1 The Sorrows of Jerusalem How lonely sits the city that was full of people! How she has become like a widow, who was once great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become a slave!
2 She weeps sorely in the night, her tears are on her cheeks; among all her lovers she has none to comfort her. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; they have become her enemies.
3 Judah has gone into captivity, under affliction and great servitude; she dwells among the nations, she finds no rest; all her persecutors overtook her in the midst of distress.
4 The roads to Zion mourn because no one comes to the solemn feasts. All her gates are desolate; her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she herself suffers bitterly.
5 Her adversaries have become her masters, her enemies prosper; for the Lord has afflicted her because of the multitude of her transgressions. Her children have gone into captivity before the enemy.
6 From the daughter of Zion all her beauty has departed. Her princes have become like deer that find no pasture; they fled without strength before the pursuer.
7 In the days of her affliction and misery Jerusalem remembers all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old. When her people fell into the hand of the enemy, there was no one to help her. The adversaries saw her and mocked at her desolation.
Cause of Jerusalem's Desolation
8 Jerusalem has sinned grievously; therefore she has become vile. All who honored her despise her, for they have seen her nakedness; she herself sighs and turns away.
9 Her uncleanness is in her skirts; she took no thought of her future; therefore her fall is astounding; she has no comforter. “O Lord, look upon my affliction, for the enemy has triumphed!”
10 The adversary has spread his hand over all her precious things; for she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary, those whom You commanded not to enter Your congregation.
11 All her people groan, as they search for bread; they trade their treasures for food to restore their strength. Look, O Lord, and consider, for I am despised.
12 Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me, which the Lord has inflicted on the day of His fierce anger.
13 From on high He has sent fire into my bones, and it prevailed against them; He has spread a net for my feet; He turned me back; He has made me desolate and faint all the day long.
14 The yoke of my transgressions was bound; by His hand they were fastened together; they were set upon my neck. He made my strength fail; the Lord delivered me into the hands of those whom I am not able to withstand.
15 The Lord has trampled underfoot all my mighty men in my midst; He has called an assembly against me to crush my young men; The Lord has trodden the virgin daughter of Judah as in a winepress.
16 For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears; for the comforter, who should relieve my soul, is far from me. My children are desolate for the enemy has prevailed.
17 Zion spreads out her hands, but there is no one to comfort her; the Lord has commanded against Jacob that his neighbors should be his adversaries; Jerusalem has become a filthy thing among them.
18 The Lord is in the right, for I have rebelled against His commandment. Hear now, all peoples, and see my sorrow; my virgins and my young men have gone into captivity.
19 I called for my lovers, but they deceived me; my priests and my elders perished in the city, while they sought food to restore their strength.
20 Look, O Lord, for I am in distress; my soul is greatly troubled; my heart is overturned within me, for I have grievously rebelled. In the street the sword bereaves, at home it is like death.
21 They have heard my groaning, yet there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that You have done it. Bring the day that You have announced, that they become like me.
22 Let all their wickedness come before You, and do to them as You have done to me for all my transgressions; for my groans are many, and my heart is faint.