Lamentations
א
1 How is seated alone the city that abounded with people, Hath become as a widow,—She who abounded among the nations Was a princess among provinces, Hath come under tribute.
ב
2 She weepeth sore in the night and her tear is on her cheek, She hath none to comfort her of all her lovers,—All her friends have betrayed her, Have become her foes.
ג
3 Carried away captive is Judah—Because of oppression and Because of great servitude, She hath remained among the nations, Hath found no place of rest,—All her pursuers have overtaken her between straits.
ד
4 The ways to Zion are mourning Because none come to her appointed feasts, All her gates are desolate, Her priests are sighing,—Her virgins are grieved And she it is bitter for her.
ה
5 Her adversaries have become chief, Her foes are at ease, For Yahweh hath grieved her because of the multitude of her transgressions,—Her children have gone into captivity before the adversary.
ו
6 Thus hath gone forth from the daughter of Zion, All that adorned her,—Her princes have become like harts that have found no pasture, And have gone strengthless before the pursuer.
ז
7 Jerusalem hath remembered In the days of her humiliation and her fleeings—All her precious things which have existed from the days of old,—Now that her people have been falling into the hand of the adversary with none to help her The adversaries have seen her, have mocked over her sabbath-keepings.
ח
8 Jerusalem hath grievously sinned, For this cause unto exile hath she been delivered,—All who used to honour her have despised her for they have descried her unseemliness, Yea she herself hath sighed and turned back.
ט
9 Her impurity is in her skirts, She hath not remembered her hereafter, Therefore hath she come down wonderfully None to comfort her,—Behold, O Yahweh, my humiliation, That the foe hath made himself great.
י
10 His hand hath the adversary spread out, over all her precious things,—For she saw that the nations entered her sanctuary, As to whom thou didst command they should not enter—in the convocation—unto thee!
כ
11 All her people are sighing, seeking bread, They have given their precious things for food to bring back life,—Behold, O Yahweh, and discern, that I have become worthless.
ל
12 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Look around and see, whether there is pain like my pain which is severely dealt out to me,—In that Yahweh hath caused grief, in the day of the glow of his anger?
מ
13 From on high sent he fire, among my bones and laid them prostrate,—He spread out a net for my feet, he made me turn back, He made me desolate, all the day faint.
נ
14 The yoke of my transgressions hath been bound by his hand—They have intertwined themselves, have come up on my neck, it hath paralysed my strength,—My Lord hath delivered me into the hands of those against whom I cannot rise up.
ס
15 My Lord hath flouted at all my magnates in my midst, He hath called against me a host to crush my young men,—A winepress hath My Lord trodden, to the virgin, the daughter of Judah.
ע
16 For these things am I weeping, Mine eye, mine eye is running down with waters, For far from me is any who could comfort, could bring back my life,—My sons are amazed, for strong is the foe.
פ
17 Zion hath spread forth her hands, there is none to comfort her, Yahweh hath given command respecting Jacob unto them who surround him—his adversaries,—Jerusalem hath become as a removed woman in their midst.
צ
18 Righteous is Yahweh for against his bidding had I rebelled,—Hear, I pray you, all ye peoples, and see my pain, My virgins and my young men have gone into exile.
ק
19 I called to my lovers, they deceived me, My priests and mine elders in the city have breathed their last,—For they sought them food, that they might bring back their life.
ר
20 See, O Yahweh, that I am in distress, Mine inward parts are in ferment, My heart is turned within me, For I have obstinately rebelled,—Without bereaveth the sword, Within is like death!
ש
21 They have heard—that sighing am I [and am saying]—There is none to comfort me, All my foes—having heard of my calamity—have rejoiced Because thou hast done it,—Thou hast brought in the day thou didst proclaim, So let them become like me.
ת
22 Let all their wickedness come in before thee And deal thou severely with them, According as thou hast dealt severely with me for all my transgressions; For many are my sighs and my heart is sick.