[a]How deserted(A) lies the city,
    once so full of people!(B)
How like a widow(C) is she,
    who once was great(D) among the nations!
She who was queen among the provinces
    has now become a slave.(E)

Bitterly she weeps(F) at night,
    tears are on her cheeks.
Among all her lovers(G)
    there is no one to comfort her.
All her friends have betrayed(H) her;
    they have become her enemies.(I)

After affliction and harsh labor,
    Judah has gone into exile.(J)
She dwells among the nations;
    she finds no resting place.(K)
All who pursue her have overtaken her(L)
    in the midst of her distress.

The roads to Zion mourn,(M)
    for no one comes to her appointed festivals.
All her gateways are desolate,(N)
    her priests groan,
her young women grieve,
    and she is in bitter anguish.(O)

Her foes have become her masters;
    her enemies are at ease.
The Lord has brought her grief(P)
    because of her many sins.(Q)
Her children have gone into exile,(R)
    captive before the foe.(S)

All the splendor has departed
    from Daughter Zion.(T)
Her princes are like deer
    that find no pasture;
in weakness they have fled(U)
    before the pursuer.

In the days of her affliction and wandering
    Jerusalem remembers all the treasures
    that were hers in days of old.
When her people fell into enemy hands,
    there was no one to help her.(V)
Her enemies looked at her
    and laughed(W) at her destruction.

Jerusalem has sinned(X) greatly
    and so has become unclean.(Y)
All who honored her despise her,
    for they have all seen her naked;(Z)
she herself groans(AA)
    and turns away.

Her filthiness clung to her skirts;
    she did not consider her future.(AB)
Her fall(AC) was astounding;
    there was none to comfort(AD) her.
“Look, Lord, on my affliction,(AE)
    for the enemy has triumphed.”

10 The enemy laid hands
    on all her treasures;(AF)
she saw pagan nations
    enter her sanctuary(AG)
those you had forbidden(AH)
    to enter your assembly.

11 All her people groan(AI)
    as they search for bread;(AJ)
they barter their treasures for food
    to keep themselves alive.
“Look, Lord, and consider,
    for I am despised.”

12 “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?(AK)
    Look around and see.
Is any suffering like my suffering(AL)
    that was inflicted on me,
that the Lord brought on me
    in the day of his fierce anger?(AM)

13 “From on high he sent fire,
    sent it down into my bones.(AN)
He spread a net(AO) for my feet
    and turned me back.
He made me desolate,(AP)
    faint(AQ) all the day long.

14 “My sins have been bound into a yoke[b];(AR)
    by his hands they were woven together.
They have been hung on my neck,
    and the Lord has sapped my strength.
He has given me into the hands(AS)
    of those I cannot withstand.

15 “The Lord has rejected
    all the warriors in my midst;(AT)
he has summoned an army(AU) against me
    to[c] crush my young men.(AV)
In his winepress(AW) the Lord has trampled(AX)
    Virgin Daughter(AY) Judah.

16 “This is why I weep
    and my eyes overflow with tears.(AZ)
No one is near to comfort(BA) me,
    no one to restore my spirit.
My children are destitute
    because the enemy has prevailed.”(BB)

17 Zion stretches out her hands,(BC)
    but there is no one to comfort her.
The Lord has decreed for Jacob
    that his neighbors become his foes;(BD)
Jerusalem has become
    an unclean(BE) thing(BF) among them.

18 “The Lord is righteous,(BG)
    yet I rebelled(BH) against his command.
Listen, all you peoples;
    look on my suffering.(BI)
My young men and young women
    have gone into exile.(BJ)

19 “I called to my allies(BK)
    but they betrayed me.
My priests and my elders
    perished(BL) in the city
while they searched for food
    to keep themselves alive.

20 “See, Lord, how distressed(BM) I am!
    I am in torment(BN) within,
and in my heart I am disturbed,(BO)
    for I have been most rebellious.(BP)
Outside, the sword bereaves;
    inside, there is only death.(BQ)

21 “People have heard my groaning,(BR)
    but there is no one to comfort me.(BS)
All my enemies have heard of my distress;
    they rejoice(BT) at what you have done.
May you bring the day(BU) you have announced
    so they may become like me.

22 “Let all their wickedness come before you;
    deal with them
as you have dealt with me
    because of all my sins.(BV)
My groans(BW) are many
    and my heart is faint.”

Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 1:1 This chapter is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Lamentations 1:14 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint He kept watch over my sins
  3. Lamentations 1:15 Or has set a time for me / when he will

¡Cuán solitaria ha quedado
    la ciudad antes llena de gente!
¡Tiene apariencia de viuda
    la ciudad capital de los pueblos!
¡Sometida está a trabajos forzados
    la princesa de los reinos!

Se ahoga en llanto por las noches;
    lágrimas corren por sus mejillas.
De entre todos sus amantes
    no hay uno que la consuele.
Todos sus amigos la han traicionado;
    se han vuelto sus enemigos.

