HOW lonely sits the city that was full of people! How like a widow is she, who was great among the nations! The princess among the provinces has become a slave!

2 She weeps bitterly in the night, her tear are on her cheeks; among all her lovers she has none to comfort her. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; they have become her enemies.

3 Judah has gone into captivity, under affliction and hard servitude; she dwell among the nations, she find no rest; all her persecutors overtake her in dire straits.

4 The road to Zion mourn because no one comes to the set feasts. All her gates are desolate; her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.

5 Her adversarires have become the master, her enemies prosper; for the LORD has afflicted her because of the multitude of her transgressions. Her children have gone into captivity before the enemy.

6 And from the daughter of Zion all her splender has departed. Her princes have become like deer that find no pasture, that flee without strength before the pursuer.

7 In the days of her affliction and roaming, Jerusalem remembers all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old. When her people fell into the hand of the enemy, with no one to help her, the adversaries saw her and mocked at her downfall.

8 Jeusalem has sinned gravely, therefore she has become vile. All who honored her despise her because they have seen her nakedness; yes she sigh and turn away.

9 Her uncleanness is in her skirits; she did not consider her destiny; therefore her collapse was awesome; she had no comforter." O LORD, behold my affliction, for the enemy is exalted!"

10 The adversary has spread his hand over all her pleasant things; for she has seen the nations enter her sancturary, those whom You commanded not to enter Your assembly.

11 All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their valuable for food to restore life. "See, O LORD, and consider, for I am scorned."

12 "Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which the LORD has inflicted in the day of his fierce anger.

13 "From above He has sent fire into my bones, and it overpowered them; He has spread a net for my feet and turned me back; He has made me desolate and faint all the day.

14 "The yoke of my transgressions was bound; they were woven together by His hand, and thrust upon my neck. He made my strengthfail; the Lord delivered me into the hands of those whom I am not able to withstand.

15 "The Lord has trampled underfoot all my mighty men in my midst; He has called an assembly against me to crush my young men; the Lord trampled as in a wineprss the virgin daughter of Judah.

16 "For these things I weep; my eyes overflows with water; because the comforter, who should restore my life, is fat me. My children are desolate because the enemy prevailed."

17 Zion spread out her hands, but no one comfort her; the LORD has commanded concerning Jacob that those around hom because his adversaries; Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them."

18 "The LORD is righteous, for I rebelled against His commandment. Hear now, all people, and behold my sorrow; my wirgins and my young men have gone into captivity.

19 "I called for my lovers, but they deceived me; my priests and my elders breathed their last in the city, while they sought food to restore their life.

20 "See, O LORD, that I am in distress; my soul is troubled; my heart is overturned within me, for I have been very rebellious. Outside the sword bereaves, at home it is like death.

21 "They have heard that I sigh, but no one comforts me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that You have done it. Bring on the day You have done it. Bring on the day You have announced, that they may become like me.

22 "Let all their wickedness come before You, and do them as You have done to me for all my transgressions; for my sigh are many, and my heart is faint." LEMENTATION 1