1

1 She sits alone. She was a town full of people! Once great among the nations she has become like a widow! She who was a princess among the countries has come under the yoke of forced labor!

2 She weeps bitterly in the night. Her cheeks are wet from crying. Her lovers offer no comfort. Her friends have been false to her. They have become her enemies.

3 Judah has been taken away as a prisoner because of trouble and hard work. She dwells among the nations. There is no rest for her. Her attackers have overtaken her in the midst of her distress.

4 The roads to Zion are sad. No one comes to the holy meeting. All her doorways are desolate. Her priests are sighing out of sorrow. Her virgins are troubled, and it is bitter for her.

5 Her enemies are at ease and her foes have become her masters. Jehovah sends her sorrow because of the great number of her sins. Young children have gone away as prisoners before the attacker.

6 Glory has gone from the daughter of Zion! Her rulers are like stags with no place to eat. They flee without strength from their attacker.

7 Jerusalem remembers in her days of sorrow and of her wanderings, all the desired things that were hers in the past. When her people were captive to the power of her adversary she had no helper. Her attackers desired her and made fun of her in her destruction.

8 Great is the sin of Jerusalem! For this cause she has become an unclean thing. Those who gave her honor are looking down on her. They see her shame. Now truly, sighing out grief, she turns back.

9 In her skirts were her unclean ways. She did not think of the future. Her fall has been a wonder. She has no comforter: »See her sorrow, O Jehovah, for the enemy is lifted up.«

10 The hand of her enemies is stretched out over all her desired things. She sees the nations come into her holy place. Whom you gave orders that they were not to come into the meeting of your people.

11 Her people are sighing and looking for bread. They have given their desired things for something to eat to give them life. »See, O Jehovah, and take note. She has become a thing of shame.«

12 »Come to me all you who go by, keep your eyes on me! See if there is any pain like the pain of my wound. For Jehovah has sent it to me in the day of his burning anger.

13 »He sends fire into my bones from on high. It overcomes them. His net is stretched out for my feet. He turns me back. He made me waste and feeble all the day.

14 »He keeps watch on my sins. They are joined together by his hand, they have come on to my neck; he makes my strength give way. Jehovah gives me into the hands of those against whom I have no power.

15 »Jehovah makes fun of my men of war. He gathers men against me to send destruction on my young men. The virgin daughter of Judah has been crushed like grapes under the feet of Jehovah.

16 »For these things I weep. My eye streams with water because the comforter who might give me new life is far from me. My children are desolate because the enemy is strong.«

17 Zion’s hands are outstretched. She has no comforter. Jehovah gave orders to the attackers of Jacob round about him: Jerusalem is an unclean abhorrent thing among them.

18 »Jehovah is upright. I have rebelled against him. Listen all you people and see my pain. My virgins and my young men are taken away as prisoners.

19 »I sent for my lovers, but they were false to me. My priests and my responsible men are dying. They look for food to give them new life.

20 »See, O Jehovah, I am in trouble. The inmost parts of my body are deeply moved. My heart is turned in me for I have been rebellious. Outside the children are put to the sword, and in the house there is death.

21 Listen to the voice of my grief. I have no comforter. All my enemies have news of my troubles. They are glad because you did it. Let the day come when they will be like me.

22 »Let all their badness come before you. Do to them as you have done to me for all my sins: for loud is the sound of my grief, and the strength of my heart is gone.«

2

1 In his anger Jehovah covered Zion with clouds of darkness. He changed its heavenly splendor into ruins. On the day of his anger he abandoned even his footstool.

2 Without mercy Jehovah destroyed every village in Judah. He tore down the forts that defended the land. He brought disgrace on the kingdom and its rulers.

3 In his burning anger he cut down every horn strength power of Israel. He turned his right hand back from before the enemy. He has put a fire in Jacob devouring and destroying all around.