A más de sufrimientos y duros trabajos,
    Judá sufre ahora el cautiverio.
La que antes reinaba entre los pueblos,
    ahora no encuentra reposo.
Los que la perseguían, la alcanzaron
    y la pusieron en aprietos.

¡Qué tristes están los caminos de Sión!
    ¡No hay nadie que venga a las fiestas!
Las puertas de la ciudad están desiertas,
    los sacerdotes lloran,
las jóvenes se afligen
    y Jerusalén pasa amarguras.

Sus enemigos dominan,
    sus adversarios prosperan.
Es que el Señor la ha afligido
    por lo mucho que ha pecado.
Sus hijos fueron al destierro
    llevados por el enemigo.

Desapareció de la bella Sión
    toda su hermosura;
sus jefes, como venados,
    andan en busca de pastos;
arrastrando los pies, avanzan
    delante de sus cazadores.

Jerusalén recuerda aquellos días,
    cuando se quedó sola y triste;
recuerda todas las riquezas que tuvo
    en tiempos pasados;
recuerda cuando cayó en poder del enemigo
    y nadie vino en su ayuda,
cuando sus enemigos la vieron
    y se burlaron de su ruina.

Jerusalén ha pecado tanto
    que se ha hecho digna de desprecio.
Los que antes la honraban, ahora la desprecian,
    porque han visto su desnudez.
Por eso está llorando,
    y avergonzada vuelve la espalda.

Tiene su ropa llena de inmundicia;
    no pensó en las consecuencias.
Es increíble cómo ha caído;
    no hay quien la consuele.
¡Mira, Señor, mi humillación
    y la altivez del enemigo!

10 El enemigo se ha adueñado
    de las riquezas de Jerusalén.
La ciudad vio a los paganos
    entrar violentamente en el santuario,
¡gente a la que tú, Señor, ordenaste
    que no entrara en tu lugar de reunión!

11 Todos sus habitantes lloran,
    andan en busca de alimentos;
dieron sus riquezas a cambio de comida
    para poder sobrevivir.
¡Mira, Señor, mi ruina!
    ¡Considera mi desgracia!

12 ¡Ustedes, los que van por el camino,
    deténganse a pensar
si hay dolor como el mío,
    que tanto me hace sufrir!
¡El Señor me mandó esta aflicción
    al encenderse su enojo!

13 El Señor lanzó desde lo alto
    un fuego que me ha calado hasta los huesos;
tendió una trampa a mi paso
    y me hizo volver atrás;
me ha entregado al abandono,
    al sufrimiento a cada instante.

14 Mis pecados los ha visto el Señor;
    me han sido atados por él mismo,
y como un yugo pesan sobre mí:
    ¡acaban con mis fuerzas!
El Señor me ha puesto en manos de gente
    ante la cual no puedo resistir.

15 El Señor arrojó lejos de mí
    a todos los valientes que me defendían.
Lanzó un ejército a atacarme,
    para acabar con mis hombres más valientes.
¡El Señor ha aplastado a la virginal Judá
    como se aplastan las uvas para sacar vino!

16 Estas cosas me hacen llorar.
    Mis ojos se llenan de lágrimas,
pues no tengo a nadie que me consuele,
    a nadie que me dé nuevo aliento.
Entre ruinas han quedado mis hijos,
    porque pudo más el enemigo que nosotros.

17 Sión extiende las manos suplicante,
    pero no hay quien la consuele.
El Señor ha ordenado que a Jacob
    lo rodeen sus enemigos;
Jerusalén es para ellos
    objeto de desprecio.

18 El Señor hizo lo debido,
    porque me opuse a sus mandatos.
¡Escúchenme, pueblos todos;
    contemplen mi dolor!
¡Mis jóvenes y jovencitas
    han sido llevados cautivos!

19 Pedí ayuda a mis amantes,
    pero ellos me traicionaron.
Mis sacerdotes y mis ancianos
    murieron en la ciudad:
¡andaban en busca de alimentos
    para poder sobrevivir!

20 ¡Mira, Señor, mi angustia!
    ¡Siento que me estalla el pecho!
El dolor me oprime el corazón
    cuando pienso en lo rebelde que he sido.
Allá afuera la espada mata a mis hijos,
    y aquí adentro también hay muerte.

21 La gente escucha mis lamentos,
    pero no hay quien me consuele.
Todos mis enemigos saben de mi mal,
    y se alegran de que tú lo hayas hecho.
¡Haz que venga el día que tienes anunciado,
    y que les vaya a ellos como me ha ido a mí!

22 Haz que llegue a tu presencia
    toda la maldad que han cometido;
trátalos por sus pecados
    como me has tratado a mí,
pues es mucho lo que lloro;
    ¡tengo enfermo el corazón!

How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!

She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.

Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.

The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.

Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.

And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.

Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths.

Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.

Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O Lord, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.

10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.

11 All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O Lord, and consider; for I am become vile.

12 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.

13 From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.

14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.

