1 How doth the city full of people, sit solitary: how is the lady of the Gentiles become as a widow: the princess of Provinces is made tributary?
1 Aleph. How doth the city sit solitary that was full of people! How is the mistress of the Gentiles become as a widow: the princes of provinces made tributary!
2 Weeping she hath wept in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: there is none to comfort her of all her dear ones: all her friends have despised her, and are become her enemies.
2 Beth. ¹Weeping, she hath wept in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: there is none to comfort her among all them that were dear to her: all her friends have despised her, and are become her enemies.
3 Judas is gone into transmigration because of affliction, and the multitude of bondage: she hath dwelt among the Gentiles, neither hath she found rest: all her persecuters have apprehended her within the straits.
3 Ghimel. Juda hath removed her dwelling place, because of her affliction, and the greatness of her bondage; she hath dwelt among the nations, and she hath found no rest; all her persecutors have taken her in the midst of straits.
4 The ways of Sion mourn, because there are none that come to the solemnity: all her gates are destroyed: her priests sighing: her virgins loathsome, and herself is oppressed with bitterness.
4 Daleth. The ways of Sion mourn, because there are none that come to the solemn feast: all her gates are broken down; her priests sigh; her virgins are in affliction; and she is oppressed with bitterness.
5 Her adversaries are made in the head, her enemies are enriched: because our Lord hath spoken upon her for the multitude of her iniquities: her little ones are led into captivity, before the face of the afflicter.
5 He. Her adversaries are become her lords; her enemies are enriched; because the Lord hath spoken against her for the multitude of her iniquities; her children are led into captivity, before the face of the oppressor.
6 And from the daughter of Sion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become as rams not finding pastures: and they are gone without strength before the face of the pursuer.
6 Vau. And from the daughter of Sion, all her beauty is departed; her princes are become like rams that find no pastures; and they are gone away without strength before the face of the pursuer.
7 Jerusalem hath remembered the days of her affliction, and prevarication of all her things worthy to be desired, which she had from the days of old, when her people fell in the enemy's hand, and there was no helper: the enemies have seen her, and have scorned her sabbaths.
7 Zain. Jerusalem hath remembered the days of her affliction, and prevarication of all her desirable things which she had from the days of old, when her people fell in the enemy’s hand, and there was no helper; the enemies have seen her, and have mocked at her sabbaths.
8 Jerusalem hath sinned a sin, therefore is she made unstable: all that did glorify her, have despised her, because they have seen her ignominy: but she sighing is turned backward.
8 Heth. Jerusalem hath grievously sinned, therefore is she become unstable; all that honored her, have despised her, because they have seen her shame; but she sighed, and turned backward.
9 Her filthiness is on her feet, neither hath she remembered her end: she is pulled down exceedingly, not having a comforter: see o Lord mine affliction, because the enemy is exalted.
9 Teth. Her filthiness is on her feet, and she hath not remembered her end; she is wonderfully cast down, not having a comforter: behold, O Lord, my affliction, because the enemy is lifted up.
10 The enemy hath thrust his hand to all her things worthy to be desired: because she hath seen the Gentiles enter into her sanctuary, of whom thou gavest commandment that they should not enter into thy church.
10 Jod. The enemy hath put out his hand to all her desirable things: for she hath seen the Gentiles enter into her sanctuary, of whom thou gavest commandment that they should not enter into thy church.
11 All her people sighing, and seeking bread: they have given all precious things for meat to refresh the soul, see o Lord and consider, because I am become vile.
11 Caph. All her people sigh, they seek bread: they have given all their precious things for food to relieve the soul: see, O Lord, and consider, for I am become vile.
12 O all ye that pass by the way, attend, and see if there be sorrow like to my sorrow: because he hath made vintage of me, as our Lord hath spoken in the day of the wrath of his fury.
12 Lamed. O all ye that pass by the way, attend, and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow: for he hath made a vintage of me, as the Lord spoke in the day of his fierce anger.
13 From on high he hath cast a fire in my bones, and hath taught me: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me backward: he hath made me desolate, all the day consumed with sorrow.
13 Mem. From above he hath sent fire into my bones, and hath chastised me: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate, wasted with sorrow all the day long.
14 The yoke of mine iniquities hath watched: they are folded together in his hand, and put upon my neck: my strength is weakened: our Lord hath given me into the hand, from which I cannot rise.
14 Nun. The yoke of my iniquities hath watched: they are folded together in his hand, and put upon my neck: my strength is weakened: the Lord hath delivered me into a hand, out of which I am not able to rise.
15 Our Lord hath taken away all my magnifical ones out of the midst of me: he hath called a time against me, to destroy mine elect: our Lord hath trodden the winepress to the virgin the daughter of Juda.
15 Samech. The Lord hath taken away all my mighty men out of the midst of me: he hath called against me the time, to destroy my chosen men: the Lord hath trodden the winepress for the virgin daughter of Juda.
16 Therefore am I weeping, and mine eye shedding tears: because a comforter is made far from me, converting my soul: my children are become desolate because the enemy hath prevailed.
16 Ain. ²Therefore do I weep, and my eyes run down with water: because the comforter, the relief of my soul, is far from me: my children are desolate because the enemy hath prevailed.
17 Sion hath spread forth her hands, there is none to comfort her: our Lord hath commanded against Jacob, round about him are his enemies: Jerusalem is become as a woman polluted with menstruous flowers among them.
17 Phe. Sion hath spread forth her hands, there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath commanded against Jacob, his enemies are round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
18 Our Lord is just, because I have provoked his mouth to wrath: hear I beseech all ye peoples, and see my sorrow: my virgins, and my young men are gone into captivity.
18 Sade. The Lord is just, for I have provoked his mouth to wrath: hear, I pray you, all ye people, and see my sorrow: my virgins, and my young men are gone into captivity.
19 I have called my friends, they have deceived me: my priests and my ancients are consumed in the city: because they have sought meat for themselves, to refresh their soul.
19 Coph. I called for my friends, but they deceived me: my priests and my ancients pined away in the city: while they sought their food, to relieve their souls.
20 See o Lord that I am in tribulation, my belly is troubled: my heart is overturned in myself, because I am full of bitterness: the sword killeth abroad, and at home it is like death.
20 Res. Behold, O Lord, for I am in distress, my bowels are troubled: my heart is turned within me, for I am full of bitterness: abroad the sword destroyeth and at home there is death alike.
21 They have heard that I do sigh, and there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard mine evil, they have rejoiced, because thou hast done it: thou hast brought a day of consolation, and they shall be made like to me.
21 Sin. They have heard that I sigh, and there is none to comfort me: all my enemies have heard of my evil, they have rejoiced that thou hast done it: thou hast brought a day of consolation, and they shall be like unto me.
22 Let all their evil enter in before thee: and vintage them, as thou hast vintaged me for all mine iniquities: for my sighings are many, and my heart is sorrowful.
22 Thau. Let all their evil be present before thee: and make vintage of them, as thou hast made vintage of me for all my iniquities: for my sighs are many, and my heart is sorrowful.