4 He bends his bow for the attack. He takes his place with his hand ready. In his hate he puts to death all those pleasing to the eye in the tent of the daughter of Zion. He poured out his rage just like fire.

5 Jehovah has become like an enemy fighting against her, sending destruction on Israel. He has sent destruction on all her great houses, turning his strong places into waste. He increases the grief and the sorrow of the daughter of Judah.

6 He violently takes away his tent, as from a garden. And he lays waste his meeting-place. Jehovah has taken away the memory of feast and Sabbath in Zion. In the passion of his wrath he is against king and priest.

7 Jehovah rejected his altar and disowned his holy place. He gave up into the hands of the attacker the walls of her great houses. Their voices have been loud in the house of Jehovah as in the day of a holy meeting.

8 It is Jehovah’s purpose to turn the wall of the daughter of Zion into waste. His line has been stretched out. He has not kept back his hand from destruction. He has sent sorrow on tower and wall. They have become feeble together.

9 Her gates have gone down into the earth. He destroyed her locks and bars. Her king and her princes are among the nations where there is no law. Her prophets have had no vision from Jehovah.

10 The elders of the daughter of Zion are seated on the earth and keep silent. They throw dust on their heads. They are clothed in sackcloth. The heads of the virgins of Jerusalem are brought down to the earth.

11 My eyes fail from weeping. I am in torment. My heart is pulled out of me to the ground because my people are destroyed. Because of the young children and babies at the breast who are falling without strength in the open squares of the town.

12 They say to their mothers: »Where is grain and wine?« When they are falling like the wounded in the open squares of the town. Their life is drained out while on their mother’s breast.

13 What example am I to give you? What comparison am I to make for you, O daughter of Jerusalem? What am I to make equal to you, so that I may give you comfort, O virgin daughter of Zion? Your destruction is great like the sea. Who is able to make you well?

14 The visions your prophets have seen for you are false and foolish! They have not made you fully aware of your sin so your fate might be changed. They have seen for you false words, driving you away.

15 All who go by make a noise with their hands at you. They make hisses, shaking their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem. They say: »Is this the town that was the crown of everything beautiful, the joy of all the earth?«

16 All your enemies are opening their mouths wide against you. They hiss and whistle through their teeth and say: »We have made a meal of her. Certainly this is the day we have been looking for. It has come and we see it.«

17 Jehovah accomplished his purpose. He accomplished what he said he would with the orders he gave in the days that are past. He tore down and shows no compassion. He causes your enemies to rejoice. He lifted up the horn power of your adversaries.

18 Let your cry go up to Jehovah: »O wall of the daughter of Zion let your weeping be flowing down like a stream day and night. Give yourself no rest. Do not let your eyes hold back the drops of sorrow.

19 »Rise up! Cry out in the night at the beginning of the night watches. Let your heart be flowing out like water before the face of Jehovah. Lift up your hands to him for the life of your young children who are falling down starving in every street.«

20 Look, O Jehovah! Why are you punishing us like this? Women are eating the bodies of the children they loved! Priests and prophets are killed in the Temple!

21 Both young and old lie dead in the streets. Enemy swords kill young men and women. You slaughtered them without mercy on the day of your anger.

22 You invited my enemies to hold a festival of terror all around me. No one could escape on that day of your anger. They murdered my children, whom I had raised and loved.

