5 Remember, Lord, what has happened to us;
    look, and see our disgrace.^(A)
2 Our inheritance^(B) has been turned over to strangers,^(C)
    our homes^(D) to foreigners.^(E)
3 We have become fatherless,
    our mothers are widows.^(F)
4 We must buy the water we drink;^(G)
    our wood can be had only at a price.^(H)
5 Those who pursue us are at our heels;
    we are weary^(I) and find no rest.^(J)
6 We submitted to Egypt and Assyria^(K)
    to get enough bread.
⁷ Our ancestors^(L) sinned and are no more,
    and we bear their punishment.^(M)
8 Slaves^(N) rule over us,
    and there is no one to free us from their hands.^(O)
9 We get our bread at the risk of our lives
    because of the sword in the desert.
¹⁰ Our skin is hot as an oven,
    feverish from hunger.^(P)
11 Women have been violated^(Q) in Zion,
    and virgins in the towns of Judah.
¹² Princes have been hung up by their hands;
    elders^(R) are shown no respect.^(S)
13 Young men toil at the millstones;
    boys stagger under loads of wood.
¹⁴ The elders are gone from the city gate;
    the young men have stopped their music.^(T)
15 Joy is gone from our hearts;
    our dancing has turned to mourning.^(U)
16 The crown^(V) has fallen from our head.^(W)
    Woe to us, for we have sinned!^(X)
17 Because of this our hearts^(Y) are faint,^(Z)
    because of these things our eyes^(AA) grow dim^(AB)
18 for Mount Zion,^(AC) which lies desolate,^(AD)
    with jackals prowling over it.

¹⁹ You, Lord, reign forever;^(AE)
    your throne endures^(AF) from generation to generation.
²⁰ Why do you always forget us?^(AG)
    Why do you forsake^(AH) us so long?
²¹ Restore^(AI) us to yourself, Lord, that we may return;
    renew our days as of old
²² unless you have utterly rejected us^(AJ)
    and are angry with us beyond measure.^(AK)

¹⁰ My son, if sinful men entice^(E) you,
    do not give in^(F) to them.^(G)
11 If they say, “Come along with us;
    let’s lie in wait^(H) for innocent blood,
    let’s ambush some harmless soul;
¹² let’s swallow^(I) them alive, like the grave,
    and whole, like those who go down to the pit;^(J)
13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
    and fill our houses with plunder;
¹⁴ cast lots with us;
    we will all share the loot^(K)”—
¹⁵ my son, do not go along with them,
    do not set foot^(L) on their paths;^(M)
16 for their feet rush into evil,^(N)
    they are swift to shed blood.^(O)
17 How useless to spread a net
    where every bird can see it!
¹⁸ These men lie in wait^(P) for their own blood;
    they ambush only themselves!^(Q)
19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
    it takes away the life of those who get it.^(R)

²² “How long will you who are simple^(T) love your simple ways?
    How long will mockers delight in mockery
    and fools hate^(U) knowledge?
²³ Repent at my rebuke!
    Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
    I will make known to you my teachings.
²⁴ But since you refuse^(V) to listen when I call^(W)
    and no one pays attention^(X) when I stretch out my hand,
²⁵ since you disregard all my advice
    and do not accept my rebuke,
²⁶ I in turn will laugh^(Y) when disaster^(Z) strikes you;
    I will mock^(AA) when calamity overtakes you^(AB)—
²⁷ when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
    when disaster^(AC) sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
    when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

²⁸ “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;^(AD)
    they will look for me but will not find me,^(AE)
29 since they hated knowledge
    and did not choose to fear the Lord.^(AF)
30 Since they would not accept my advice
    and spurned my rebuke,^(AG)
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
    and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.^(AH)
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
    and the complacency of fools will destroy them;^(AI)
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety^(AJ)
    and be at ease, without fear of harm.”^(AK)