What shall I testify to thee? What shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I compare to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? For thy breach is great like the sea; who can heal thee?

All who pass by clap their hands at thee. They hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, [saying], Is this the city that men called The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?

All thine enemies have opened their mouth wide against thee. They hiss and gnash the teeth. They say, We have swallowed her up. Certainly this is the day that we looked for. We have found, we have seen it.

LORD has done that which he purposed. He has fulfilled his word that he commanded in the days of old. He has thrown down, and has not pitied. And he has caused the enemy to rejoice over thee. He has exalted the horn of thine advers

He has walled me around, that I cannot go forth. He has made my chain heavy.

[It is of] LORD's loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassions do not fail.

It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of LORD.

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

Who is he that says, and it comes to pass, when LORD does not command it?

Thou have covered thyself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.

Thou drew near in the day that I called upon thee. Thou said, Fear not.

For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands were laid upon her.

Her ranking men were purer than snow. They were whiter than milk. They were more ruddy in body than rubies. Their polishing was as of sapphire.

Their visage is blacker than a coal. They are not known in the streets. Their skin clings to their bones. It is withered. It has become like a stick.

Those who are slain with the sword are better than those who are slain with hunger, for these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field.

The kings of the earth did not believe, nor all the inhabitants of the world, that the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.

They wander as blind men in the streets. They are polluted with blood, so that men cannot touch their garments.

Our eyes do yet fail [in looking] for our vain help. In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.

They hunt our steps, so that we cannot go in our streets. Our end is near, our days are fulfilled, for our end has come.

Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heavens. They chased us upon the mountains. They laid wait for us in the wilderness.