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!
02 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.
03 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.
04 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.
05 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.
06 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.
07 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.
08 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.
09 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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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