Lamentations Chapter 1

1 : 1 How the city sits solitary, that was full of people! She has become as a widow, who was great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become tributary!

1 : 2 She weeps bitterly in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks. Among all her loved ones she has none to comfort her. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they have become her enemies.

1 : 3 Judah has gone into captivity because of affliction. And because of great servitude she dwells among the nations. She finds no rest. All her persecutors overtook her in the distress.

1 : 4 The ways of Zion mourn, because none come to the solemn assembly. All her gates are desolate. Her priests sigh. Her virgins are afflicted, and she herself is in bitterness.

1 : 5 Her adversaries have become the head. Her enemies prosper. For Jehovah has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions. Her young sons have gone into captivity before the adversary.

1 : 6 And from the daughter of Zion all her majesty is departed. Her rulers have become like harts that find no pasture. And they have gone without strength before the pursuer.

1 : 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 none helped her, the adversaries saw her; they mocked at her desolations.

1 : 8 Jerusalem has grievously sinned, therefore she has become as an unclean thing. All who honored her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness. Yea, she sighs, and turns backward.

1 : 9 Her filthiness was in her skirts. She did not think of her latter end. Therefore she has come down astonishingly. She has no comforter. Behold, O Jehovah, my affliction, for the enemy has magnified himself.

1 : 10 The adversary has spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things. For she has seen that the nations have entered into her sanctuary, concerning whom thou commanded that they should not enter into thine assembly.

1 : 11 All her people sigh. They seek bread. They have given their pleasant things for food to refresh the soul. See, O Jehovah, and, behold, for I have become abject.

1 : 12 Is it nothing to you, all ye who pass by? Behold, and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which is brought upon me. Therewith Jehovah has afflicted in the day of his fierce anger.

1 : 13 From on high he has 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 faint all the day.

1 : 14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand. They are knit together. They have come up upon my neck. He has made my strength to fail. The Lord has delivered me into their hands, against whom I am not able to stand.

1 : 15 The Lord has trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of 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 winepress.

1 : 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 sons are desolate, because the enemy has prevailed.

1 : 17 Zion spreads forth her hands. There is none to comfort her. Jehovah has commanded concerning Jacob, that those who are round about him should be his adversaries. Jerusalem is among them as an unclean thing.

1 : 18 Jehovah is righteous, for I have rebelled against his commandment. Hear, I pray you, all ye peoples, and behold my sorrow. My virgins and my young men have gone into captivity.

1 : 19 I called for my loved ones, 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.

1 : 20 Behold, O Jehovah, for I am in distress. My heart is troubled. My heart is turned within me. For I have grievously rebelled. Abroad the sword bereaves; at home there is as death.

1 : 21 They have heard that I sigh. There is none to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble. They are glad that thou have done it. Thou will bring the day that thou have proclaimed, and they shall be like me.

1 : 22 Let all their wickedness come before thee, and do to them, as thou have done to me for all my transgressions. For my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.