Lamentations 1

The city sits alone

1How she sits alone,
the city once full of people!
She has become like a widow,
once great among the nations.
A princess among the provinces
has been put to forced labor. 2She weeps and weeps in the night,
tears running down her cheeks.
Among all her lovers
there is no one to comfort her.
All her friends have betrayed her;
they have become her enemies. 3Judah has gone into exile through affliction
and harsh servitude.
She lives among the nations
but finds no resting place.
All her pursuers overtake her
in the narrow places. 4The roads to Zion mourn,
for no one comes to the appointed feast.
All her gates are desolate;
her priests groan.
Her virgins grieve,
and she herself is bitter. 5Her foes have become her masters;
her enemies are at ease.
The LORD has made her suffer
for her many rebellions.
Her little children have gone captive
before the enemy. 6All her splendor has departed
from daughter Zion.
Her officials have become like deer
that find no pasture.
Without strength they walk
before the pursuer. 7In her days of affliction and wandering,
Jerusalem remembers all her treasures from long ago.
When her people fell into the enemy's hand,
there was no one to help her.
Her enemies saw her
and laughed at her downfall. 8Jerusalem has sinned grievously;
so she has become unclean.
All who honored her now despise her,
for they have seen her nakedness.
She too groans
and turns away.

Look at my affliction

9Her uncleanness is on her skirts;
she gave no thought to her end.
Her fall was astonishing;
no one comforts her.
“Look, LORD, at my affliction,
for the enemy has made himself great!” 10The enemy stretched out his hand
over all her treasures.
She saw nations enter her sanctuary,
those you commanded
not to enter your assembly. 11All her people groan, searching for bread.
They trade their treasures for food
to keep themselves alive.
“Look, LORD, and see:
I have become despised. 12Does this mean nothing to you, all who pass by?
Look and see whether any pain is like my pain,
like what has been done to me,
what the LORD inflicted
on the day of his burning anger. 13From on high he sent fire into my bones,
and it mastered them.
He spread a net for my feet
and turned me back.
He left me desolate,
sick all day long. 14The yoke of my rebellions was bound by his hand;
woven together, they rose onto my neck.
He made my strength fail.
The Lord handed me over
to those I cannot withstand. 15The Lord has cast aside
all the mighty men within me.
He called an assembly against me
to crush my young men.
The Lord has trodden virgin daughter Judah
as grapes in a winepress. 16For these things I weep;
my eye, my eye pours out water.
Far from me is a comforter,
one who could restore my life.
My children are desolate,
for the enemy has prevailed.”

No comforter

17Zion spreads out her hands;
no one comforts her.
The LORD has commanded
that Jacob's neighbors become his foes.
Jerusalem has become unclean among them. 18“The LORD is righteous,
for I rebelled against his command.
Listen, all you peoples,
and see my pain.
My virgins and young men
have gone into captivity. 19I called to my lovers,
but they deceived me.
My priests and elders died in the city
as they searched for food
to keep themselves alive. 20Look, LORD, how distressed I am!
My insides churn;
my heart turns over within me,
for I have rebelled deeply.
Outside, the sword bereaves;
inside, it is like death. 21They hear my groaning,
but no one comforts me.
All my enemies hear of my disaster;
they rejoice that you have done it.
Bring the day you announced,
and let them become like me. 22Let all their evil come before you.
Deal with them as you dealt with me
for all my rebellions.
My groans are many,
and my heart is sick.”