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¹ Lord, haue thou mynde what bifelle to vs; se thou, and biholde oure schenschipe.² Oure eritage is turned to aliens, oure housis ben turned to straungers.³ We ben maad fadirles children with out fadir; oure modris ben as widewis.⁴ We drunken oure watir for monei, we bouyten oure trees for siluer.⁵ We weren dryuun bi oure heedis, and reste was not youun to feynt men.⁶ We yauen hond to Egipt, and to Assiriens, that we schulden be fillid with breed.⁷ Oure fadris synneden, and ben not, and we baren the wickidnessis of hem.⁸ Seruauntis weren lordis of vs, and noon was, that ayenbouyte fro the hond of hem.⁹ In oure lyues we brouyten breed to vs, fro the face of swerd in desert.¹⁰ Oure skynne is brent as a furneis, of the face of tempestis of hungur.¹¹ Thei maden low wymmen in Sion, and virgyns in the citees of Juda.¹² Princes weren hangid bi the hond; thei weren not aschamed of the faces of elde men.¹³ Thei mysusiden yonge wexynge men vnchastli, and children fellen doun in tree.¹⁴ Elde men failiden fro yatis; yonge men failiden of the queer of singeris.¹⁵ The ioie of oure herte failide; oure song is turned in to mourenyng.¹⁶ The coroun of oure heed fellen doun; wo to vs! for we synneden.

¹⁷ Therfor oure herte is maad soreuful, therfor oure iyen ben maad derk.¹⁸ For the hil of Sion, for it perischide; foxis yeden in it.¹⁹ But thou, Lord, schal dwelle with outen ende; thi seete schal dwelle in generacioun and in to generacioun.²⁰ Whi schalt thou foryete vs with outen ende, schalt thou forsake vs in to lengthe of daies?²¹ Lord, conuerte thou vs to thee, and we schal be conuertid; make thou newe oure daies, as at the bigynnyng.²² But thou castynge awei hast cast awei vs; thou art wrooth ayens vs greetli.