Lamentations
| Author: Jeremiah (according to 1:1 in the Septuagint; cf. also 2 Chron. 35:25).Time of Writing: Shortly after the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.Place of Writing: Jerusalem. |
That was full of people!She who was once great among the nations
Has become like a widow;She who was a princess among the provinces
Has become tributary.Lam.|1:2|-|Bitterly she weeps in the night,
And her tears are on her cheeks.There is no one to
Among all her lovers;All her friends have dealt treacherously with her;
They have become her enemies.Lam.|1:3|-|
And away from great servitude;She dwells among the
But finds no rest;All her pursuers have overtaken her
In the midst of distress.Lam.|1:4|-|The ways of Zion mourn,
For no one comes to the appointed feast;All her gates are desolate;
Her priests groan;Her virgins are afflicted,
And she is in bitterness.Lam.|1:5|-|Her adversaries have become the
Her enemies prosper;For Jehovah has afflicted her
Because of the multitude of her transgressions;Her little ones have gone into
Before the adversary.Lam.|1:6|-|And all her majesty has departed
From the daughter of Zion;Her princes have become like deer
That find no pasture,And they have fled without strength
Before the pursuer.Lam.|1:7|-|In the days of her affliction and her
Jerusalem remembersAll her precious things
Which were in the days of old,When her people fell into the hand of the adversary,
And there was no one to help her.The adversaries saw her;
They mocked at her downfall.Lam.|1:8|-|Jerusalem has
Therefore she has become an impurity.All who honored her despise her,
Because they have seen her nakedness;And she groans
And turns backwards.Lam.|1:9|-|Her uncleanness is in her skirts;
She did not remember her latter end;Therefore she has come down astonishingly;
There is no one toO Jehovah, see my affliction,|a|comfort her.
For the enemy has magnified himself.Lam.|1:10|-|The adversary has spread out his hand
Over all her precious things,For she has seen the nations
Enter herConcerning whom You commanded that they should not enter|a|sanctuary,
Into YourLam.|1:11|-|All her people groan;|b|assembly.
They seek bread;They have given their precious things for food
To restore their soul.See, O Jehovah, and look,
For I have become despised.Lam.|1:12|-|Is it nothing to you, all who pass by the way?
Look and seeIf there is any pain like my pain
Which is dealt to me,Whom Jehovah has afflicted
In the day of His burning anger.Lam.|1:13|-|He has sent fire from on high
Into my bones, and it prevails against them;He has spread out a net for my feet;
He has turned me back;He has made me a desolation
And faint all the day.Lam.|1:14|-|The yoke of my transgressions is bound by His hand;
They are knit together;They have come up upon my neck;
He has made my strength fail;The Lord has delivered me into hands
From which I am not able to rise up.Lam.|1:15|-|The Lord has made light of all my mighty men
In my midst;He has called an assembly against me
To crush my young men.The Lord has trodden, as in a
The virgin daughter of Judah.Lam.|1:16|-|For these things I weep;
My eye, myFor the comforter who should revive my soul|a|eye runs down with water,
Is far from me;My children have become desolate,
Because the enemy has prevailed.Lam.|1:17|-|Zion stretches out her hands,
Yet there is no one toJehovah has commanded concerning Jacob|a|comfort her.
That those around him should be his adversaries;Jerusalem has become an impurity
Among them.Lam.|1:18|-|Jehovah is righteous,
For I have rebelled against His commandment.Hear now, all the peoples,
And see my pain;My virgins and my young men
Have gone into captivity.Lam.|1:19|-|I have called to my lovers;
They have deceived me;My priests and my elders
Have perished in the city,While they sought food for themselves
To restore their souls.Lam.|1:20|-|See, O Jehovah, for I am in distress,
My bowels are in ferment;My heart is overturned within me,
For I have been very rebellious.In the street the sword bereaves;
In the house it is like death.Lam.|1:21|-|They have heard that I groan;
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.Lam.|1:22|-|Let all their wickedness come before You,
And deal with themAs You have dealt with me
For all my transgressions;For my sighs are many,
And my heart is faint.