< Lamentations 5 >
1 Remember, O Jehovah, what hath befallen us, Look attentively, and see our reproach.
Remember, O LORD, what has happened to us. Look and see our disgrace!
2 Our inheritance hath been turned to strangers, Our houses to foreigners.
Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to foreigners.
3 Orphans we have been — without a father, our mothers [are] as widows.
We have become fatherless orphans; our mothers are widows.
4 Our water for money we have drunk, Our wood for a price doth come.
We must buy the water we drink; our wood comes at a price.
5 For our neck we have been pursued, We have laboured — there hath been no rest for us.
We are closely pursued; we are weary and find no rest.
6 [To] Egypt we have given a hand, [To] Asshur, to be satisfied with bread.
We submitted to Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.
7 Our fathers have sinned — they are not, We their iniquities have borne.
Our fathers sinned and are no more, but we bear their punishment.
8 Servants have ruled over us, A deliverer there is none from their hand.
Slaves rule over us; there is no one to deliver us from their hands.
9 With our lives we bring in our bread, Because of the sword of the wilderness.
We get our bread at the risk of our lives because of the sword in the wilderness.
10 Our skin as an oven hath been burning, Because of the raging of the famine.
Our skin is as hot as an oven with fever from our hunger.
11 Wives in Zion they have humbled, Virgins — in cities of Judah.
Women have been ravished in Zion, virgins in the cities of Judah.
12 Princes by their hand have been hanged, The faces of elders have not been honoured.
Princes have been hung up by their hands; elders receive no respect.
13 Young men to grind they have taken, And youths with wood have stumbled.
Young men toil at millstones; boys stagger under loads of wood.
14 The aged from the gate have ceased, Young men from their song.
The elders have left the city gate; the young men have stopped their music.
15 Ceased hath the joy of our heart, Turned to mourning hath been our dancing.
Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.
16 Fallen hath the crown [from] our head, Woe [is] now to us, for we have sinned.
The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 For this hath our heart been sick, For these have our eyes been dim.
Because of this, our hearts are faint; because of these, our eyes grow dim—
18 For the mount of Zion — that is desolate, Foxes have gone up on it.
because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate, patrolled by foxes.
19 Thou, O Jehovah, to the age remainest, Thy throne to generation and generation.
You, O LORD, reign forever; Your throne endures from generation to generation.
20 Why for ever dost Thou forget us? Thou forsakest us for length of days!
Why have You forgotten us forever? Why have You forsaken us for so long?
21 Turn us back, O Jehovah, unto Thee, And we turn back, renew our days as of old.
Restore us to Yourself, O LORD, so we may return; renew our days as of old,
22 For hast Thou utterly rejected us? Thou hast been wroth against us — exceedingly?
unless You have utterly rejected us and remain angry with us beyond measure.