1 How lonely sits the city, once so full of people! She who was once great among the nations has become like a widow. The princess among the provinces has become a forced laborer.
2 Bitterly she weeps in the night, her tears are on her cheeks. Among all her lovers, there is no one to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her. They have become her enemies!
3 Judah is gone into exile under affliction and great servitude. She dwells among the nations. She finds no resting place. All her pursuers have overtaken her in the midst of her distress.
4 The roads to Zion mourn for no one comes to her moadim. All her gates are desolate. Her kohanim groan, her maidens grieve— she is in bitter anguish.
5 Her foes have become her masters. Her enemies are at ease. For Adonai has afflicted her, because of her many transgressions. Her children have gone away as captives before the adversary.
6 All her splendor has departed, from the daughter of Zion. Her princes are like stags that find no pasture. They have fled without strength before the pursuer.
7 In the days of her affliction and her wandering, Jerusalem remembers all the treasures that were hers from the days of old. When her people fell into enemy hands, there was no one to help her. Her enemies saw her and mocked at her destruction.
8 Jerusalem has greatly sinned— therefore, she has become niddah . All who honored her despise her, for they have seen her nakedness. She herself groans, and turns away.
9 Her uncleanness was in her skirts. She did not consider her future. Her demise was astonishing, there was no one to comfort her. “Adonai, see my affliction, for the enemy has triumphed!”
10 The enemy has stretched his hand over all her treasures. She even saw nations enter her sanctuary— those You had commanded not to enter Your congregation.
11 All her people groan, as they seek bread. They traded their treasures for food to keep themselves alive. “Look, Adonai, and see! For I have become despised!”
12 “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by on the road? Look and see! Is any suffering like my suffering that was brought on me, that Adonai has inflicted in the day of His fierce anger?
13 From on high He sent fire into my bones and it overcame them. He spread out a net for my feet; He turned me back. He made me desolate, faint all the day long.
14 My transgressions are bound into a yoke, woven together by His hand. They have come upon my neck and He has sapped my strength. The Lord delivered me over to those I cannot withstand.
15 The Lord has rejected all the mighty ones in my midst. He has summoned an assembly against me to crush my young men. In a winepress the Lord has trampled the virgin daughter of Judah.
16 Over these things I weep. My eyes overflow with water. For far from me is a comforter, who might refresh my soul. My children are desolate, because the enemy has prevailed.”
17 Zion spreads out her hands— there is no one to comfort her. Adonai has decreed against Jacob. Those surrounding him have become his foes; Jerusalem has become niddah in their eyes.
18 “Adonai is righteous, for I have rebelled against His word. Hear now, all peoples— look at my suffering! My maidens and my young men have gone into captivity.
19 I called to my lovers— they deceived me! My kohanim and my elders perished in the city when they sought food to keep themselves alive.
20 Look, Adonai, for I am in distress! My stomach churns, my heart pounds within me, for I have been very rebellious. Outside, the sword bereaves, in the house it is like death.
21 They have heard me groaning. There is no one to comfort me. All my enemies heard of my distress, They rejoice that You have done it. May You bring about the day that You proclaimed, so they may become like me!
22 Let all their evil come before You. Deal with them as you dealt with me, because of all my transgressions. For my groans are many and my heart is faint!”