Lamentations 5

1 Remember, O YHWH, what has befallen us, Look attentively, and see our reproach.

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

2 Our inheritance has been turned to strangers, Our houses to foreigners.

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

3 Orphans we have been—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, Our wood comes for a price.

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

5 For our neck we have been pursued, We have labored—there has been no rest for us.

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

6 [To] Egypt we have given a hand, [To] Asshur, to be satisfied with bread.

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

7 Our fathers have sinned—they are not, 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 no deliverer from their hand.

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

9 With our lives we bring in our bread, 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 as an oven has been burning, Because of the raging of the famine.

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

11 Wives in Zion they have humbled, Virgins—in cities of Judah.

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

12 Princes have been hanged by their hand, Elderly faces have not been honored.

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

13 They have taken young men to grind, And youths have stumbled with wood.

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

14 Elderly have ceased from the gate, Young men from their song.

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

15 The joy of our heart has ceased, Our dancing has been turned to mourning.

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

16 The crown has fallen [from] our head, Woe [is] now to us, for we have sinned.

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

17 Our heart has been sick for this, Our eyes have been dim for these.

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

18 For the Mount of Zion—that is desolate, Foxes have gone up on it.

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

19 You, O YHWH, remain for all time, Your throne to generation and generation.

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

20 Why do You forget us forever? You forsake us for [the] length of [our] days!

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

21 Turn us back, O YHWH, to You, And we turn back, renew our days as of old.

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

22 For have You utterly rejected us? You have been angry against us—exceedingly?

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