Lamentations 1:1-22 - The Desolate City
1
the city
She who was great among the nations
has become like a widow.
The princess among the provinces
has been put to forced labor.
2 ב Bet
with tears on her cheeks.
There is no one to offer her comfort,
not one from all her lovers.
All her friends have betrayed her;
they have become her enemies.
3 ג Gimel
following
she lives among the nations
but finds no place to rest.
All her pursuers have overtaken her
in narrow places.
4 ד Dalet
for no one comes to the appointed festivals.
All her gates are deserted;
her priests groan,
her young women grieve,
and she herself is bitter.
5 ה He
her enemies are at ease,
for the Lord has made her suffer
because of her many transgressions.
Her children have gone away
as captives before the adversary.
6 ו Vav
from Daughter Zion.
Her leaders are like stags
that find no pasture;
they walk away exhausted
before the hunter.
7 ז Zayin
Jerusalem remembers all her precious belongings
that were hers in days of old.
When her people fell into the adversary’s hand,
she had no one to help.
The adversaries looked at her,
laughing over her downfall.
8 ח Khet
therefore, she has become an object of scorn.
All who honored her now despise her,
for they have seen her nakedness.
She herself groans and turns away.
9 ט Tet
She never considered her end.
Her downfall was astonishing;
there was no one to comfort her.
Lord, look on my affliction,
for the enemy triumphs!
10 י Yod
all her precious belongings.
She has even seen the nations
enter her sanctuary—
those You had forbidden
to enter Your assembly.
11 כ Kaf
while they search for bread.
They have traded their precious belongings for food
in order to stay alive.
Lord, look and see
how I have become despised.
12 ל Lamed
Look and see!
Is there any pain like mine,
which was dealt out to me,
which the Lord made me suffer
on the day of His burning anger?
13 מ Mem
He made it descend.
He spread a net for my feet
and turned me back.
He made me desolate,
sick all day long.
14 נ Nun
fastened together by His hand;
they have been placed on my neck,
and the Lord has broken my strength.
He has handed me over
to those I cannot withstand.
15 ס Samek
all the mighty men within me.
He has summoned an army
to crush my young warriors.
The Lord has trampled Virgin Daughter Judah
like grapes in a winepress.
16 ע Ayin
my eyes flow
For there is no one nearby to comfort me,
no one to keep me alive.
My children are desolate
because the enemy has prevailed.
17 פ Pe
there is no one to comfort her.
The Lord has issued a decree against Jacob
that his neighbors should be his adversaries.
Jerusalem has become
something impure
18 צ Tsade
for I have rebelled against His command.
Listen, all you people;
look at my pain.
My young men and women
have gone into captivity.
19 ק Qof
but they betrayed me.
My priests and elders
perished in the city
while searching for food
to keep themselves alive.
20 ר Resh
I am churning within;
my heart is broken,
for I have been very rebellious.
Outside, the sword takes the children;
inside, there is death.
21 שׁ Shin
but there is no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my misfortune;
they are glad that You have caused it.
Bring on the day You have announced,
so that they may become like me.
22 ת Tav
and deal with them
as You have dealt with me
because of all my transgressions.
For my groans are many,
and I am sick at heart.