Lamentations 5

1 Remember, O Lord, what has happened to us: behold, and look on our reproach.

Remember, O LORD, what has happened to us. Look and see our disgrace!

2 Our inheritance has been turned away to aliens, our houses to strangers:

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

3 we are become orphans, we have no father, our mothers are as widows.

We have become fatherless orphans; our mothers are widows.

4 We have drunk our water for money; our wood is sold to us [for a burden] on our neck:

We must buy the water we drink; our wood comes at a price.

5 we have been persecuted, we have laboured, we have had no rest.

We are closely pursued; we are weary and find no rest.

6 Egypt gave the hand [to us], Assur to their own satisfaction.

We submitted to Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.

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

Our fathers sinned and are no more, but we bear their punishment.

8 Servants have ruled over us: there is none to ransom [us] out of their hand.

Slaves rule over us; there is no one to deliver us from their hands.

9 We shall bring in our bread with [danger of] our lives, because of the sword of the wilderness.

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

10 Our skin is blackened like an oven; they are convulsed, because of the storms of famine.

Our skin is as hot as an oven with fever from our hunger.

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

Women have been ravished in Zion, virgins in the cities of Judah.

12 Princes were hanged up by their hands: the elders were not honoured.

Princes have been hung up by their hands; elders receive no respect.

13 The chosen men lifted up [the voice in] weeping, and the youths fainted under the wood.

Young men toil at millstones; boys stagger under loads of wood.

14 And the elders ceased from the gate, the chosen men ceased from their music.

The elders have left the city gate; the young men have stopped their music.

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

Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.

16 The crown has fallen [from] our head: yes, woe to us! for we have sinned.

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

17 For this has grief come; our heart is sorrowful: for this our eyes are darkened.

Because of this, our hearts are faint; because of these, our eyes grow dim—

18 Over the mountain of Sion, because it is made desolate, foxes have walked therein.

because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate, patrolled by foxes.

19 But you, O Lord, shall dwell for ever; your throne [shall endure] to generation and generation.

You, O LORD, reign forever; Your throne endures from generation to generation.

20 Therefore will you utterly forget us, and abandon us a long time?

Why have You forgotten us forever? Why have You forsaken us for so long?

21 Turn us, O Lord, to you, and we shall be turned; and renew our days as before.

Restore us to Yourself, O LORD, so we may return; renew our days as of old,

22 For you have indeed rejected us; you have been very angry against us.

unless You have utterly rejected us and remain angry with us beyond measure.