Lamentations 5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And the elders ceased from the gate, the chosen men ceased 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 dance is turned into mourning.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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