Lamentations 5

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

Remember, O Jehovah, what is come upon us; consider, and see our reproach.

2 Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to aliens.

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

3 We are orphans and fatherless. Our mothers are as widows.

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

4 We must pay for water to drink. Our wood is sold to us.

Our water have we to drink for money, our wood cometh unto us for a price.

5 Our pursuers are on our necks. We are weary, and have no rest.

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

6 We have given our hands to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.

We have given the hand to Egypt, [and] to Asshur, to be satisfied with bread.

7 Our fathers sinned, and are no more. We have borne their iniquities.

Our fathers have sinned, [and] they are not; and we bear their iniquities.

8 Servants rule over us. There is no one to deliver us out of their hand.

Bondmen rule over us: there is no deliverer out of their hand.

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

We have to get our bread at the risk of our lives, because of the sword of the wilderness.

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

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

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

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

12 Princes were hanged up by their hands. The faces of elders were not honoured.

Princes were hanged up by their hand; the faces of elders were not honoured.

13 The young men carry millstones. The children stumbled under loads of wood.

The young men have borne the mill, and the youths have stumbled under the wood.

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

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

15 The joy of our heart has ceased. Our dance is turned into mourning.

The joy of our heart hath ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.

16 The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!

The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto 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 have grown dim,

18 for the mountain of Zion, which is desolate. The foxes walk on it.

Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate: foxes walk over it.

19 You, LORD, remain forever. Your throne is from generation to generation.

Thou, Jehovah, dwellest for ever; thy throne is from generation to generation.

20 Why do you forget us forever, and forsake us for so long a time?

Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, dost thou forsake us so long time?

21 Turn us to yourself, LORD, and we will be turned. Renew our days as of old.

Turn thou us unto thee, Jehovah, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

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

Or is it that thou hast utterly rejected us? Wouldest thou be exceeding wroth against us?