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¹ HOW does the city sit solitary that was full of people! How is she become like a widow! She that was so great among the nations, and she that was a princess of the cities has become a tributary!² She weeps bitterly in the night, and her tears run 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 is gone into captivity because of affliction and because of great servitude; she dwells among the Gentiles, she finds no rest; all her pursuers overtook her in the midst of her affliction.⁴ The ways of Zion mourn because none come to the solemn feasts; all her gates are desolate; her priests sigh, her virgins are humbled? and she is in bitterness.⁵ Her oppressors have become her rulers, and her adversaries have made an end of her; for the LORD has afflicted her for the multitude of her sins; her children are gone into captivity before the oppressor.⁶ And from the daughter of Zion all her splendor is departed; her princes have become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.⁷ Jerusalem remembers in the days of her affliction and of her chastisement all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old. When her people fell into the hand of the oppressor and she had none to help her, her oppressors saw her, and mocked at her destruction.⁸ Jerusalem has grievously sinned; therefore she has become an abomination; all who honored her, despise her, because they see her nakedness; yea, she sighs and turns backward.⁹ Her filthiness is in her skirts; she was not mindful of her end; therefore her glory is low; she has no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction; for the enemy has magnified himself.¹⁰ The oppressor has stretched out his hands upon all her pleasant things; for I have seen the Gentiles violate thy sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.¹¹ All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their precious things for food to relieve their soul; see, O LORD, and consider; for I am despised.

¹² Is it nothing to you, all you that pass by? Understand, and see if there is any pain like my pain, which the LORD has dealt to me; for the LORD has afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.¹³ From above he sent fire into my bones, and it has brought me low; he has spread a net for my feet, he has turned me back; he has delivered me to the sword and I am miserable all the day.¹⁴ My sins have wrought vengeance upon me; his yokes are bound by his hands upon my neck; my strength has failed; the LORD has delivered me into the hands of those before whom I cannot stand.¹⁵ The LORD has brought into subjection all my mighty men in the midst of me; he has called an assembly against me to destroy my young men; the LORD has trodden as in a winepress the virgin daughter of Judah.¹⁶ For these things I weep; my eyes run down with tears, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me; my children are desolate, because the enemy has prevailed.¹⁷ Zion stretches out her hands, and there is none to comfort her; the LORD has given commands against Jacob, and his oppressors are round about him; Jerusalem has become loathsome among them.¹⁸ The LORD is righteous; and I have rebelled against him; hear, all you peoples, and behold my grief; my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.¹⁹ I called for my lovers, but they deceived me; my priests and my elders perished in the city; they searched for food to relieve their souls, but they found it not.²⁰ Behold, O LORD, I am in distress; my soul is troubled, my heart is in pain; for I have grievously rebelled; outside the sword devours, and those who are in the house death consumes.²¹ They have heard that I sigh; there is none to comfort me; all my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it; hasten thou the day that thou hast announced, the enemy shall become like me.²² Let all their wickedness come before thee; harass them, as thou hast harassed me for all my transgressions; for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.