(Alef)Alas! The city once full of people now sits all alone! The prominent lady among the nations has become a widow! The princess who once ruled the provinces has become a forced laborer!

{Gimel} Judah is taken prisoner, because she was defiled: and for serving so many strange gods, she dwelleth now among the heathen. She findeth no rest: all they that persecuted her, took her in strait places where she could not escape.

{Zayin} Now doth Jerusalem remember the time of her misery and disobedience, yea the joy and pleasure that she hath had in times past: seeing her people is brought down through the power of their enemy, and there is no man for to help her. Her enemies stand looking at her, and laughing her Sabbath days to scorn.

Great is the sin of Jerusalem; for this cause she has become an unclean thing: all those who gave her honour are looking down on her, because they have seen her shame: now truly, breathing out grief, she is turned back.

The Lord is upright; for I have gone against his orders: give ear, now, all you peoples, and see my pain, my virgins and my young men have gone away as prisoners.

They poured water upon my head, then thought I, "Now am I undone."

You have heard my voice,
“Do not hide Your ear from my prayer for relief,
From my cry for help.”

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

(Bet) The precious sons of Zion were worth their weight in gold -- Alas! -- but now they are treated like broken clay pots, made by a potter.

(He) Those who once feasted on delicacies are now starving to death in the streets. Those who grew up wearing expensive clothes are now dying amid garbage.

(Khet) Now their appearance is darker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it is dried up, like tree bark.

(Sin/Shin) Rejoice and be glad for now, O people of Edom, who reside in the land of Uz. But the cup of judgment will pass to you also; you will get drunk and take off your clothes.

Our inheritance is turned over to strangers; foreigners now occupy our homes.

We are now orphans without fathers and our mothers are like widows.

Afore time we yielded ourselves to the Egyptians, and now to the Assyrians, only that we might have bread enough.

Our fathers, which now are gone, have sinned; and we must bear their wickedness.

Fallen hath the crown from our head, Woe is now to us, for we have sinned.

for thou hast now banished us long enough, and hast been sore displeased at us.