1:1 How can a city that was once full of people now sit alone! The one who was once great among the nations is now like a widow! Those who were queens in the provinces are now tribute-bearers.
1:2 She wept bitterly at night, with tears streaming down her cheeks; and among all her beloved she had no one to comfort her. Her friends treated her treacherously and became her enemies.
1:3 Judah moved to a foreign country because of the hardships he encountered and because of the many toils he had to endure. She dwells among the nations, and finds no rest; her pursuers overtake her in a narrow place.
1:4 The paths of Zion are sorrowful because no one comes to keep its holy days. Her gates are desolate, her priests groan, her virgins are in trouble, and they themselves are distressed.
1:5 Her enemies are at the head, and her enemies prosper. Because the Lord had afflicted her for her many sins, her children were carried away by her enemies.
1:6 The city of Zion has lost all its majesty (Note: "city" originally means "woman". The same below), and her leaders are like deer that cannot find pasture, unable to walk before those who pursue them.
1:7 When Jerusalem was in distress and distress, she recalled all the joys of old. Her people fell into the hands of her enemies, and they had no one to help them. When their enemies saw her, they laughed at her desolation.
1:8 Jerusalem had sinned greatly, and therefore she had become unclean. Those who had honored her despised her when they saw her nakedness; and she herself groaned and turned back.
1:9 Her filthiness is in the skirts of her garments. She didn't think about her own ending, so she was very depressed and had no one to comfort her. She said, "Lord, behold my misery, for my enemies magnify it."
1:10 Their enemies have stretched out their hands to take away her good things. She sees a foreigner entering her sanctuary; concerning this foreigner you commanded not to enter your congregation.
1:11 Her people groan and seek food; they exchange good things for food to save their lives. They said, "Look, O LORD, for I am very lowly.
1:12 Do you not mind this, all you who pass by? Look, for something like this has befallen me. The pain that the LORD brought upon me in the day of his wrath
1:13 He sent fire from on high into my bones and restrained me; My feet have turned me back, and he has made me miserable and faint all day long.
1:14 His hand has bound the yoke of my sins; My strength has failed. The Lord has delivered me into the hands of those who could not resist me.
1:15 The Lord has despised all the mighty ones in my midst, and has gathered a great assembly against me. , to crush my young men. The Lord has trodden down the inhabitants of Judah as in a winepress.
1:16 I weep because of these things, for it is He who comforts me and saves me. My life is far from me. My children are left alone, for the enemy has overcome.”
1:17 Zion lifts up its hands, but no one comforts them. The LORD has given a command against Jacob, making all those around her her enemies, and Jerusalem will be like an unclean thing among them.
1:18 "The LORD is just! He has done this to me because I have disobeyed his commandments. Hear my voice, all your people, and see my pain, my virgins and my young men. They were all taken captive.
1:19 But they deceived me, while my priests and elders were seeking food to save their lives.
1:20 Look, O LORD, for I am in trouble! My heart is troubled, my heart is turned in me, for my rebellion is great, and the sword causes death at home.
1:21 There is someone who hears my groaning, but there is no one who comforts me! My enemies have heard my troubles; they will rejoice because you have done this. They are like me.
1:22 Let their evil deeds be brought before you; as you have done to me for all my sins, so do you to them, for I groan a lot in my heart. Faint.
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Lamentations of Jeremiah