5 Yahweh, take notice of what’s happened to us.

Look and see our disgrace.

2 The land that was our inheritance has been turned over to strangers—

≈ our houses to foreigners.

3 We have become orphans, without a father,

≈ and our mothers are like widows.

4 We pay to drink water.

≈ We bring in our firewood for a price.

5 We’re driven hard with the yoke on our necks.

We work hard, yet never get any rest.

6 We’ve made a treaty with Egypt (Heb. Mitsrayim),

≈ and with Assyria (Heb. Ashshur) to get food.

7 Our ancestors sinned but they’re gone now.

→ We ourselves bear the results of their disobedience.

8 Babylonian slaves rule over us.

There’s no one to rescue us from their control.

9 We bring in our food at the cost of our lives,

due to the sword blades out there in the wilderness.

10 Our skin grows as hot as an oven

from the burning heat of hunger.

11 Women are raped in Tsiyyon—

≈ young women in Yehudah’s cities.

12 Princes were hung by their hands.

≈ The city elders were treated with no respect.

13 Young men lift the grind stone

≈ and boys stagger under loads of wood.

14 The elders no longer make decisions at the city gate,

≈ The young men have stopped their music.

15 We’re no longer happy and contented.

≈ Our dancing has turned to mourning.

16 The crown has fallen off our head.

We won’t end well, because we’ve sinned.

17 As a result of that, we’ve become depressed.

On account of those things, our eyes grow dim.

18 On account of Mt. Tsiyyon,

which is desolate with jackals roaming over it.

19 You, Yahweh, exist forever.

≈ You’ll sit on your throne throughout the generations.

20 Why do you forget us for so long?

≈ Why do you abandon us for many days?

21 Bring us back to yourself, Yahweh, and we’ll be restored.

≈ Renew our life back to what it was before

22 unless you’ve totally rejected us—

≈ unless you’re angry with us beyond measure.