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¹ How alone sits the city that was full of people! She has become like a widow, once great among the nations; a noblewoman among the provinces has become a payer of tribute.² She bitterly weeps in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks. She has no comforter among all her lovers. All her friends dealt deceitfully with her; they became enemies to her.³ Judah went captive from affliction, and from great slavery. She dwells among the nations; she finds no rest. All her pursuers have overtaken her between the straits.⁴ The roads of Zion are in mourning without any going to the appointed feasts . All her gates are deserted; her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted; and she is in bitterness.⁵ Her foes have become as chief; her enemies are at ease. For Jehovah has afflicted her for the multitude of her trespasses. Her children have gone, captive before the foe.⁶ And from the daughter of Zion all her splendor has departed. Her rulers have become like bucks; they find no pasture; and they have gone without strength before the pursuer.⁷ In the days of her affliction and her wandering, Jerusalem remembers all her desirable things from previous days, when her people fell into the hand of the foe; and there is no ally for her.The foes saw her; they laughed at herannihilations.⁸ Jerusalem has grievously sinned; on account of this, she has been removed. All the ones knowing her despise her, for they saw her nakedness. Also, she groans and turns backward.⁹ Her uncleanness is in her skirts. She did not remember her end and has gone down astoundingly. She had no comforter. O Jehovah, behold my affliction, for the enemy has magnified himself .¹⁰ The enemy has spread out his hand on all her desirable things. Indeed, she has seen the nations enter into her holy place, whom You commanded that they not enter into Your congregation.¹¹ All her people sigh from seeking bread. They gave their desirable things for food to revive the soul. See, O Jehovah, and look on me , for I have become vile.

¹² Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold, and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow which is done to me, with which Jehovah has afflicted me in the day of His burning anger.¹³ From on high He has sent fire into my bones and subdued them. He spread a net for my feet; He has turned me back; He gave me desolation. All the days I faint.¹⁴ The yoke of my transgressions is bound by His hand, they intertwine, they rise on my neck. He caused my strength to falter. The Lord gave me into their hands. I am not able to rise up.¹⁵ The Lord has trampled all my mighty ones in my midst. He called a gathering against me to crush my young men. As a winepress, the Lord trod the virgin daughter of Judah.¹⁶ I weep for these; my eye, my eye runs down with water, because a comforter who could be reviving my soul is far from me. My sons are desolated because the enemy prevails.¹⁷ Zion spreads forth her hands; there is not one comforting to her; Jehovah has commanded concerning Jacob that his enemies should be all around him. Jerusalem has become as an impure thing among them.¹⁸ Jehovah is righteous, for I rebelled against His mouth. I beseech you, all peoples, hear and see my sorrow. My virgins and my young men went into exile.¹⁹ I called for my lovers; they deceived me. My priests and my elders expired in the city, while they sought food for them to bring back their life.²⁰ Behold, O Jehovah, for I am distressed. My inward parts ferment; my heart is overturned within me; for I have grievously rebelled. On the outside the sword bereaves; in the house it is as death.²¹ They hear that I sigh; there is no comforter to me. All my enemies have heard my evil; they rejoice that You have done it . You will bring the day that You have called, and they shall be like me.²² Let all their evil come before You; and do to them as You have done to me for all my transgressions. For my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.