Open English Translation LAM Chapter 2

2  א (Alef)

2 Oh dear, how my master engulfed the daughter that’s Tsiyon (Zion) in his anger.

He’s thrown Yisrael’s (Israel’s) splendour down from heaven to earth.

And he hasn’t remembered the footstool of his feet on the day of his anger.

ב (Beyt)

2 My master devoured—he didn’t show compassion on all the pastures of Ya’akov (Jacob).

In his fury, he knocked down the fortifications of the daughter of Yehudah (Judah).

He struck the earth with disgrace—the kingdom and its leaders.

ג (Gimel)

3 With fierce anger he cut off all of Yisrael’s power.

He stopped using his strength to protect her from the enemy.

And he has burnt Ya’akov—it consumed the surroundings like a fire.

ד (Dalet)

4 He’s bent his bow like an enemy.

His sword hand is posed like an adversary.

And he has slain all those precious to the eye in the tent of the daughter that’s Tsiyon (Zion).

He has poured out his rage like fire.

ה (He)

5 My master has become like an enemy—he’s swallowed up Yisrael (Israel).

He has swallowed up all her palaces—he’s destroyed its fortifications.

And he has multiplied mourning and lamentation within the daughter of Yehudah (Judah).

ו (Vav)

6 And he was violent with his garden tent—he ruined his appointed place.

Yahweh has caused the appointed festival and Sabbath to be forgotten in Tsiyon (Zion).

And he has despised the king and priest in his indignant anger.

ז (Zayin)

7 My master has rejected his altar—he abandoned his sanctuary.

He has allowed the enemy to enter via the walls of her palaces.

They raised a shout in Yahweh’s house, like on an appointed festival day.

ח (Het)

8 Yahweh planned to destroy the wall of the daughter that’s Tsiyon.

He stretched out the measuring line.

He didn’t withhold his hand from devouring,

and he’s brought the ramparts and wall to mourning. Together they wasted away.

י (Yod)

9 Her gates sank into the ground.

He has destroyed and shattered their locking bars.

Her king and her leaders are among the nations. There’s no law.

Also, her prophets don’t receive any visions from Yahweh.

י (Yod)

10 They sit on the ground.

The elders of the daughter that’s Tsiyon (Zion) are silenced.

They have thrown up dust on their heads and put on sackcloth.

Yerushalem’s (Jerusalem’s) young women have bowed their heads to the ground.

כ (Kaf)

11 My eyes have failed with tears.

My stomach churns.

My inner parts are poured out to the ground, because of the destruction of the daughter of my people,

when child and infant faint in the streets of the town.

ל (Lamed)

12 They ask their mothers, “Where’s our food and drink?”

when they faint like the slain in the streets of the city,

when they die slowly in their mothers’ laps.

מ (Mem)

13 What can I testify to you?

To what can I compare you, daughter of Yerushalem (Jerusalem)?

To what can I liken you, that I may comfort you, virgin daughter that’s Tsiyon (Zion)?

Because your brokenness is as great as the sea.

Who can heal you?

נ (Nun)

14 Your prophets have ‘seen’ false and worthless visions for you,

and they didn’t expose your disobedience, to restore your fortunes,

but they have ‘received’ false and enticing messages for you.

ס (Samek)

15 All those passing on the road clap their hands at you.

They hiss and shake their heads at the daughter of Yerushalem (Jerusalem).

“Is this the city that they called ‘the fullness of beauty that makes the whole world happy’?”

ע (Ayin)

16 All your enemies spoke out against you.

They hiss and grind their teeth.

They say, “We have devoured.

Surely this is the time we’d longed for.

We have found, we have seen.”

פ (Pe)

17 Yahweh has done what he planned.

He’s fulfilled the message that he commanded in ancient times.

He has overthrown and shown no compassion,

and the enemy rejoiced over you.

He has enabled your enemies to get stronger.

צ (Tsade)

18 Their heart cried out to my master,

“You walls of the daughter that’s Tsiyon (Zion).”

Like a tearful river, let your tears flow down day and night.

Don’t allow yourself any relief from it.

Don’t rest your eyes from the tears.

ק (Qof)

19 Arise, shout in the night at the beginning of the night watches.

Pour out your heart like water in front of my master.

Lift up your hands to him for the life of your children who are fainting with hunger at the end of every street.

ר (Resh)

20 Look, Yahweh, and see those you have dealt with in this way.

Should women eat their own newborn children?

Should priests and prophets be slaughtered in my master’s sanctuary?

ש (Sin/Shin)

21 The young and the old lie down in the dirt in the streets.

My young men and women have fallen by the sword.

You’ve had them struck down—at the time of your anger you slaughtered.

You showed no compassion.

ת (Tav)

22 You’ve summoned terrors to surround me like summoning people to a festival day,

and there wasn’t anyone who escaped or survived on the day of Yahweh’s anger.

Those who I birthed and multiplied, my enemy has ended.