Lamentations

Poems mourning the fall of Jerusalem and expressing hope in God's mercy.

Chapter 1

1 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!

*How does the once-crowded city now seem empty and lonely? It's like it has lost its spouse! This used to be a powerful and important city, respected by many countries. Now, it must pay tribute to others.

2 She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.

*She cries a lot at night, with tears on her face; she has no one to comfort her among her lovers. All her friends have betrayed her and are now her enemies.

3 Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.

*Judah was taken captive due to suffering and heavy work. She lives among non-believers and can't rest. All those who hated her caught up with her in a narrow place.

4 The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.

*Zion's paths are sad since no one attends the important celebrations. All her doors are empty. Her priests are sad, her young girls are hurt, and she feels very bitter.

5 Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.

*Her opponents lead, she has enemies who thrive; God punishes her because of many sins - her kids are captured by the foe.

6 And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.

*From Zion's daughter, all her beauty has left: her leaders are like deer with nowhere to eat, and they lose strength while being chased.

7 Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths.

*In the tough times, Jerusalem thought about the good times from long ago. This was when her people were taken by enemies and no one came to help. The opponents saw her and made fun of her special days.

8 Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.

*Jerusalem has done something very wrong; so she's been sent away. People who used to respect her now dislike her because they saw her in a vulnerable state. She sighs and wants to go back.

9 Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.

*Her impurity is in her clothes; she forgets her final fate; so she fell greatly; she has no one to comfort her. O GOD, see my suffering; because the enemy has grown proud.

10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.

*The enemy has taken away all the nice things; because she saw that the non-believers went inside the special place, which you told them not to do in your group.

11 All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O LORD, and consider; for I am become vile.

*Everyone she leads is sad, searching for food. They've traded their treasures for meat to comfort their spirits. Lord, watch and think about it. I feel so unworthy now.

12 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.

*Does it mean nothing to you, everyone who passes by? Look and see if there's any sadness like mine, that has been inflicted on me by the LORD during his angry day.

13 From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.

*From above, fire has been sent into my bones, affecting them. A net has been spread for my feet, causing me to turn back. I am made empty and weak all day long.

14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the LORD hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.

*God's hand has placed the burden of my sins on me, like a heavy rope around my neck. He has made me weak and given me to those who sin against me. The Lord has let them defeat me, and I can't escape their power.

15 The LORD hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the LORD hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.

*The Lord has defeated all my strong warriors around me. He gathered a group to attack my young people. The Lord has crushed the innocent girl from Judah, just like grapes in a wine press.

16 For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.

*I cry for these reasons. My eyes are filled with tears, as the person who should comfort me is far away. My children feel sad and alone because our enemy has been successful.

17 Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.

*Zion reaches out but no one helps her. The Lord tells Jacob that his enemies are all around him. Jerusalem is like a menstruating woman among these enemies.

18 The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.

*The Lord is fair, but I disobeyed His rules. Please listen, everyone, as I show my sadness. My young girls and young men have been captured.

19 I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.

*I asked for my friends, but they lied to me. My religious leaders and older people died in the city as they searched for food to make themselves feel better.

20 Behold, O LORD; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.

*Look, Lord, because I'm in trouble: my insides are upset; my heart is confused inside me; because I have seriously disobeyed: outside, the sword takes away life, and inside, it's like being dead.

21 They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.

*They know I am sad and no one helps me. All my enemies hear about my problems and they're happy you did this. You will create the day you mentioned, and they will be like me.

22 Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.

*Let them face their wrongdoings; deal with them like you did with me for all my mistakes: I've cried a lot and my heart is weak.

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