Lamentations 1:1-22.
Lamentations 1.1-22
The Prophet Speaks:
Jerusalem, once so crowded, lies deserted and lonely. This city that
was known all over the world is now like a widow. This queen of the
nations has been made a slave. Each night, bitter tears flood her
cheeks. None of her former lovers are there to offer comfort; her
friends have betrayed her and are now her enemies.
The people of Judah are slaves, suffering in a foreign land, with no
rest from sorrow. Their enemies captured them and were terribly cruel.
The roads to Zion mourn because no one travels there to celebrate the
festivals. The city gates are deserted; priests are weeping. Young
women are raped; Zion is in sorrow! Enemies now rule the city and live
as they please. The Lord has punished Jerusalem because of her awful
sins; he has let her people be dragged away.
Zion's glory has disappeared. Her leaders are like deer that cannot
find pasture; they are hunted down till their strength is gone. Her
people recall the good life that once was theirs; now they suffer and
are scattered. No one was there to protect them from their enemies who
sneered when their city was taken.
Jerusalem's horrible sins have made the city a joke. Those who once
admired her now hate her instead- she has been disgraced; she groans
and turns away.
Her sins had made her filthy, but she wasn't worried about what could
happen. And when Jerusalem fell, it was so tragic. No one gave her
comfort when she cried out, "Help! I'm in trouble, Lord! The enemy has
won."
Zion's treasures were stolen. Jerusalem saw foreigners enter her place
of worship, though the Lord had forbidden them to belong to his
people. Everyone in the city groans while searching for food; they
trade their valuables for barely enough scraps to stay alive.
Jerusalem Speaks:
Jerusalem shouts to the Lord, "Please look and see how miserable I
am!" No passerby even cares. Why doesn't someone notice my terrible
sufferings? You were fiercely angry, Lord, and you punished me worst
of all. From heaven you sent a fire that burned in my bones; you set a
trap for my feet and made me turn back. All day long you leave me in
shock from constant pain. You have tied my sins around my neck, and
they weigh so heavily that my strength is gone. You have put me in the
power of enemies too strong for me.
You, Lord, have turned back my warriors and crushed my young heroes.
Judah was a woman untouched, but you let her be trampled like grapes
in a wine pit. Because of this, I mourn, and tears flood my eyes. No
one is here to comfort or to encourage me; we have lost the war- my
people are suffering.
The Prophet Speaks:
Zion reaches out her hands, but no one offers comfort. The Lord has
turned the neighboring nations against Jacob's descendants. Jerusalem
is merely a filthy rag to her neighbors.
Jerusalem Speaks:
The Lord was right, but I refused to obey him. Now I ask all of you to
look at my sufferings- even my young people have been dragged away. I
called out to my lovers, but they betrayed me. My priests and my
leaders died while searching the city for scraps of food.
Won't you look and see how upset I am, our Lord? My stomach is in
knots, and my heart is broken because I betrayed you. In the streets
and at home, my people are slaughtered.
Everyone heard my groaning, but no one offered comfort. My enemies
know of the trouble that you have brought on me, and it makes them
glad. Hurry and punish them, as you have promised. Don't let their
evil deeds escape your sight. Punish them as much as you have punished
me because of my sins. I never stop groaning- I've lost all hope!
God bless you.
The Prophet Speaks:
Jerusalem, once so crowded, lies deserted and lonely. This city that
was known all over the world is now like a widow. This queen of the
nations has been made a slave. Each night, bitter tears flood her
cheeks. None of her former lovers are there to offer comfort; her
friends have betrayed her and are now her enemies.
The people of Judah are slaves, suffering in a foreign land, with no
rest from sorrow. Their enemies captured them and were terribly cruel.
The roads to Zion mourn because no one travels there to celebrate the
festivals. The city gates are deserted; priests are weeping. Young
women are raped; Zion is in sorrow! Enemies now rule the city and live
as they please. The Lord has punished Jerusalem because of her awful
sins; he has let her people be dragged away.
Zion's glory has disappeared. Her leaders are like deer that cannot
find pasture; they are hunted down till their strength is gone. Her
people recall the good life that once was theirs; now they suffer and
are scattered. No one was there to protect them from their enemies who
sneered when their city was taken.
Jerusalem's horrible sins have made the city a joke. Those who once
admired her now hate her instead- she has been disgraced; she groans
and turns away.
Her sins had made her filthy, but she wasn't worried about what could
happen. And when Jerusalem fell, it was so tragic. No one gave her
comfort when she cried out, "Help! I'm in trouble, Lord! The enemy has
won."
Zion's treasures were stolen. Jerusalem saw foreigners enter her place
of worship, though the Lord had forbidden them to belong to his
people. Everyone in the city groans while searching for food; they
trade their valuables for barely enough scraps to stay alive.
Jerusalem Speaks:
Jerusalem shouts to the Lord, "Please look and see how miserable I
am!" No passerby even cares. Why doesn't someone notice my terrible
sufferings? You were fiercely angry, Lord, and you punished me worst
of all. From heaven you sent a fire that burned in my bones; you set a
trap for my feet and made me turn back. All day long you leave me in
shock from constant pain. You have tied my sins around my neck, and
they weigh so heavily that my strength is gone. You have put me in the
power of enemies too strong for me.
You, Lord, have turned back my warriors and crushed my young heroes.
Judah was a woman untouched, but you let her be trampled like grapes
in a wine pit. Because of this, I mourn, and tears flood my eyes. No
one is here to comfort or to encourage me; we have lost the war- my
people are suffering.
The Prophet Speaks:
Zion reaches out her hands, but no one offers comfort. The Lord has
turned the neighboring nations against Jacob's descendants. Jerusalem
is merely a filthy rag to her neighbors.
Jerusalem Speaks:
The Lord was right, but I refused to obey him. Now I ask all of you to
look at my sufferings- even my young people have been dragged away. I
called out to my lovers, but they betrayed me. My priests and my
leaders died while searching the city for scraps of food.
Won't you look and see how upset I am, our Lord? My stomach is in
knots, and my heart is broken because I betrayed you. In the streets
and at home, my people are slaughtered.
Everyone heard my groaning, but no one offered comfort. My enemies
know of the trouble that you have brought on me, and it makes them
glad. Hurry and punish them, as you have promised. Don't let their
evil deeds escape your sight. Punish them as much as you have punished
me because of my sins. I never stop groaning- I've lost all hope!
God bless you.
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