Lamentations 5

1 Remember, O LORD, what has come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach.

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

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

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

3 We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.

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

4 We have drunken our water for money; our wood is sold unto us.

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

5 Our necks are under persecution: we labour, and have no rest.

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

6 We have given the hand to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to 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 is none that does deliver us out of their hand.

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

9 We got our bread with the peril of our lives because of the sword of the wilderness.

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

10 Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine.

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

11 They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah.

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

12 Princes are hanged up by their hand: the faces of elders were not honoured.

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

13 They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood.

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

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

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

15 The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance 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 unto us, that we have sinned!

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

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

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

18 Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.

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

19 You, O LORD, remain for ever; your throne from generation to generation.

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

20 Wherefore do you forget us for ever, and forsake us so long time?

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

21 Turn you us unto you, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

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

22 But you have utterly rejected us; you are very angry against us.

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