Bitterly she cries in the night, as tears stream down her cheeks. No one consoles her of all her friends. All her neighbors have betrayed her; they have become her enemies.

Her adversaries dominate her, her enemies prosper. For the LORD has made her suffer because of her many transgressions. Her children have gone away, taken into captivity in the presence of the enemy.

Fled from cherished Zion are all that were her splendor. Her princes have become like deer that cannot find their feeding grounds. They flee with strength exhausted from their pursuers.

All her people groaned as they searched for food. They traded their valuables in order to eat, to keep themselves alive. Look, LORD, and see how I have become dishonored.

The LORD is in the right, but I rebelled against his commands. Listen, please, all you people, and look at my pain my young men and women have gone into captivity.

I called out to my lovers, but they deceived me. My priests and my elders have died within the city while looking for something to eat to keep themselves alive.

People heard how I groan, with no one to comfort me. All my adversaries have heard about my troubles; they rejoice that you have caused them. Bring on the day you have promised, so my adversaries will become like me.

May all of their wickedness come to your attention, and deal with them as you have done with me because of all my transgressions. For I am constantly groaning, and my heart is faint.

Jerusalem's gates collapsed to the ground; he destroyed and broke the bars of her gates. Both king and prince have gone into captivity. There is no instruction, and the prophets receive no vision from the LORD.

All of your enemies insult you with gaping mouths. They hiss and grind their teeth while saying, "We have devoured her completely. Yes, this is the day that we anticipated! We found it at last; we have seen it!"

Look, LORD, and take note: To whom have you done this? Should women eat their offspring, the children they have cuddled? Should priests and prophets be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?

Young men and the aged lie on the ground in the streets; my young women and young men have fallen by the sword. You killed them in your anger, slaughtering them without pity.

You have invited those who terrorize me to come around, as if today were a festival. No one has escaped or survived the time of the LORD's anger. My enemy has finished off those whom I cuddled and raised.

I have become a laughingstock to all my people, the object of their taunts throughout the day.

You have removed peace from my life; I have forgotten what prosperity is.

This is what comes to mind, and therefore I have hope:

"The LORD is all I have," says my soul, "Therefore I will trust in him."

As for us, we have sinned and rebelled; but you have not pardoned us.

You have reduced us to scum and garbage among the nations.

Lord, you have defended my cause; you have redeemed my life.

LORD, you observed how I have been wronged; now make your ruling in my case.

How tarnished the gold has become, the finest gold debased! Sacred stones have been scattered at every street corner.

None of the kings of the earth would have believed, nor the world's inhabitants, that the adversary and the enemy could have breached the gates of Jerusalem.

They have raped women in Zion, young women in the towns of Judah.

Princes they have hung by their hands; elders they have disrespected.

Our elders have ceased ruling at the gate; our young men have abandoned their music.

The crown has fallen from our head woe to us, because we have sinned!

So why have you completely forgotten us, forsaking us for so long?

unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us without limit.