Now the Chaldeans broke into pieces the bronze pillars for the Lord’s temple and the water carts and the bronze reservoir that were in the Lord’s temple, and carried all the bronze to Babylon.

And the pots and the spades and the scissors for the lights and the spoons, and all the brass vessels used in the Lord's house, they took away.

And the cups and the fire-trays and the basins and the pots and the supports for the lights and the spoons and the wide basins; the gold of the gold vessels, and the silver of the silver vessels, the captain of the armed men took away.

As for the two pillars the one sea, and the twelve oxen of bronze which were under the stands which King Solomon had made for the house of Yahweh, without weight was the bronze of all these things.

Now as for the pillars, eighteen cubits, was the height of each pillar, and, a line of twelve cubits, compassed it about, - and the thickness thereof was four fingers breadth - hollow;

And the capital upon it was brass, and the height of the one capital was five cubits; and the network and the pomegranates, upon the capital round about, all of brass; and similarly for the second pillar, and the pomegranates.

And from the city he took one high official who was chief officer over {the soldiers}, and seven men of {the king's advisors} who were found in the city, and the secretary of the commander of the army who levied for military service the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the midst of the city.

And his prison clothing was changed, and he was a guest at the king's table every day for the rest of his life.

and for his allowance, there was a continual allowance given him by the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.

How sat the city alone being many in people she was as a widow: being many among the nations, being a leader in the provinces, she became for tribute.

She weepeth sore in the night, And her tear is on her cheeks, There is no comforter for her out of all her lovers, All her friends dealt treacherously by her, They have been to her for enemies.

Judah has been taken away as a prisoner because of trouble and hard work; her living-place is among the nations, there is no rest for her: all her attackers have overtaken her in a narrow place.

The ways to Zion, are mourning, because none come to her appointed feasts, All her gates, are desolate, her priests, are sighing, - her virgins, are grieved, and, she, it is bitter for her.

Her adversaries have become chief, her foes, are at ease, for, Yahweh, hath grieved her, because of the multitude of her transgressions, - Her children, have gone into captivity, before the adversary.

And all her glory has gone from the daughter of Zion: her rulers have become like harts with no place for food, and they have gone in flight without strength before the attacker.

In the days of her affliction and her wandering Jerusalem remembered all her desirable things from previous days; when her people fell into the hand of the foe; and there is no ally for her. The foes saw her; they laughed at her annihilation.

Jerusalem, hath grievously sinned, For this cause, unto exile, hath she been delivered, - All who used to honour her, have despised her, for they have descried her unseemliness, yea, she herself, hath sighed, and turned back.

Her uncleanness [was] in her skirts; she did not remember her future, she has descended beyond understanding, there is no comforter for her. See, O Yahweh, my persecution! [My] enemy has been made great!

His hand, hath the adversary spread out, over all her precious things, - for she saw that, the nations, entered her sanctuary, as to whom thou didst command they should not enter - in the convocation - unto thee!

All her people, are sighing, seeking bread, They have given their precious things for food, to bring back life, - Behold, O Yahweh, and discern, that I have become worthless.

{Lamed} O ye all that go fore by, behold and see, if there be any sorrow like unto mine. wherewith the LORD hath troubled me in the day of his fearful wrath.

From on high, sent he fire, among my bones, and laid them prostrate, - He spread out a net for my feet, he made me turn back, he made me desolate, all the day, faint.

For these things, am, I, weeping, Mine eye, mine eye, is running down with waters, for, far from me, is any who could comfort, could bring back my life, - My sons are amazed, for strong is the foe.

Spread forth hath Zion her hands, There is no comforter for her, Jehovah hath charged concerning Jacob, His neighbours are his adversaries, Jerusalem hath become impure among them.

Righteous is Yahweh, for, against his bidding, had I rebelled, - Hear, I pray you, all ye peoples, and see my pain, My virgins and my young men, have gone into exile.

I called to my lovers, they, deceived me, My priests and mine elders, in the city, have breathed their last, - for they sought them food, that they might bring back their life.

See, O Yahweh, that I am in distress, Mine inward parts, are in ferment, My heart is turned within me, for I have obstinately rebelled, - Without, bereaveth the sword, Within, is like death,

They hear that I was groaning; [there is] no comforter for me. All my enemies have heard my misery, they are pleased that you have done it. Bring [that] day that you have proclaimed, And let them be like me.

Let all their wickedness, come in, before thee, and deal thou severely with them, according as thou hast dealt severely with me, for all my transgressions; for many are my sighs, and, my heart, is sick.

{Aleph} Alas, how hath the LORD darkened the daughter of Zion so sore in his wrath? As for the honour of Israel, he hath casten it down from heaven: How happeneth it, that he remembered not his own foot stool when he was angry?

His bow has been bent for the attack, he has taken his place with his hand ready, in his hate he has put to death all who were pleasing to the eye: on the tent of the daughter of Zion he has let loose his passion like fire.

(Tet) Her city gates have fallen to the ground; he smashed to bits the bars that lock her gates. Her king and princes were taken into exile; there is no more guidance available. As for her prophets, they no longer receive a vision from the Lord.

