5 The Lord became an enemy.He swallowed up Israel.He swallowed up all of its palaces.He destroyed its strongholds.He made the people of Judah mourn and moan.
6 He stripped his own booth as if it were a gardenand destroyed his own festivals.The Lord wiped out the memory of festivals and days of worship in Zion.He expelled kings and priests because of his fierce anger.
7 The Lord rejected his altar and disowned his holy place.He handed the walls of Zion’s palaces over to its enemies.The enemies made noise in the Lord’s templeas though it were a festival day.
8 The Lord planned to destroy the wall of Zion’s people.He marked it off with a line.He didn’t take his hand away until he had swallowed it up.He made the towers and walls mourn.They are completely dejected.
9 “⌊Zion’s⌋ gates have sunk into the ground.⌊The Lord⌋ destroyed and shattered the bars across its ⌊gates⌋.Its king and influential people are ⌊scattered⌋ among the nations.There is no longer any instruction ⌊from Moses’ Teachings⌋.Its prophets can find no visions from the Lord.
10 The respected leaders of Zion’s people sit silently on the ground.They throw dirt on their heads and put on sackcloth.The young women of Jerusalem bow their heads to the ground.
11 My eyes are worn out with tears.My stomach is churning.My heart is poured out on the groundbecause of the destruction of my people.Little children and infants faint in the city streets.