[1] How does the city sit 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 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 Yahweh has afflicted her for the multitude of her
transgressions: Her young children are gone into captivity before the
adversary. [6] From the daughter of Zion all her majesty is departed: Her
princes are become like harts that find no pasture, 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 who honored 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 is she come down wonderfully; she has no comforter: See, Yahweh,
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 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: Look, Yahweh, and see; for I am become abject. [12] Is it
nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look, and see if there be any sorrow
like my sorrow, which is brought on me, With which Yahweh 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 on 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 winepress the virgin
daughter of Judah. [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 forth her hands; there is none to comfort her; Yahweh has commanded
concerning Jacob, that those who are round about him should be his
adversaries: Jerusalem is among them as an unclean thing. [18] Yahweh is
righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: Please hear all you
peoples, and see 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 my elders gave up the spirit in the city, While they sought them food
to refresh their souls. [20] See, Yahweh; 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 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 shall 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.
