Lamentations

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

Chapter 1

KJV: 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!

Geneva: Howe doeth the citie remaine solitarie that was full of people? she is as a widowe: she that was great among the nations, & princesse among the prouinces, is made tributarie.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: She weepeth continually in the night, and her teares runne downe by her cheekes: among all her louers, she hath none to comfort her: all her friendes haue delt vnfaithfully with her, and are her enemies.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: Iudah is caried away captiue because of affliction, and because of great seruitude: shee dwelleth among the heathen, and findeth no rest: all her persecuters tooke her in the straites.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: The wayes of Zion lament, because no man commeth to the solemne feastes: all her gates are desolate: her Priests sigh: her virgins are discomfited, and she is in heauinesse.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: Her aduersaries are the chiefe, and her enemies prosper: for the Lorde hath afflicted her, for the multitude of her transgressions, and her children are gone into captiuitie before the enemie.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: And from the daughter of Zion all her beautie is departed: her princes are become like harts that finde no pasture, & they are gone without strength before the pursuer.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: Ierusalem remembred the dayes of her affliction, and of her rebellion, and all her pleasant things, that shee had in times past, when her people fell into the hande of the enemie, and none did helpe her: the aduersarie sawe her, and did mocke at her Sabbaths.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: Ierusalem hath grieuously sinned, therefore shee is in derision: all that honoured her, despise her, because they haue seene her filthinesse: yea, she sigheth and turneth backeward.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: Her filthinesse is in her skirts: she remembred not her last ende, therefore she came downe wonderfully: she had no comforter: O Lorde, behold mine affliction: for the enemie is proud.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: The enemie hath stretched out his hande vpon al her pleasant things: for she hath seene the heathen enter into her Sanctuarie, whom thou diddest commande, that they shoulde not enter into thy Church.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: All her people sigh and seeke their bread: they haue giuen their pleasant thinges for meate to refresh the soule: see, O Lorde, and consider: for I am become vile.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: Haue ye no regarde, all yee that passe by this way? behold, and see, if there be any sorowe like vnto my sorowe, which is done vnto mee, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: From aboue hath hee sent fire into my bones, which preuaile against them: he hath spred a net for my feete, and turned me backe: hee hath made me desolate, and daily in heauinesse.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: The yoke of my transgressions is bounde vpon his hand: they are wrapped, and come vp vpon my necke: hee hath made my strength to fall: the Lord hath deliuered me into their hands, neither am I able to rise vp.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: The Lord hath troden vnder foote all my valiant men in the middes of me: he hath called an assembly against me to destroy my yong men: the Lord hath troden the wine presse vpon the virgine the daughter of Iudah.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: For these things I weepe: mine eye, euen mine eye casteth out water, because the comforter that should refresh my soule, is farre from me: my children are desolate, because the enemie preuailed.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: Zion stretcheth out her handes, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath appoynted the enemies of Iaakob rounde about him: Ierusalem is as a menstruous woman in the middes of them.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: The Lorde is righteous: for I haue rebelled against his commandement: heare, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorowe: my virgins and my yong men are gone into captiuitie.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: I called for my louers, but they deceiued me: my Priestes and mine Elders perished in the citie while they sought their meate to refresh their soules.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: Behold, O Lorde, howe I am troubled: my bowels swell: mine heart is turned within me, for I am ful of heauinesse: the sword spoyleth abroad, as death doeth at home.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: They haue heard that I mourne, but there is none to comfort mee: all mine enemies haue heard of my trouble, and are glad, that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day, that thou hast pronounced, and they shalbe like vnto me.

KJV: 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.

Geneva: Let al their wickednes come before thee: do vnto them, as thou hast done vnto me, for all my transgressions: for my sighes are many, & mine heart is heauy.

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