ד (Dalet)
1:4 The roads to Zion 1 mourn 2
because no one 3 travels to the festivals. 4
All her city gates 5 are deserted; 6
her priests groan. 7
Her virgins grieve; 8
she is in bitter anguish! 9
מ (Mem)
1:13 He sent down fire 10
into my bones, and it overcame 11 them.
He spread out a trapper’s net 12 for my feet;
he made me turn back.
He has made me desolate;
I am faint all day long.
א (Alef)
2:1 Alas! 13 The Lord 14 has covered
Daughter Zion 15 with his anger. 16
He has thrown down the splendor of Israel
from heaven to earth;
he did not protect 17 his temple 18
when he displayed his anger. 19
ב (Bet)
2:2 The Lord 20 destroyed 21 mercilessly 22
all the homes of Jacob’s descendants. 23
In his anger he tore down
the fortified cities 24 of Daughter Judah.
He knocked to the ground and humiliated
the kingdom and its rulers. 25
ג (Gimel)
2:3 In fierce anger 26 he destroyed 27
the whole army 28 of Israel.
He withdrew his right hand 29
as the enemy attacked. 30
He was like a raging fire in the land of Jacob; 31
it consumed everything around it. 32
ד (Dalet)
2:4 He prepared his bow 33 like an enemy;
his right hand was ready to shoot. 34
Like a foe he killed everyone,
even our strong young men; 35
he has poured out his anger like fire
on the tent 36 of Daughter Zion.
ה (He)
2:5 The Lord, 37 like an enemy,
destroyed 38 Israel.
He destroyed 39 all her palaces;
he ruined her 40 fortified cities.
He made everyone in Daughter Judah
mourn and lament. 41
ו (Vav)
2:6 He destroyed his temple 42 as if it were a vineyard; 43
he destroyed his appointed meeting place.
The Lord has made those in Zion forget
both the festivals and the Sabbaths. 44
In his fierce anger 45 he has spurned 46
both king and priest.
ז (Zayin)
2:7 The Lord 47 rejected 48 his altar
and abhorred his temple. 49
He handed over to the enemy 50
her palace walls;
the enemy 51 shouted 52 in the Lord’s temple
as if it were a feast day. 53
ח (Khet)
2:8 The Lord was determined to tear down
Daughter Zion’s wall.
He prepared to knock it down; 54
he did not withdraw his hand from destroying. 55
He made the ramparts and fortified walls lament;
together they mourned their ruin. 56
ט (Tet)
2:9 Her city gates have fallen 57 to the ground;
he smashed to bits 58 the bars that lock her gates. 59
Her king and princes were taken into exile; 60
there is no more guidance available. 61
As for her prophets,
they no longer receive 62 a vision from the Lord.