Lamentations1
The Desolate City
1How desolate the city sitsthat was full of people!She has become like a widow,once great among the nations!Like a woman of nobility in the provinces,she has become a forced laborer.2She weeps bitterly in the night,her tears are on her cheeks;she has no comforteramong all her lovers.All her friends have been unfaithful to her;they have become her enemies.3Judah has gone into exile with miseryand under hard servitude;she lives among the nations,she has not found a resting place;all her pursuers have overtaken heramidst her distress.4The roads of Zion are mourningbecause no one comes to the festival.All her gates are desolate,her priests groan;her young women are worried,and she herself suffers bitterly.5Her foes have become her ⸤master⸥, her enemies are at ease;Yahweh has made her sufferbecause of the greatness of her transgressions.Her children have gone away,captive before the foe.6All her majesty has gone awayfrom the daughter of Zion;her princes have become like young stagsthat have not found pasture;they have gone away without strength,before the pursuer.7Jerusalem remembersthe days of her misery and wanderings,all her treasuresthat were from the days of long ago.When her people fell into the hand of the enemy,there was no one helping her;the enemies saw her, they mockedat her destruction.8Jerusalem sinned grievously,thus she became an objection of derision;all those who honored her despise herbecause they have seen her nakedness.She herself groansand turns away.9Her uncleanness was in her skirts;she did not remember her future,she has descended beyond understanding,there is no comforter for her.See, O Yahweh, my persecution!My enemy has been made great!10The enemy has stretched out his handover all her treasures;for she has seen the nations,they entered her sanctuary,those whom you commanded not to enterin your assembly.11All her people groan,they are searching for bread.They give their treasures for food,to bring back life.See, O Yahweh, and look,how I am despised.12Is it nothing to you, ⸤all who pass by⸥? Look and seeif there is sorrow like my sorrow, which was dealt to me,which Yahweh inflictedon the ⸤day of his wrath⸥. 13From heaven he sent fire,into my bones he let it descend.He spread out a net for my feet;he turned me back,he gave me devastation,fainting all day.14My rebellion was bound as a yoke,with his hand it was fastened together;it was put on my neckand caused my strength to fail.The Lord gave me into the handsof those whom I cannot withstand.15The Lord has rejectedall my mighty ones in my midst.He called an assembly against me,to crush my young men;like in a wine press,the Lord has trodden onthe virgin daughter of Judah.16For these things, I am weeping,⸤my eyes flow with tears⸥; because a comforter is far from me,one to restore my life.My sons are desolatebecause the enemy has prevailed.17Zion stretches out her hands;there is no one to comfort her.Yahweh has commanded against Jacob,that those surrounding him should be his enemies;Jerusalem has becomea defilement among them.18Yahweh is righteous;I have rebelled against ⸤his word⸥. Please hear, all the nations,And see my pain;My young women and young menwent into captivity.19I have called to my lovers,they themselves deceived me;my priests and elders perished in the citywhen they sought food for themselvesto revive their life. 20See, O Yahweh, that ⸤I am in distress⸥; ⸤my stomach⸥ is in torment,my heart has turned inside mebecause I have certainly rebelled.From outside a sword brings bereavement,inside the house it is like death.21They hear that I was groaning;there is no comforter for me.All my enemies have heard my misery,they are pleased that you have done it.Bring that day that you have proclaimed, And let them be like me.22Let all their evil come before you;and deal with themjust as you have dealt with mebecause of all my crimes;for my groaning is much and my heart is faint.Logos Bible Software