3

1 I am the man who has seen trouble by the rod of his fury.

2 By him I have been made to go in the dark and not in the light.

3 Truly against me his hand has been turned again and again all day long.

4 My flesh and my skin have been used up by him and my bones broken.

5 He built a wall against me, shutting me in with hardship and bitter sorrow.

6 He kept me in dark places, like those who have been dead a long time.

7 He built a wall around me so that I am unable to go out. He made a heavy chain for me.

8 Even when I send up a cry for help, he shuts out my prayer.

9 He blocked my way with cut stones. He twisted my roadways.

10 He is like a bear waiting for me, like a lion in secret places.

11 He has turned me on one side. I have been pulled to bits and lay desolate.

12 With his bow bent, he made me the target for his arrows.

13 He has let fly his arrows into the inmost parts of my body.

14 I have become the laughingstock of all the peoples. I am their mocking song all the day.

15 He has made my life nothing but pain. He gives me bitterness in full measure.

16 He broke my teeth with crushed stones. I am bent low in the dust.

17 Peace has been removed far away from me. I do not remember what good is.

18 I said: »My strength is cut off, and my hope from Jehovah.«

19 Remember my trouble and my wandering, the bitterroot and the poison.

20 Remember and bow bend come down to my level down deep within me.

21 I remember this and I have hope.

22 We have not come to destruction because of Jehovah’s loving kindness. His mercies are without end.

23 They are new every morning. Your faithfulness is abundant.

24 I said to myself, »Jehovah is my heritage. For this reason I will hope in him.«

25 Jehovah is good to those who are waiting for him, to the person seeking him.

26 It is good to go on hoping and quietly waiting for the salvation of Jehovah.

27 It is good for a man to carry the yoke when he is young.

28 Let him sit by himself and keep silent because he has laid it on him.

29 Let him put his mouth in the dust for perhaps there exists hope.

30 Let his face be turned to him who gives him blows; let him be full of shame.

31 Jehovah does not give a man up for a very long time.

32 For though he sends grief, still he will have pity in the full measure of his love.

33 He takes no pleasure in troubling and causing grief to the children of men, it is not within his heart.

34 A man crushes under his feet all the prisoners of the earth.

35 He turns away the judgment of a man before the face of the Most High.

36 Jehovah would not seek to deprive a man of justice.

37 Who is able to say something should occur if Jehovah has not ordered it.

38 Do not calamities and good things come from the mouth of the Most High?

39 What protest may a living man make? Can a man protest about the punishment for his sin?

40 Let us search and put our ways to the test. Let us turn again to Jehovah.

41 Let us lift up our hearts along with our hands to God in heaven.

42 For we have done wrong. We have rebelled against your law. We have not received your forgiveness.

43 You blocked our approach to you with anger. You have slain us without compassion.

44 You covered yourself with a cloud, so that prayer may not pass through.

45 You made us like waste and that for which there is no use, among the peoples.

46 The mouths of all our enemies are open wide against us.

47 Fear and deep waters have come on us with devastation and destruction.

48 Rivers of water run down from my eyes because pf the destruction of the daughter of my people.

49 My eyes stream without stopping. They have no rest.

50 Jehovah looks down and sees from heaven.

51 My eyes bring me pain because of all the daughters of my town.

52 My enemies hunt for me just as if I was a bird.

53 They sentence my life to prison and keep hurling stones at me.

54 Waters were flowing over my head; I said: »I am cut off.«

55 I called out your name in prayer, O Jehovah, out of the lowest prison.

56 My voice came to you, »Do not shut your ear to my relief, to my cry!«

57 You came near in the day when I offered my prayer to you. You said: »Have no fear.«

58 O Jehovah, you have taken up my cause. You made my life safe.

59 O Jehovah, you saw the wrong done to me. Do conduct the judgment for me!

60 You saw all the evil they did to me and all their designs against me.

61 Their bitter words have come to your ears, O Jehovah, and all their designs against me.

62 You saw the lips of those who came up against me, and their thoughts against me all the day.

63 Take note of them when they are seated and when they get up. I am their mockery of song.

64 You will give them their reward, O Jehovah. Answer the work of their hands.

65 You will cover their hearts with your curse on them.

66 You will go after them in anger and annihilate them from under the heavens of Jehovah.

4

1 How dark the gold has become! How changed is the best gold! The stones of the holy place are dropping out at the top of every street.

2 The valued sons of Zion are valued like the best gold. They are looked on as vessels of earth, the work of the hands of the potter!