Blinded with tears are mine eyes, In ferment is my body, Poured out to the earth is my grief, for the sore hurt of the daughter of my people, - when child and suckling are swooning, in the broadways of the city.

{Lamed} Even when they spake to their mothers, "Where is meat and drink?" For while they so said, they fell down in the streets of the city, like as they had been wounded, and some died in their mothers' bosom.

How shall I solemnly admonish thee? What shall I liken to thee, thou daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I compare with thee, that I may comfort thee, thou virgin, daughter of Zion? for, great as the sea, is thy grievous injury, Who can heal thee?

Thy prophets, have had visions for thee, false and foolish, and have not unveiled thine iniquity, to turn back thy captivity, - Yea they have had visions for thee, oracles of falsehood, and enticements!

They clap hands over you, all who pass along the way; they hiss and they shake their head, at the daughter of Jerusalem. Is this the city of which it is said, "A perfection of beauty, a joy for all the earth?"

All thy foes, have opened wide, over thee their mouth, They have hissed, and gnashed their teeth, They have said - We have swallowed her up! Surely, this, is the day for which we have waited, We have found! We have seen!

Arise, cry out in the night, At the beginning of the watches, pour out, like waters, thy heart, right before the face of My Lord, - Lift up, above thee, the palms of thy hands, for the life of thy children, who are swooning for hunger, at the top of all the streets!

See, O Lord, and look!
With whom have You dealt this way?
Should women eat their offspring,
The little ones who were born healthy and beautiful?
Should priest and prophet be killed
In the sanctuary of the Lord?

You have summoned my horror from all around, as if for a feast day; no one on the day of Yahweh's anger [is] a fugitive and a survivor; whoever I have cared for and reared, my enemy has destroyed.

He has made me dwell in darkness
like those who have been dead for ages.

Though I cry out for help, he shuts out my prayers.

He is like a bear waiting for me, like a lion in secret places.

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

I have become a laughingstock for all the people, their mocking song all day long.

I thought in myself, "I am undone; there is no hope for me in the LORD."

Yea, thou shalt remember them, for my soul melteth away in me.

I will turn this back to my heart; for this I shall hope.

ח KhetBecause of the Lord’s faithful love
we do not perish,
for His mercies never end.

New things for the mornings! Abundant is thy faithfulness:

My portion, is Yahweh, saith my soul, For this cause, will I wait for him.

The LORD is good to them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

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

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

י YodLet him sit alone and be silent,
for God has disciplined him.

For the Lord will not cast off for ever:

For even though he causes grief he has compassion according to the greatness of his royal love.

For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

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

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

You have made us like waste and that for which there is no use, among the peoples.

Fear and a snare hath been for us, Desolation and destruction.

My eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

{Pe} Mine eyes run, and cannot cease, for there is no rest.

Mine eye will glean for my soul for all the daughters of my city.

They, have laid snares, for me as a bird, who are mine enemies without cause:

You have heard my cry, "Do not shut your ear to my cry for help, for my relief!"

O Lord, you have pleaded for {my cause}, you have redeemed my life.

You examined their plans for vengeance, all of their plots against me.

The precious sons of Zion being lifted up with fine gold, how they were reckoned for earthen vessels, the work of the hands of the potter.

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

They eating for dainties were desolate in the streets: they trusting upon scarlet embraced dung hills.

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

Purer were her Nazirites than snow, whiter were they than milk, - more ruddy, in body, than coral, A sapphire, was their beauty of form.

Their form dark above blackness; they were not known in the streets: their skin adhered to their bones; it was dried up, it was as wood.

They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

The hands of merciful women have boiled their own children, They have been for food to them, In the destruction of the daughter of my people.

For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.

They wandered, blind, in the streets;
They were defiled with blood
So that no one could touch their garments.

Away! unclean! they were crying out to them, Away! away! let there be no touching: when they went away in flight and wandering, men said among the nations, There is no further resting-place for them.

The face of the Lord has sent them in all directions; he will no longer take care of them: they had no respect for the priests, they gave no honour to the old men.

As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us.

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

Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.

(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.

The punishment for your sin is complete, you women of Zion, and God will no longer exile you. He will punish your iniquity, you women of Edom, and he will expose your sins.

We have drank our water for money; our wood is sold to us.

We are driven on our necks; we are weary, there is no rest for us.

We made a deal with the Egyptians and the Assyrians for the price of food.

{We risk our life for food} because of the sword of the desert.

Our skin is as it had been burnt in an oven, for very sore hunger.

Fallen is the crown of our head. Surely woe to us, for we have sinned.

For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes are dim.

For the mountain of Zion, which is desolate: The foxes walk upon it.

Thou, O LORD, remainest for ever; thy throne from generation to generation.

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

For though thou hast not, utterly rejected, us, thou art wroth with us - exceedingly!

And from its midst [was] the likeness of four living creatures, and this [was] their appearance: {a human form},

And under their wings [were] {human hands} on their four sides. And their faces and their wings for the four of them [were as follows]: