Lamentations 5

1 Remember, O Lord, what is come upon us: consider and behold our reproach.

Remember, YHWH, what has come on us. Look, and see our disgrace.

2 Our inheritance is turned to aliens: our houses to strangers.

Our inheritance is turned over to strangers, our houses to foreigners.

3 We are become orphans without a father: our mothers are as widows.

We are orphans and fatherless. Our mothers are like widows.

4 We have drunk our water for money: we have bought our wood.

We have to pay for a drink of water; our wood is sold to us.

5 We were dragged by the necks, we were weary and no rest was given us.

Our pursuers are on our necks; we are weary, and have no rest.

6 We have given our hand to Egypt, and to the Assyrians, that we might be satisfied with bread.

We have submitted to the Egyptians and to the Assyrians, to get enough bread.

7 Our fathers have sinned, and are not: and we have borne their iniquities.

Our fathers sinned, and are no more; but we have borne their iniquities.

8 Servants have ruled over us: there was none to redeem us out of their hand.

Servants rule over us: There is none to deliver us out of their hand.

9 We fetched our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the desert.

We get our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness.

10 Our skin was burnt as an oven, by reason of the violence of the famine.

Our skin is hot like an oven, because of the burning heat of famine.

11 They oppressed the women in Sion, and the virgins in the cities of Juda.

They raped the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah.

12 The princes were hanged up by their hand: they did not respect the persons of the ancient.

Princes were hung by their hands; elders were shown no respect.

13 They abused the young men indecently: and the children fell under the wood.

The young men grind at the mill; the boys stagger under loads of wood.

14 The ancients have ceased from the gates: the young men from the choir of the singers.

The elders have gone from the gate, the young men from their music.

15 The joy of our heart is ceased, our dancing is turned into mourning.

The joy of our heart has ceased; our dancing is turned into mourning.

16 The crown is fallen from our head woe to us, because we have sinned.

The crown is fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned.

17 Therefore is our heart sorrowful, therefore are our eyes become dim,

For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes grow dim.

18 For mount Sion, because it is destroyed, foxes have walked upon it.

For the mountain of Zion, which is desolate; the foxes walk on it.

19 But thou, O Lord, shalt remain for ever, thy throne from generation to generation.

But you, YHWH, abide forever; your throne is from generation to generation.

20 Why wilt thou forget us for ever? why wilt thou forsake us for a long time?

Why do you keep on forgetting us? Why do you forsake us so long?

21 Convert us, O Lord, to thee, and we shall be converted: renew our days, as from the beginning.

Restore us to you, YHWH, and we shall be restored; renew our days as in former times,

22 But thou hast utterly rejected us, thou art exceedingly angry against us.

unless you have completely rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.