3 Even the jackals of the wasteland have full breasts and give milk to their young ones. The daughter of my people has become cruel like the ostriches in the wasteland.

4 The tongue of the child at the breast is fixed to the roof of his mouth for need of drink. The young children cry out for bread, and no man gives it to them.

5 Those used to feasting on delicate food are wasted in the streets. Those who as children were dressed in purple are stretched out on the dust.

6 The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overturned suddenly without a hand lifted to help her.

7 Her holy ones were cleaner than snow. They were whiter than milk. Their bodies were redder than corals. Their form was like the sapphire.

8 Their face is blacker than night. In the streets no one has knowledge of them. Their skin is hanging on their bones, and they are dry, they have become like wood.

9 Those killed by the sword are better off than those who died of starvation. For these die slowly and waste away from lack of food from the field.

10 The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children. They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

11 Jehovah has given full vent to his rage. He has poured out his burning anger. He set a fire in Zion causing the destruction of its foundation.

12 To the kings of the earth and to all the people of the world it did not seem possible that the attackers and the enemy would enter the gates of Jerusalem.

13 It is because of the sins of her prophets and the evil doing of her priests. They have drained the blood of the upright out from her.

14 They are wandering like blind men in the streets. They are polluted with blood. Men may not touch their robes.

15 »Get away! Unclean!« They were cried out to them, »Away! Away! Let no one touch.« They went away in flight and wandering, men said among the nations, »There is no further resting-place for them.«

16 Jehovah has sent them in all directions. He will no longer take care of them. They had no respect for the priests and gave no honor to the elders.

17 Our eyes are still wasting away in looking for our false help. We watch for a nation unable to give salvation.

18 They go after our steps so that we may not go in our streets. Our end is near. Our days are numbered. Our end has come.

19 Those who went after us were quicker than the eagles of the heaven. They drive us before them on the mountains. They wait secretly for us in the wasteland.

20 The breath of our nostrils, Jehovah’s anointed have been captured in their pits.« We said, »Under the shadow we live among the nations.«

21 Have joy and be glad, O daughter of Edom, living in the land of Uz. The cup will be given to you in your turn, and you will be overcome with wine and your shame will be seen.

22 The punishment of your evil doing is complete, O daughter of Zion; never again will he take you away as a prisoner. He has turned his attention to your error, O daughter of Edom. He has uncovered your sin.

5

1 Keep in mind, O Jehovah, what has come to us. Take note and see our shame.

2 Our heritage is turned over to men of strange lands, our houses to those who are not our countrymen.

3 We are children without fathers. Our mothers are like widows.

4 We give money for a drink of water. We get our wood for a price.

5 Our attackers are on our necks. We are overcome with weariness and we have no rest.

6 We have given our hands to the Egyptians and to the Assyrians so that we might have enough bread.

7 Our fathers were sinners and are dead. The weight of their evil deeds is on us.

8 Servants rule over us, and there is no one to free us from their hands.

9 We risk our lives to get food, because of the sword of the wasteland.

10 Our skin is heated like an oven because of our burning heat from the need of food.

11 They took by force the women in Zion, the virgins in the towns of Judah.

12 They put princes to death by hanging. The elders are not honored.

13 The young men crushed the grain, and the boys fell under the wood.

14 The old men are no longer seated in the doorway. The music of the young men has come to an end.

15 The joy of our hearts has ended; our dancing is changed into sorrow.

16 The crown has been taken from our head. Sorrow is ours, for we are sinners.

17 Because of this our hearts are feeble. For these things our eyes are dark.

18 The mountain of Zion is a waste. So jackals go there.

19 You, O Jehovah, are seated as King forever. The seat of your power is eternal.

20 Why have we gone from your memory forever? Why have you turned away from us for so long?

21 Make us come back to you, O Jehovah, and let us be restored. Make our days new again as in the past.

22 But you have rejected us. You are full of wrath against us!