The Desolate City

• that was full of people!
• She has become like a widow,
  • once great among the nations!
• Like a woman of nobility in the provinces,
  • she has become a forced laborer.
  • 2 She weeps bitterly in the night, her tears are on her cheeks;
• she has no comforter
  • among all her lovers.
• All her friends have been unfaithful to her;
  • they have become her enemies.
  • 3 Judah has gone into exile with misery and under hard servitude;
• she lives among the nations,
  • she has not found a resting place;
• all her pursuers have overtaken her
  • amidst her distress.
  • 4 The roads of Zion are mourning because no one comes to the festival.
• All her gates are desolate,
  • her priests groan;
• her young women are worried,
  • and she herself suffers bitterly.
  • 5 Her foes have become her master ,[fn] her enemies are at ease;
• Yahweh has made her suffer
  • because of the greatness of her transgressions.
• Her children have gone away,
  • captive before the foe.
  • 6 All her majesty has gone away from the daughter of Zion;
• her princes have become like young stags
  • that have not found pasture;
• they have gone away without strength,
  • before the pursuer.
  • 7 Jerusalem remembers the days of her misery and wanderings,
• all her treasures
  • that were from the days of long ago.
• When her people fell into the hand of the enemy,
  • there was no one helping her;
• the enemies saw her, they mocked
  • at her destruction.
  • 8 Jerusalem sinned grievously, thus she became an objection of derision;
• all those who honored her despise her
  • because they have seen her nakedness.
• She herself groans
  • and turns away.
  • 9 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!
  • 10 The enemy has stretched out his hand over all her treasures;
• for she has seen the nations,
  • they entered her sanctuary,
• those whom you commanded not to enter
  • in your assembly.
  • 11 All her people groan, they are searching for bread.
• They give their treasures for food,
  • to bring back life.
• See, O Yahweh, and look,
  • how I am despised.
  • 12 Is it nothing to you, all who pass by ?[fn] Look and see
• if there is sorrow like my sorrow,[fn]
  • which was dealt to me,
• which Yahweh inflicted
  • on the day of his wrath .[fn]
  • 13 From heaven he sent fire, into my bones he let it descend.
• He spread out a net for my feet;
  • he turned me back,
• he gave me devastation,
  • fainting all day.
  • 14 My rebellion was bound as a yoke, with his hand it was fastened together;
• it was put on my neck
  • and caused my strength to fail.
• The Lord gave me into the hands
  • of those whom I cannot withstand.
  • 15 The Lord has rejected all my mighty ones in my midst.
• He called an assembly against me,
  • to crush my young men;
• like in a wine press,
  • the Lord has trodden on
• the virgin daughter of Judah.
  • 16 For these things, I am weeping, my eyes flow with tears ;[fn]
• because a comforter is far from me,
  • one to restore my life.
• My sons are desolate
  • because the enemy has prevailed.
  • 17 Zion stretches out her hands; there is no one to comfort her.
• Yahweh has commanded against Jacob,
  • that those surrounding him[fn] should be his enemies;
• Jerusalem has become
  • a defilement among them.
  • 18 Yahweh is righteous; I have rebelled against his word .[fn]
• Please hear, all the nations,
  • And see my pain;
• My young women[fn] and young men
  • went into captivity.
  • 19 I have called to my lovers, they themselves deceived me;
• my priests and elders perished in the city
  • when they sought food for themselves
    • to revive their life.[fn]
  • 20 See, O Yahweh, that I am in distress ;[fn] my stomach[fn] is in torment,
• my heart has turned inside me
  • because I have certainly rebelled.
• From outside a sword brings bereavement,
  • inside the house it is like death.
  • 21 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,[fn]
  • And let them be like me.
  • 22 Let all their evil come before you; and deal with them
• just as you have dealt with me
  • because of all my crimes;
• for my groaning is much and my heart is faint.