Lamentations
Chapter 1 of 5
1Aleph. How lonely sits the city that was once full of people! She who ruled over nations has become a widow. She who ruled over provinces has been put to forced labor. 2Beth. She weeps bitterly in the night, and tears run down her cheeks. Among all who love her she has no one to comfort her. All her friends have turned against her and become her enemies. 3Gimel. Judah has gone into exile in her affliction and her heavy servitude. She lives among the nations and finds no rest. All who pursued her overtook her in the midst of her distress. 4Daleth. The roads to Zion mourn, for no one comes to the festivals. All her gates are ruined. Her priests weep, her young women have been carried off, and she herself is in bitterness. 5He. Those who afflicted her have become her masters, and her enemies rejoice, for the LORD has humbled her for her many sins. Her little children have been led away captive before those who afflict her. 6Waw. All her splendor has been stripped from the daughter of Zion. Her princes have become like deer that find no pasture, and they have gone on, without strength, before those who drove them. 7Zayin. In the days of her affliction Jerusalem remembers all the precious things she had in former times, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy and no one helped her. Her enemies saw her where she had been exiled, and they laughed at her. 8Heth. Jerusalem has sinned greatly, and so she has become a thing to shudder at. All who honored her now despise her, for they have seen her disgrace. She groans and turns away. 9Teth. Her uncleanness clings to her skirts. She gave no thought to her end. She has carried a heavy burden, and no one comforted her. "Look, O LORD, at my affliction, for my enemy has triumphed." 10Yod. The one who afflicted her has stretched out his hand over all her treasures. She has seen nations enter your sanctuary, the very ones you forbade to come in. 11Kaph. All her people groan as they search for bread. They have given up their treasures for food to keep themselves alive. "Look, O LORD, and see how I am despised." 12Lamed. "Is it nothing to you, all you who pass along the road? Turn and see whether there is any wound like my wound, the wound the LORD struck me with in the day of his fierce anger. 13Mem. From on high he sent fire and melted my bones. He spread a net for my feet and turned me back. He has left me ruined and in pain all day long. 14Nun. He has kept watch over my sins, which were woven together by my own hands. They have come up on my neck, and my strength has failed, for the LORD has handed me over to pain I cannot rise from. 15Samekh. The LORD has removed all my mighty men from my midst. He has called a time against me to crush my chosen young men. The LORD has trodden the virgin daughter of Judah as in a winepress. For this I weep. 16Ayin. My eye pours down water, because the comforter who could restore my soul is far from me. My children are desolate, for the enemy has prevailed." 17Pe. Zion stretches out her hands, but there is no one to comfort her. The LORD has given orders against Jacob that his pursuers should surround him. Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them. 18Tsade. "The LORD is righteous, for I rebelled against his word. Listen, all you nations, and see my wound: my young women and my young men have gone into captivity. 19Qoph. I called to my lovers, but they ignored me. My priests and my elders perished in the city as they searched for food to keep themselves alive, and found none. 20Resh. Look, O LORD, for I am in anguish. My insides churn, and my heart is turned over within me, for I am bitter indeed. Out in the street the sword has bereaved me, and inside the house there is death. 21Shin. Hear how I groan, with no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my pain and are glad that you have done it. You have brought the day you announced, and they have become like me. 22Taw. Let all their wickedness come before you, and strip them as you have stripped me for all my sins, for my groans are many and my heart is faint." ‹
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Lamentations · Chapter 1 of 5