The city once full of people3
now sits all alone!4
She who was once prominent5 among the nations
has become a widow!6
The princess7 who once ruled over the provinces8
has become9 a forced laborer!10
b (Bet)
1:2 She weeps bitterly at night;
tears stream down her cheeks.11
There is no one to comfort her
among all her former lovers.12
All her friends have dealt treacherously with her;
they have become her enemies.
g (Gimel)
1:3 The people of Judah13 have gone into exile under14 affliction
and under15 harsh oppression.16
They17 now live in other nations,
but find no rest.
All who pursued them18 have overtaken them
d (Dalet)
1:4 The roads leading to Zion21 are in mourning,22
because no one23 travels down their paths24 to celebrate25 the festivals.26
All her city gates27 are deserted;28
her priests groan in grief.29
Her virgins are filled with sorrow;30
Jerusalem31 is in bitter anguish!32
h (He)
1:5 Her foes subjugated her;33
her enemies plundered34 her possessions.35
For the Lord afflicted her
because of her many acts of rebellion.36
Her children were driven away37
as prisoners38 before the enemy.
w (Vav)
1:6 Everything in which she had gloried39
has been taken away40 from41 Zion.42
Her leaders were like deer
who could not find any hiding place;43
they were too exhausted to flee44
from the hunter.45
z (Zayin)
when47 she became a poor homeless person,48
all the treasures—possessions that
belonged to her in days of old.49
When her people fell into the grasp50 of the enemy,
none of her allies came to her rescue.51
Her enemies52 gloat over53 her;
they laughed contemptuously54 at her downfall.55
j (Khet)
1:8 Jerusalem has committed heinous sin;56
therefore, she has become an object of scorn.57
All who once respected her now despise her,58
because they have seen her nakedness.59
She herself groans aloud60
and turns away in shame.61
f (Tet)
1:9 Her menstrual filth62 has soiled63 her own clothing;64
she did not consider65 the consequences of her sin.66
Her demise67 occurred in an astonishing way,68
and there was no one to comfort her.
She cried,69 “Look, O Lord, on my70 affliction,
because my71 enemy boasts!”
y (Yod)
all her valuable possessions.73
She watched in horror74 as Gentiles invaded her holy temple,75
whom you had forbidden:
“They may not enter your assembly place.”76
k (Kaf)
1:11 All her former inhabitants77 groan
as they search for a morsel of bread.78
They are forced to sell79 their prized possessions80
just to purchase81 enough food
to keep themselves alive.82
Jerusalem Speaks:
Look, O Lord!
Consider that I have become worthless!
l (Lamed)
1:12 O you who pass by on the road,
is it nothing to you?
Consider and see:
Is there any pain like my pain?
The Lord83 brought it on me;
he84 inflicted it on me when85 he burned with anger.86
m (Mem)
1:13 He sent down87 fierce88 fire into my bones,
and it prevailed89 against them.
He stretched a trapper’s net90 to ensnare91 my feet;
he made me turn back.
He made me desolate,
sick all day long.
n (Nun)
1:14 My sins are bound around my neck like a yoke,92
they are lashed tight together93 by his hand.
He has placed his yoke94 on my neck;95
he has made me weak.96
The Lord97 has handed me over98
to those whom I am powerless to resist.
s (Samek)
1:15 The Lord has hurled99 all my valiant warriors
out of100 my midst.
He summoned a legal assembly101 against me
to crush my young warriors.
As in a wine press,102 the Lord has trampled down
the virgin daughter of Judah.103
u (Ayin)
1:16 I weep on account of these things;
my eyes104 flow with tears.105
For there is no one to comfort me anywhere near,106
no one who could encourage me.107
My inhabitants108 are desolated109
because the enemy has prevailed.
The Prophet Speaks:
p (Pe)
1:17 Zion spread out her hands,
but there is no one to comfort her.
The Lord has issued a decree against Jacob:
The nations that surround him110 will become his enemies.
They treat Jerusalem111
like filthy garbage112 in their midst.113
Jerusalem Speaks:
x (Tsade)
1:18 The Lord is right to judge me!114
For I rebelled against his commands.115
Listen, all you peoples,116
and behold my suffering!
My young men and women
have been taken prisoner into exile.117
q (Qof)
1:19 I called for my lovers,118
but they deceived me.
My priests and my elders died of hunger in the city,
while119 searching for food that120 might have kept them121 alive.122
r (Resh)
1:20 Look, O Lord, because I am in distress,123
my stomach is in knots!124
My heart is turning over125 inside me,
because I know how terribly rebellious I had been!126
In the street the sword bereaves a mother of her children;127
the rest die of hunger inside their homes.128
? (Sin/Shin)
1:21 They have heard129 that I groan,
yet there is no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my trouble;
they are glad that you130 have brought it about.131
May you bring about132 the time of judgment133 that you promised,134
so that135 they may be judged136 like me!
t (Tav)
1:22 Let all their wickedness come before you;
may you deal with them
just as you have dealt with me,137
because of all my acts of rebellion.138
For my groans are many,
and my heart is full of sorrow.139
The Prophet Speaks:
a (Alef)