The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn assembly: all her gates are desolate; her priests sigh, her virgins are in grief; and as for her, she is in bitterness.

Her adversaries have become the head, her enemies prosper; for Jehovah hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the adversary.

Her impurity was in her skirts, she remembered not her latter end; and she came down wonderfully: she hath no comforter. Jehovah, behold my affliction; for the enemy hath magnified himself.

The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her precious things; for she hath seen the nations enter into her sanctuary, concerning whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.

All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their precious things for food to revive their soul. See, Jehovah, and consider, for I am become vile.

From on high hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them; he hath spread a net for my feet; he hath turned me back; he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.

For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water: for the comforter that should revive my soul is far from me; my children are desolate, for the enemy hath prevailed.

Jehovah is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment. Hear, I pray you, all ye peoples, and behold my sorrow. My virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.

I called for my lovers, they have deceived me; my priests and mine elders have expired in the city, while they sought them food to revive their soul.

See, Jehovah, for I am in distress, my bowels are troubled; my heart is turned within me, for I have grievously rebelled: without, the sword hath bereaved me, within, it is as death.

Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.

He hath cut off in fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he hath withdrawn his right hand from before the enemy; and he burned up Jacob like a flaming fire, devouring round about.

He hath bent his bow like an enemy; he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and hath slain all that was pleasant to the eye: in the tent of the daughter of Zion, he hath poured out his fury like fire.

What shall I take to witness for thee? what shall I liken unto thee, daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, virgin daughter of Zion? For thy ruin is great as the sea: who will heal thee?

Thy prophets have seen vanity and folly for thee; and they have not revealed thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee burdens of falsehood and causes of expulsion.

All thine enemies open their mouth against thee, they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up; this is forsooth the day that we looked for: we have found, we have seen it.

Arise, cry out in the night, in the beginning of the watches; pour out thy heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, who faint from hunger at the top of all the streets.

He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I have forgotten prosperity.

Jehovah is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

It is good that one should both wait, and that in silence, for the salvation of Jehovah.

It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth:

For the Lord will not cast off for ever;

for he doth not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men.

Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?

Fear and the pit are come upon us, devastation and ruin.

Mine eye runneth down with streams of water for the ruin of the daughter of my people.

Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee; thou saidst, Fear not.

The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst; the young children ask bread, no man breaketh it unto them.

The slain with the sword are happier than the slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

Jehovah hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath consumed the foundations thereof.

It is for the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, who have shed the blood of the righteous in the midst of her.

Our eyes still failed for our vain help; in our watching, we have watched for a nation that did not save.

They hunted our steps, that we could not go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.

Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heavens; they chased us hotly upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.

Our water have we to drink for money, our wood cometh unto us for a price.

The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, for we have sinned!

For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes have grown dim,

Thou, Jehovah, dwellest for ever; thy throne is from generation to generation.

Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, dost thou forsake us so long time?