Read the Bible

¹ O Jehovah, remember what has been to us; look upon and see our reproach.² Our inheritance has been turned to aliens, our houses to foreigners.³ We are orphans. There is no father; our mothers are like widows.⁴ We have drunk our water for silver; our wood comes for a price.⁵ We are pursued; we grow weary; rest is not given to us.⁶ We have given the hand to the Egyptians, to the Assyrian, in order to be satisfied with bread.⁷ Our fathers have sinned, and are not; we have borne their iniquities.⁸ Slaves rule over us; there is no rescuer from their hand.⁹ We bring in our bread with our souls, from the face of the sword of the wilderness.¹⁰ Our skin is burned black like an oven, because of the fever heat of famine.¹¹ They raped the women in Zion, virgins in the cities of Judah.¹² Rulers were hanged by their hands; the faces of the elders were not honored.¹³ They lifted the young men to the hand mill, and the youths stumbled at the wood.¹⁴ The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their music.¹⁵ The joy of our heart has ceased; our dance has turned to mourning.¹⁶ The crown has fallen from our head. Woe now to us, for we have sinned!

¹⁷ For this our heart is faint; our eyes are dim for these things .¹⁸ Zion is laid waste on the mountain; foxes walk about on it.¹⁹ O Jehovah, You remain forever; Your throne to generation and generation.²⁰ Why do You forget us forever, forsake us the length of days?²¹ Return us to You, O Jehovah, and we shall return. Renew our days as of old,²² for You have utterly rejected us; You are exceedingly angry against us.