Lamentations 1

1 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! [how] is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, [and] princess among the provinces, [how] is she become tributary!

How the city sits solitary, that was full of people! She has become as a widow, who was great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become a slave!

2 She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.

She weeps bitterly in the night. Her tears are on her cheeks. Among all her lovers she has no one to comfort her. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her. They have become her enemies.

3 Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude; she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her within the straits.

Judah has gone into captivity because of affliction and because of great servitude. She dwells among the nations. She finds no rest. All her persecutors overtook her in her distress.

4 The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn assembly; all her gates are desolate, her priests do sigh: her virgins are afflicted, and she herself is in bitterness.

The roads to Zion mourn, because no one comes to the solemn assembly. All her gates are desolate. Her priests sigh. Her virgins are afflicted, and she herself is in bitterness.

5 Her adversaries are become the head, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her young children are gone into captivity before the adversary.

Her adversaries have become the head. Her enemies prosper; for the LORD has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions. Her young children have gone into captivity before the adversary.

6 And from the daughter of Zion all her majesty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.

All majesty has departed from the daughter of Zion. Her princes have become like deer that find no pasture. They have gone without strength before the pursuer.

7 Jerusalem remembereth in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that were from the days of old: when her people fell into the hand of the adversary, and none did help her, the adversaries saw her, they did mock at her desolations.

Jerusalem remembers in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that were from the days of old; when her people fell into the hand of the adversary, and no one helped her. The adversaries saw her. They mocked at her desolations.

8 Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is become as an unclean thing: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.

Jerusalem has grievously sinned. Therefore she has become unclean. All who honored her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness. Yes, she sighs and turns backward.

9 Her filthiness was in her skirts; she remembered not her latter end; therefore is she come down wonderfully; she hath no comforter: behold, O LORD, my affliction; for the enemy hath magnified himself.

Her filthiness was in her skirts. She didn’t remember her latter end. Therefore she has come down astoundingly. She has no comforter. “See, LORD, my affliction; for the enemy has magnified himself.”

10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen are entered into her sanctuary, concerning whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.

The adversary has spread out his hand on all her pleasant things; for she has seen that the nations have entered into her sanctuary, concerning whom you commanded that they should not enter into your assembly.

11 All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to refresh the soul: see, O LORD, and behold; for I am become vile.

All her people sigh. They seek bread. They have given their pleasant things for food to refresh their soul. “Look, LORD, and see, for I have become despised.”

12 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted [me] in the day of his fierce anger.

“Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look, and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which is brought on me, with which the LORD has afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.

13 From on high hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back; he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.

“From on high has he sent fire into my bones, and it prevails against them. He has spread a net for my feet. He has turned me back. He has made me desolate and I faint all day long.

14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand; they are knit together, they are come up upon my neck; he hath made my strength to fail: the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, against whom I am not able to stand.

“The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand. They are knit together. They have come up on my neck. He made my strength fail. The Lord has delivered me into their hands, against whom I am not able to stand.

15 The Lord hath set at nought all my mighty men in the midst of me; he hath called a solemn assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden as in a winepress the virgin daughter of Judah.

“The Lord has set at nothing all my mighty men within me. He has called a solemn assembly against me to crush my young men. The Lord has trodden the virgin daughter of Judah as in a wine press.

16 For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water; because the comforter that should refresh my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy hath prevailed.

“For these things I weep. My eye, my eye runs down with water, because the comforter who should refresh my soul is far from me. My children are desolate, because the enemy has prevailed.”

17 Zion spreadeth forth her hands; there is none to comfort her; the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that they that are round about him should be his adversaries: Jerusalem is among them as an unclean thing.

Zion spreads out her hands. There is no one to comfort her. The LORD has commanded concerning Jacob, that those who are around him should be his adversaries. Jerusalem is among them as an unclean thing.

18 The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all ye peoples, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.

“The LORD is righteous, for I have rebelled against his commandment. Please hear all you peoples, and see my sorrow. My virgins and my young men have gone into captivity.

19 I called for my lovers, [but] they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought them meat to refresh their souls.

“I called for my lovers, but they deceived me. My priests and my elders gave up the spirit in the city, while they sought food for themselves to refresh their souls.

20 Behold, O LORD; for I am in distress; my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.

“Look, LORD; for I am in distress. My heart is troubled. My heart turns over within me, for I have grievously rebelled. Abroad, the sword bereaves. At home, it is like death.

21 They have heard that I sigh; there is none to comfort me; all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast proclaimed, and they shall be like unto me.

“They have heard that I sigh. There is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble. They are glad that you have done it. You will bring the day that you have proclaimed, and they will be like me.

22 Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.

“Let all their wickedness come before you. Do to them as you have done to me for all my transgressions. For my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.