; our firewood comes at a price.
5 Our pursuers are on our necks. We are weary, and have no rest.
Like animals we're driven along with harnesses around our necks; we're worn out but don't find any rest.
6 We have given our hands to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.
We allied ourselves with Egypt and Assyria so we could have plenty of food.
7 Our fathers sinned, and are no more. We have borne their iniquities.
Our forefathers sinned and they're gone, but we're being punished for their sins.
8 Servants rule over us. There is no one to deliver us out of their hand.
Servants of our conqueror rule over us; no one can save us from their power.
9 We get our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness.
We take our lives in our hands when we look for food, because of the armed raiders in the desert.
10 Our skin is black like an oven, because of the burning heat of famine.
Our skin is hot like an oven because of the fever caused by hunger.
11 They ravished the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah.
They raped women in Zion, virgins in the towns of Judah.
12 Princes were hanged up by their hands. The faces of elders were not honored.
Princes have been hung up by their hands; they show elders no respect.
13 The young men carry millstones. The children stumbled under loads of wood.
Young men are forced to work at hand-mills; boys stagger under bundles of wood.
14 The elders have ceased from the gate, and the young men from their music.
The elders have abandoned their places at the city gate; the young men have given up playing their music.
15 The joy of our heart has ceased. Our dance is turned into mourning.
There's no more happiness for us; our dancing has turned into mourning.
16 The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!
The crown has fallen from our head. What a disaster has come upon us because we have sinned!
17 For this our heart is faint. For these things our eyes are dim:
Because of all this, we're sick at heart; because of all these things, we can hardly look;
18 for the mountain of Zion, which is desolate. The foxes walk on it.
Because of Mount Zion, which has been abandoned, and where only foxes roam.
19 You, LORD, remain forever. Your throne is from generation to generation.
But you, Lord, live forever! You rule for all generations!
20 Why do you forget us forever, and forsake us for so long a time?
So why have you forgotten us for such a long time? Why have you abandoned us for so many years?
21 Turn us to yourself, LORD, and we will be turned. Renew our days as of old.
Bring us back to you, Lord, so we can be with you again. Please remake our lives like they used to be.
22 But you have utterly rejected us. You are very angry against us.
Or have you have completely rejected us? Are you still really furious with us?