15 The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.

16 For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.

17 Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.

18 The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.

19 I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.

20 Behold, O Lord; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.

21 They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.

22 Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.

How Lonely Sits the City

(A)How lonely sits the city
    that was full of people!
How like (B)a widow has she become,
    she who was great among the nations!
She who was (C)a princess among the provinces
    has become (D)a slave.

(E)She weeps bitterly in the night,
    with tears on her cheeks;
(F)among all her lovers
    she has (G)none to comfort her;
(H)all her friends have dealt treacherously with her;
    they have become her enemies.

(I)Judah has gone into exile because of affliction[a]
    and hard servitude;
(J)she dwells now among the nations,
    (K)but finds no resting place;
her pursuers have all overtaken her
    in the midst of her distress.[b]

The roads to Zion mourn,
    for none come to (L)the festival;
(M)all her gates are desolate;
    her priests (N)groan;
her virgins have been afflicted,[c]
    and she herself suffers bitterly.

(O)Her foes have become the head;
    her (P)enemies prosper,
because (Q)the Lord has afflicted her
    (R)for the multitude of her transgressions;
(S)her children have gone away,
    captives before the foe.

From the daughter of Zion
    all her majesty has departed.
Her princes have become like deer
    (T)that find no pasture;
they fled without strength
    before the pursuer.

Jerusalem remembers
    in the days of her affliction and wandering
(U)all the precious things
    that were hers from (V)days of old.
When her people fell into the hand of the foe,
    and there was none to help her,
her foes gloated over her;
    they (W)mocked at her downfall.

(X)Jerusalem sinned grievously;
    therefore she became filthy;
all who honored her despise her,
    (Y)for they have seen her nakedness;
she herself (Z)groans
    and turns her face away.

Her uncleanness was (AA)in her skirts;
    (AB)she took no thought of her future;[d]
therefore her fall is terrible;
    (AC)she has no comforter.
“O Lord, behold my affliction,
    for the enemy has (AD)triumphed!”

10 The enemy has stretched out his hands
    over all her (AE)precious things;
for she has seen (AF)the nations
    enter her sanctuary,
those whom you (AG)forbade
    to enter your congregation.

11 All her people (AH)groan
    as (AI)they search for bread;
they trade their (AJ)treasures for (AK)food
    to revive their strength.
“Look, O Lord, and see,
    for I am despised.”

12 “Is it nothing to you, all (AL)you who pass by?
    (AM)Look and see
if there is any sorrow like my sorrow,
    which was brought upon me,
which (AN)the Lord inflicted
    on (AO)the day of his fierce anger.

13 “From on high he (AP)sent fire;
    into my bones[e] he made it descend;
(AQ)he spread a net for my feet;
    he turned me back;
(AR)he has left me stunned,
    faint all the day long.

14 “My transgressions were bound[f] into (AS)a yoke;
    by his hand they were fastened together;
they were set upon my neck;
    he caused my strength to fail;
the Lord gave me into the hands
    of those whom I cannot withstand.

15 “The Lord rejected
    all my mighty men in my midst;
he summoned an assembly against me
    to crush my young men;
(AT)the Lord has trodden as in a winepress
    the virgin daughter of Judah.

16 “For these things (AU)I weep;
    my eyes flow with tears;
for (AV)a comforter is far from me,
    one to (AW)revive my spirit;
my children are desolate,
    for the enemy has prevailed.”

17 (AX)Zion stretches out her hands,
    but (AY)there is none to comfort her;
the Lord has commanded against Jacob
    that his neighbors should be his foes;
Jerusalem has become
    a filthy thing among them.

18 (AZ)“The Lord is in the right,
    (BA)for I have rebelled against his word;
but hear, all you peoples,
    and see my suffering;
(BB)my young women and my young men
    have gone into captivity.

19 “I called to (BC)my lovers,
    but they deceived me;
my priests and elders
    perished in the city,
while (BD)they sought food
    to revive their strength.

20 “Look, O Lord, for I am in distress;
    (BE)my stomach churns;
my heart is wrung within me,
    because I have been very rebellious.
(BF)In the street the sword bereaves;
    in the house it is like death.

21 “They heard[g] (BG)my groaning,
    yet (BH)there is no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my trouble;
    (BI)they are glad that you have done it.
You have brought[h] the day you announced;
    (BJ)now let them be as I am.

22 (BK)“Let all their evildoing come before you,
    and deal with them
as (BL)you have dealt with me
    because of all my transgressions;
for (BM)my groans are many,
    and (BN)my heart is faint.”

Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 1:3 Or under affliction
  2. Lamentations 1:3 Or in the narrow passes
  3. Lamentations 1:4 Septuagint, Old Latin dragged away
  4. Lamentations 1:9 Or end
  5. Lamentations 1:13 Septuagint; Hebrew bones and
  6. Lamentations 1:14 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
  7. Lamentations 1:21 Septuagint, Syriac Hear
  8. Lamentations 1:21 Syriac Bring