Lam 1
1
How does the city sit solitary, that was full of people! She is become as a widow,
that was great among the nations! She that was a princess among the provinces is become
tributary!
2
She weeps sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; Among all her
lovers she has none to comfort her: All her friends have dealt treacherously with
her; they are become her enemies.
3
Judah is 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
within the straits.
4
The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn assembly; All her
gates are desolate, her priests do sigh: Her virgins are afflicted, and she herself
is in bitterness.
5
Her adversaries are become the head, her enemies prosper; For YHWH has afflicted her
for the multitude of her transgressions: Her young children are gone into captivity
before the adversary.
6
And from the daughter of Zion all her majesty is departed: Her princes are become
like harts that find no pasture, And they are 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 none did help her, The adversaries saw her, they
did mock at her desolations.
8
Jerusalem has grievously sinned; therefore she is become as an unclean thing;
All that honored her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: Yea,
she sighs, and turns backward.
9
Her filthiness was in her skirts; she remembered not her latter end; Therefore
is she come down wonderfully; she has no comforter: Behold, O YHWH, my affliction;
for the enemy has magnified himself.
10
The adversary has spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: For she
has seen that the nations are entered into her sanctuary, Concerning whom you
did command 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 the soul: See, O YHWH, and behold; for I am become abject.
12
Is it nothing to you, all you that pass by? Behold, and see if there be any sorrow
like to my sorrow, which is brought upon me, Wherewith YHWH 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 faint
all the day.
14
The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand; They are knit together, they are
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.
15
The Lord has set at nothing 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 as
in a wine press the virgin daughter of Judah.
16
For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runs down with water; Because the
comforter that should refresh my soul is far from me: My children are desolate, because
the enemy has prevailed.
17
Zion spreads forth her hands; there is none to comfort her; YHWH has commanded
concerning Jacob, that they that are round about him should be his adversaries:
Jerusalem is among them as an unclean thing.
18
YHWH is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: Hear, I pray
you, all you peoples, and behold my sorrow: My virgins and my young men are gone into
captivity.
19
I called for my lovers, [but] they deceived me: My priests and mine elders gave up
the ghost in the city, While they sought them food to refresh their souls.
20
Behold, O YHWH; 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.
21
They have heard that I sigh; there is none to comfort me; All mine 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 shall be like to me.
22
Let all their wickedness come before you; And do to them, as you have done to me for
all my transgressions: For my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.