Chapter 1
1 How the city sits solitary, that was full of people ! She has become as a widow, who was great amongst the nations ! She who was a princess amongst the provinces has become a slave!
2 She weeps bitterly in the night . Her tears are on her cheeks . Amongst all her lovers she has no one to comfort her . All her friends have dealt treacherously with her . They have become her enemies.
3 Judah has gone into captivity because of affliction and because of great servitude . She dwells amongst the nations . She finds no rest . All her persecutors overtook her in her distress .
4 The roads to Zion mourn, because no one comes to the solemn assembly . All her gates are desolate . Her priests sigh. Her virgins are afflicted , and she herself is in bitterness .
5 Her adversaries have become the head . Her enemies prosper ; for the LORD ", usually pronounced Yahweh). has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions . Her young children have gone into captivity before the adversary .
6 All majesty has departed from the daughter of Zion. Her princes have become like deer that find no pasture . They have gone without strength before the pursuer .
7 Jerusalem remembers in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that were from the days of old ; when her people fell into the hand of the adversary , and no one helped her . The adversaries saw her . They mocked at her desolations.
8 Jerusalem has grievously sinned . Therefore she has become unclean . All who honoured her despise her , because they have seen her nakedness . Yes , she sighs and turns backward.
9 Her filthiness was in her skirts . She didn’t remember her latter end. Therefore she has come down astoundingly. She has no comforter . " See , LORD , my affliction ; for the enemy has magnified himself ."
10 The adversary has spread out his hand on all her pleasant things ; for she has seen that the nations have entered into her sanctuary , concerning whom you commanded that they should not enter into your assembly .
11 All her people sigh. They seek bread . They have given their pleasant things for food to refresh their soul . " 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 sorrow like my sorrow , which is brought on me , with which the LORD has afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger .
13 " From on high has he sent fire into my bones , and it prevails against them . He has spread a net for my feet . He has turned me back . He has made me desolate and I faint all day long .
14 " The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand . They are knit together . They have come up on my neck . He made my strength fail . The Lord has delivered me into their hands , against whom I am not able to stand .
15 " The Lord has set at nothing all my mighty men within me . He has called a solemn assembly against me to crush my young men . The Lord has trodden the virgin daughter of Judah as in a wine press .
16 " For these things I weep . My eye , my eye runs down with water , because the comforter who should refresh my soul is far from me . My children are desolate , because the enemy has prevailed ."
17 Zion spreads out her hands . There is no one to comfort her . The LORD has commanded concerning Jacob , that those who are around him should be his adversaries . Jerusalem is amongst them as an unclean thing .
18 " The LORD is righteous , for I have rebelled against his commandment . Please hear all you peoples , and see my sorrow . My virgins and my young men have gone into captivity .
19 " I called for my lovers, but they deceived me . My priests and my elders gave up the spirit in the city , while they sought food for themselves to refresh their souls .
20 " Look , LORD ; for I am in distress . My heart is troubled . My heart turns over within me , for I have grievously rebelled . Abroad , the sword bereaves. At home , it is like death .
21 " They have heard that I sigh. There is no one to comfort me . All my enemies have heard of my trouble . They are glad that you have done it . You will bring the day that you have proclaimed , and they will be like me .
22 "Let all their wickedness come before you . Do to them as you have done to me for all my transgressions . For my sighs are many , and my heart is faint .