Lamentations 1 · איכה

How does the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become like a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become a vassal!

She weeps sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she has none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they have become her enemies.

Yehuda is gone into exile because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwells among the nations, she finds no rest: all her persecutors overtook her within the straits.

The ways of Żiyyon do mourn, because none come to the solemn assembly: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.

Her adversaries have become the chief, her enemies prosper; for the Lord has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her infants are gone into captivity before the enemy.

And from the daughter of Żiyyon all her splendour is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.

Yerushalayim remembers in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and gloated at her destruction.

Yerushalayim has grievously sinned; therefore she is become loathsome: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: she herself also sighs, and turns backward.

Her filthiness was in her skirts; she took no thought of her last end; therefore she came down astonishingly: she has no comforter. O Lord, behold my affliction: for the enemy has magnified himself.

The adversary has spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she has seen that heathen nations invade her sanctuary, those whom Thou didst forbid to enter into Thy congregation.

All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for food to relieve the soul: see, O Lord, and consider; how abject I am become.

Is it nothing to you, all you that pass by? behold, and see if there is any pain like my pain, which is done to me, with which the Lord has afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.

From above he has sent fire into my bones, and it prevails against them: he has spread a net for my feet, he has turned me back: he has made me desolate and faint all the day.

The yoke of my transgressions is fastened on by his hand: they are knit together, and come up upon my neck: he has made my strength to fall, the Lord has delivered me into the hands of those against whom I am not able to rise up.

The Lord has spurned all my mighty men in the midst of me: he has called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord has trodden the virgin, the daughter of Yehuda, as in a winepress.

For these things I weep; my eye, my eye runs down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy has prevailed.

Żiyyon spreads out her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord has commanded against Ya῾aqov, adversaries round about him: Yerushalayim is like a menstruous woman among them.

The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against his word: hear, I pray you, all the peoples, and behold my pain: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.

I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and my elders perished in the city, while they sought food for themselves to relieve their souls.

Behold, O Lord; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; my heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaves, at home it is like death.

They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that Thou hast done it: Thou wilt bring the day that Thou hast called, and they shall be like me.

Let all their wickedness come before Thee; and do to them, as Thou hast done to me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.