Lamentations 1

1How the city that abounded in people sits desolate! She has become like a widow, great among the nations, princess among the provinces; she has become a forced laborer.

2She cries bitterly through the night, tears streaming down her cheeks, yet none among all her lovers consoles her; all her companions have betrayed her, becoming her enemies.

3Judah has gone into exile because of affliction and great bondage; she dwells among the nations, she finds no rest—all her pursuers overtook her in the midst of the straits.

4Zion's roads mourn for lack of those coming to the appointed feasts; all her gates lie desolate, her priests groan, her virgins grieve, and she herself is bitter.

5Her adversaries have become chief, her enemies dwell securely, for Yahweh has grieved her because of the abundance of her transgressions; her young children have gone into captivity before the adversary.

6All her majesty departed from the daughter of Zion; her princes became like deer that found no pasture, and they went without strength before the pursuer.

7Jerusalem recalled, amid days of her affliction and miseries, all her desirable treasures from ancient days that once were hers, when her people fell into the adversary's hand with no helper for her; her adversaries beheld her and derided her desolations.

8Jerusalem committed grave sin, so she became an outcast; all who esteemed her now scorn her because they saw her nakedness—yes, she groans and turns backward.

9Her uncleanness stained her skirts; she did not remember her end and sank astonishingly; no one consoles her. See, Yahweh, my distress, for the foe has exalted himself.

10The adversary spread his hand over all her treasures, for she saw nations enter her sanctuary—those you commanded not to enter your assembly.

11All her people groan, begging for bread; they have given their treasures and delights for food to restore the soul. See, Yahweh, and look, for I have become despised.

12Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by the road? Look and see if there is sorrow like my sorrow, which he inflicted on me, which Yahweh brought about in the day of the heat of his anger.

13From the heights he sent fire into my bones, and it overpowered them; he spread a net for my feet, turned me backward; he consigned me to desolation and languishing all day.

14The yoke of my transgressions he bound by his hand; they entwined and mounted my neck, enfeebling my strength. The Lord delivered me into their hands, against whom I cannot rise.

15My Lord has disdained all my valiant men within me; he has summoned an assembly against me to shatter my young warriors. My Lord has trampled the virgin daughter of Judah in the winepress.

16For these things I weep; my eyes, my eyes pour down tears, because the comforter who restores my soul is far from me; my children sit desolate, since the enemy has prevailed.

17Zion spreads out her hands, yet no one comforts her. Yahweh has commanded concerning Jacob that his adversaries surround him. Jerusalem has become an impurity among them.

18Yahweh is righteous, for I rebelled against his command. All peoples, please hear and see my sorrow: my virgins and my young men have gone into captivity.

19I called to my lovers, but they betrayed me; my priests and elders breathed their last in the city while seeking food to revive their lives.

20See, Yahweh, for distress besets me; my bowels seethe, my heart overturns within me, for bitterly I have rebelled. Outside the sword bereaves; in the house it is like death.

21They have heard that I groan; no one comforts me. All my enemies have heard my disaster and rejoice because you have done it. You bring the day you have called, and they will be like me.

22Let all their evil come before you; deal with them as you have dealt with me for all my rebellions, for my groans are many and my heart is faint.