Lamentations 5
1 Lord, haue thou mynde what bifelle to vs; se thou, and biholde oure schenschipe.
Remember, O Jehovah, what hath befallen us, Look attentively, and see our reproach.
2 Oure eritage is turned to aliens, oure housis ben turned to straungers.
Our inheritance hath been turned to strangers, Our houses to foreigners.
3 We ben maad fadirles children with out fadir; oure modris ben as widewis.
Orphans we have been — without a father, our mothers [are] as widows.
4 We drunken oure watir for monei, we bouyten oure trees for siluer.
Our water for money we have drunk, Our wood for a price doth come.
5 We weren dryuun bi oure heedis, and reste was not youun to feynt men.
For our neck we have been pursued, We have laboured — there hath been no rest for us.
6 We yauen hond to Egipt, and to Assiriens, that we schulden be fillid with breed.
[To] Egypt we have given a hand, [To] Asshur, to be satisfied with bread.
7 Oure fadris synneden, and ben not, and we baren the wickidnessis of hem.
Our fathers have sinned — they are not, We their iniquities have borne.
8 Seruauntis weren lordis of vs, and noon was, that ayenbouyte fro the hond of hem.
Servants have ruled over us, A deliverer there is none from their hand.
9 In oure lyues we brouyten breed to vs, fro the face of swerd in desert.
With our lives we bring in our bread, Because of the sword of the wilderness.
10 Oure skynne is brent as a furneis, of the face of tempestis of hungur.
Our skin as an oven hath been burning, Because of the raging of the famine.
11 Thei maden low wymmen in Sion, and virgyns in the citees of Juda.
Wives in Zion they have humbled, Virgins — in cities of Judah.
12 Princes weren hangid bi the hond; thei weren not aschamed of the faces of elde men.
Princes by their hand have been hanged, The faces of elders have not been honoured.
13 Thei mysusiden yonge wexynge men vnchastli, and children fellen doun in tree.
Young men to grind they have taken, And youths with wood have stumbled.
14 Elde men failiden fro yatis; yonge men failiden of the queer of singeris.
The aged from the gate have ceased, Young men from their song.
15 The ioie of oure herte failide; oure song is turned in to mourenyng.
Ceased hath the joy of our heart, Turned to mourning hath been our dancing.
16 The coroun of oure heed fellen doun; wo to vs! for we synneden.
Fallen hath the crown [from] our head, Woe [is] now to us, for we have sinned.
17 Therfor oure herte is maad soreuful, therfor oure iyen ben maad derk.
For this hath our heart been sick, For these have our eyes been dim.
18 For the hil of Sion, for it perischide; foxis yeden in it.
For the mount of Zion — that is desolate, Foxes have gone up on it.
19 But thou, Lord, schal dwelle with outen ende; thi seete schal dwelle in generacioun and in to generacioun.
Thou, O Jehovah, to the age remainest, Thy throne to generation and generation.
20 Whi schalt thou foryete vs with outen ende, schalt thou forsake vs in to lengthe of daies?
Why for ever dost Thou forget us? Thou forsakest us for length of days!
21 Lord, conuerte thou vs to thee, and we schal be conuertid; make thou newe oure daies, as at the bigynnyng.
Turn us back, O Jehovah, unto Thee, And we turn back, renew our days as of old.
22 But thou castynge awei hast cast awei vs; thou art wrooth ayens vs greetli.
For hast Thou utterly rejected us? Thou hast been wroth against us — exceedingly?
