1How lonely sits the city that was full of people! She has become as a widow; she who was great among the nations, princess among the provinces, has become a forced laborer.
2She weeps bitterly in the night, and her tears are on her cheek; she has none to comfort her among all her lovers; all her companions have dealt treacherously with her, they have become enemies to her.
3Judah has gone into exile from affliction and from much labor (avodah); she dwells among the nations, she finds no resting place; all her pursuers overtook her between the straits.
4The ways of Zion mourn, for lack of those coming to the appointed time (moed); all her gates are desolate, her priests groan; her virgins are afflicted, and she herself is in bitterness.
5Her adversaries have become the head, her enemies are at ease; for YHWH has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions; her young children have gone into captivity before the adversary.
6And there has gone out from the daughter of Zion all her splendor; her princes have become like harts that find no pasture, and they go without strength before the pursuer.
7Jerusalem remembers, in the days of her affliction and her wanderings, all her precious things that were from the days of old; when her people fell by the hand of the adversary and there was none to help her, the adversaries saw her, they mocked at her downfall.
8Jerusalem has grievously sinned, therefore she has become an object of scorn; all who honored her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness; she herself also groans and turns backward.
9Her uncleanness is in her skirts, she did not remember her end; and she has come down astonishingly, there is none to comfort her. "See, YHWH, my affliction, for the enemy has magnified himself."
10The adversary has spread out his hand over all her precious things; for she has seen nations enter her sanctuary, those whom you commanded (tzivvah) should not enter into your congregation.
11All her people groan, seeking bread; they gave their precious things for food to bring back the soul (nephesh). "See, YHWH, and look, for I have become worthless."
12Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by the way? Look and see if there is any pain like my pain, which was dealt to me, which YHWH afflicted in the day of his fierce anger.
13From on high he sent fire into my bones, and it subdued them; he spread a net for my feet, he turned me backward; he made me desolate, faint all the day.
14The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand; they are knit together, they come up upon my neck; he has made my strength stumble; my Lord (Adonai) has given me into the hands of those before whom I am not able to rise.
15My Lord (Adonai) has cast aside all my mighty ones in my midst; he has called against me an appointed time (moed) to crush my young men; my Lord (Adonai) has trodden the winepress for the virgin daughter of Judah.
16For these things I weep; my eye, my eye runs down with water, for a comforter is far from me, one who would bring back my soul (nephesh); my children are desolate, for the enemy has prevailed.
17Zion spreads out her hands, there is none to comfort her; YHWH has commanded (tzivvah) concerning Jacob that those around him should be his adversaries; Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them.
18Righteous is YHWH, for I have rebelled against his mouth; hear, please, all you peoples, and see my pain: my virgins and my young men have gone into captivity.
19I called to my lovers, they deceived me; my priests and my elders perished in the city, for they sought food for themselves to bring back their soul (nephesh).
20See, YHWH, for I am in distress; my bowels burn, my heart is turned over within me, for I have grievously rebelled; outside the sword bereaves, in the house it is like death.
21They have heard that I groan, there is none to comfort me; all my enemies have heard of my calamity, they rejoice that you have done it. You have brought the day that you proclaimed; let them be like me.
22Let all their evil come before you, and deal with them as you have dealt with me for all my transgressions; for my groans are many and my heart is faint.