Lamentations 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!

VIN⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ 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 weeps bitterly in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; among all her lovers she has none to comfort her. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; they have become her enemies. ³ Judah has gone into exile because of affliction and harsh servitude; she dwells among the nations, she finds no rest: all her persecutors overtook her in the midst of her distress. ⁴ The roads of Zion mourn without any going to the appointed feasts. All her gates are deserted; her priests sigh; her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness. ⁵ Her foes have become her master, her enemies are at ease; the LORD has made her suffer because of the greatness of her transgressions. Her children have gone away, captive before the foe. ⁶ 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 In the days of her affliction and her wandering, Jerusalem remembers all her desirable things from previous days, when her people fell into the hand of the foe; and there is no ally for her. The foes saw her; they laughed at her annihilations. ⁸ 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 did not remember her latter end; therefore her fall was astonishing; she has no comforter. "Look, LORD, on my affliction, for the enemy has magnified himself." ¹⁰ The enemy has stretched out his hand over all her treasures; for she has seen the nations, they entered her sanctuary, those whom you commanded not to enter in your assembly. ¹¹ All her people groan, they are searching for bread. They give their treasures for food, to bring back life. See, O LORD, and look, how I am despised. ¹² 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 He sends fire; into my bones He makes it descend; He spreads a net for my feet; He turns me back; He makes me desolate, languishing all the day." ¹⁴ My rebellion was bound as a yoke, with his hand it was fastened together; it was put on my neck and caused my strength to fail. The Lord gave me into the hands of those whom I cannot withstand. ¹⁵ The Lord has rejected all my mighty ones in my midst. He called an assembly against me, to crush my young men; like in a wine press, the Lord has trodden on the virgin daughter of Judah. ¹⁶ For these things, I am weeping, my eyes flow with tears; because a comforter is far from me, one to restore my life. My sons are desolate because the enemy has prevailed. ¹⁷ Zion stretches out her hands; there is no one to comfort her. the LORD has commanded against Jacob, that those surrounding him should be his enemies; Jerusalem has become a defilement among them. ¹⁸ The LORD is righteous, for I have rebelled against his commandment. Please listen all you people, and see my suffering. My virgins and my young men have gone into captivity. ¹⁹ I called for my lovers, but they deceived me. My priests and my elders perished in the city, while they searched for food to refresh their souls. ²⁰ See O LORD, that distress is mine; my bowels, they are in turmoil; My heart is overturned within me, for I have rebelled, yea rebelled; Outside the sword bereaves; in the house it is like death." ²¹ They have heard that I sigh: there is none 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 announced, and they shall be like unto me. ²² Let all their evil come before you; and deal with them just as you have dealt with me because of all my crimes; for my groaning is much and my heart is faint.