Lamentations
1
1 How the city sits alone, once full of people!
She has become like a widow, she who was great among the nations.
The princess among the provinces has been put to forced labor.
2 She weeps bitterly in the night, with tears on her cheeks.
Among all her lovers she has no one to comfort her.
All her friends have betrayed her;
they have become her enemies.
3 Judah has gone into exile amid affliction and harsh servitude.
She dwells among the nations and finds no rest.
All her pursuers have overtaken her in the narrow places.
4 The roads to Zion mourn, for no one comes to the appointed festivals.
All her gates are desolate;
her priests groan, her virgins grieve, and she is in bitter distress.
5 Her foes have become her masters;
her enemies prosper, for the LORD has afflicted her because of her many transgressions.
Her little ones have gone into captivity before the foe.
6 All her splendor has departed from daughter Zion.
Her officials have become like deer that find no pasture;
they go without strength before the pursuer.
7 In the days of her affliction and wandering, Jerusalem remembers all the precious things she had in the days of old.
When her people fell into the enemy’s hand, no one helped her.
Her foes saw her and mocked her downfall.
8 Jerusalem has sinned grievously;
therefore she has become unclean.
All who honored her despise her, for they have seen her nakedness.
She herself groans and turns away.
9 Her uncleanness is on her skirts;
she did not consider her end.
Her downfall was astonishing, and she has no one to comfort her.
“Look, LORD, at my affliction, for the enemy has exalted himself!”
10 The foe has stretched out his hand over all her precious things.
She has seen nations enter her sanctuary, those whom you commanded not to enter your assembly.
11 All her people groan as they seek bread.
They trade their precious things for food to keep themselves alive.
“Look, LORD, and see, for I have become despised.
12 Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?
Look and see if there is any pain like my pain, which was inflicted on me, with which the LORD afflicted me on the day of his burning anger.
13 From on high he sent fire into my bones, and it overpowered them.
He spread a net for my feet and turned me back.
He made me desolate, faint all day long.
14 The yoke of my transgressions was bound by his hand.
They are woven together and have come upon my neck.
He has made my strength fail.
The Lord has given me into hands I cannot withstand.
15 The Lord has rejected all my warriors in my midst.
He has called an assembly against me to crush my young men.
The Lord has trodden virgin daughter Judah in a winepress.
16 For these things I weep.
My eye, my eye pours out tears, for a comforter who would restore my soul is far from me.
My children are desolate, for the enemy has prevailed.”
17 Zion stretches out her hands, but she has no one to comfort her.
The LORD has commanded that Jacob’s neighbors be his foes.
Jerusalem has become unclean among them.
18 “The LORD is righteous, for I have rebelled against his word.
Please listen, all you peoples, and see my pain.
My virgins and young men have gone into captivity.
19 I called to my lovers, but they deceived me.
My priests and elders perished in the city as they sought food to keep themselves alive.
20 Look, LORD, for I am in distress.
My inward parts churn;
my heart turns over within me, for I have rebelled grievously.
Outside the sword bereaves me;
inside the house it is like death.
21 They have heard that I groan, but I have no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my disaster;
they rejoice that you have done it.
You have brought the day you proclaimed;
may they become like me!
22 Let all their evil come before you.
Deal with them as you have dealt with me for all my transgressions, for my groans are many and my heart is faint.”