Open English Translation LAM Chapter 1

1 א (Alef)

1 Oh dear, how she sits alone, that city, a mighty people.

Once powerful among the nations, she’s become like a widow.

≈ From being a princess among the provinces, she became a slave.

ב (Beyt)

2 She weeps excessively in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks.

Despite having many lovers, no one brings her comfort.

≈ All her friends betrayed her—they’ve become her enemies instead.

ג (Gimel)

3 Yehudah (Judah) is exiled and made to experience suffering and harsh slavery.

She sits among the nations but finds no rest.

All who pursue her, overtake her in the midst of distress.

ד (Dalet)

4 The roads of Tsiyyon (Zion) mourn—no one’s coming to the scheduled festivals.

All her gates are desolate. Her priests are groaning.

Her young women are grieving and she makes herself bitter.

ה (He)

5 Her enemies have become her masters—her enemies prosper

because Yahweh has made her suffer due to her frequent disobedience.

Her children get taken away as captives by the enemy.

ו (Vav)

6 All her splendour was sent out from the daughter that’s Tsiyyon.

Her leaders have become like deer—they can’t find a pasture

so they have very little strength as they flee from the pursuer.

ז (Zayin)

7 Yerushalem remembers the days of her suffering and her homelessness,

all her treasures which were from former days.

When her people fell into the hand of the enemy and there was no one to help her,

her enemies saw her—they laughed over her destruction.

ח (Het)

8 Yerushalem disobeyed terribly, therefore, she became filth.

All her glory is scorned, because they’ve seen her nakedness.

Again, she groans and turns away.

ט (Tet)

9 Her uncleanness is in her skirt.

She didn’t remember her end and her descent was marvellous.

There wasn’t any comforter for her.

“Oh, Yahweh, see my suffering, because the enemy is powerful.”

י (Yod)

10 The enemy spread his hand over all her treasures.

So, she saw the nations; they entered her sanctuary—

those who you had forbidden to enter into your gathering place.

כ (Kaf)

11 All her people are groaning, searching for bread.

They give their treasures to restore life with food.

“O, Yahweh, look and see, for I have become worthless.

ל (Lamed)

12 Is it nothing to you, all those going past on the road?

Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which has been forced on me,

which Yahweh inflicted on the day of his fierce anger.

מ (Mem)

13 He sent fire down from on high into my bones.

He spread a net for my feet and turned me away.

He made me desolate—feeling faint every day.

נ (Nun)

14 The yoke of my disobedience is bound.

With his hand it’s assembled together and placed on my neck.

My strength is gone so now I stumble.

My master arranged for me to be captured and I couldn’t defend myself.

ס (Samek)

15 My master has rejected all my mighty warriors protecting me.

He has told us exactly when he plans to destroy my young men.

My master has stomped on the grapes for Yehudah’s virgin daughter.

ע (Ayin)

16 As a result of those things, I weep.

My eyes, oh dear, my eyes overflow with water

because the comforter is far from me—one who restores my life.

My sons have become desolate, because the enemy is made mighty.”

פ (Pe)

17 Tsiyyon has spread her hands wide—there is no comforter for her.

Yahweh commanded that those surrounding Yakov become his enemies.

Yerushalem has become filth in the middle of them.

צ (Tsade)

18 “Yahweh is surely righteous, but I disobeyed his command.

Hear, all peoples, and see my sorrow.

My young men and women have been taken into captivity.

ק (Qof)

19 I called to my lovers but they deceived me.

My priests and my elders perished in the city,

while they searched for food to stay alive.

ר (Resh)

20 Look, O Yahweh, because I’m engulfed—my stomach churns.

My heart is undone within me, because I’ve disobeyed grievously.

Out in the street, the sword bereaves.

Inside the house, there’s death.

ש (Sin/Shin)

21 Take notice because I’m groaning.

There’s no comforter for me.

All my enemies heard my trouble—they rejoiced that you did it.

You brought about the day of punishment that you declared,

yet may those persecutors become like me.

ת (Tav)

22 May all their evil be noticed by you,

and deal with them just as you have dealt with me because of all my disobedience,

because my groans are many and my heart is faint.”