כ (Kaf)
2:11 My eyes are worn out 1 from weeping; 2
my stomach is in knots. 3
My heart 4 is poured out on the ground
due to the destruction 5 of my helpless people; 6
children and infants faint
in the town squares.
ג (Gimel)
2:3 In fierce anger 7 he destroyed 8
the whole army 9 of Israel.
He withdrew his right hand 10
as the enemy attacked. 11
He was like a raging fire in the land of Jacob; 12
it consumed everything around it. 13
א (Alef) 14
1:1 15 Alas! 16 The city once full of people 17
now sits all alone! 18
The prominent 19 lady among the nations
has become a widow! 20
The princess 21 who once ruled the provinces 22
has become 23 a forced laborer! 24
ב (Bet)
1:2 She weeps bitterly at night;
tears stream down her cheeks. 25
She has no one to comfort her
among all her lovers. 26
All her friends have betrayed her;
they have become her enemies.
ג (Gimel)
1:3 Judah 27 has departed into exile
under 28 affliction and harsh oppression. 29
She 30 lives among the nations;
she has found no resting place.
All who pursued her overtook her
in 31 narrow straits. 32
ד (Dalet)
1:4 The roads to Zion 33 mourn 34
because no one 35 travels to the festivals. 36
All her city gates 37 are deserted; 38
her priests groan. 39
Her virgins grieve; 40
she is in bitter anguish! 41
ה (He)
1:5 Her foes subjugated her; 42
her enemies are at ease. 43
For the Lord afflicted her
because of her many acts of rebellion. 44
Her children went away
captive 45 before the enemy.
ו (Vav)
1:6 All of Daughter Zion’s 46 splendor 47
has departed. 48
Her leaders became like deer;
they found no pasture,
so they were too exhausted to escape 49
from the hunter. 50
ז (Zayin)
1:7 Jerusalem 51 remembers, 52
when 53 she became a poor homeless person, 54
all her treasures
that she owned in days of old. 55
When her people fell into an enemy’s grip, 56
none of her allies came to her rescue. 57
Her enemies 58 gloated over 59 her;
they sneered 60 at her downfall. 61
ח (Khet)
1:8 Jerusalem committed terrible sin; 62
therefore she became an object of scorn. 63
All who admired 64 her have despised her 65
because they have seen her nakedness. 66
She groans aloud 67
and turns away in shame. 68
ט (Tet)
1:9 Her menstrual flow 69 has soiled 70 her clothing; 71
she did not consider 72 the consequences of her sin. 73
Her demise 74 was astonishing, 75
and there was no one to comfort her.
She cried, “Look, 76 O Lord, on my 77 affliction
because my 78 enemy boasts!”
י (Yod)
1:10 An enemy grabbed 79
all her valuables. 80
Indeed she watched in horror 81 as Gentiles 82
invaded her holy temple 83 –
those whom you 84 had commanded:
“They must not enter 85 your assembly place.” 86
כ (Kaf)
1:11 All her people groaned
as they searched for a morsel of bread. 87
They exchanged 88 their valuables 89
for 90 just enough food
to stay alive. 91
“Look, O Lord! Consider 92
that I have become worthless!”
ל (Lamed)
1:12 Is it nothing to you, 93 all you who pass by on the road? 94
Look and see!
Is there any pain like mine?
The Lord 95 has afflicted me, 96
he 97 has inflicted it on me
when 98 he burned with anger. 99
מ (Mem)
1:13 He sent down fire 100
into my bones, and it overcame 101 them.
He spread out a trapper’s net 102 for my feet;
he made me turn back.
He has made me desolate;
I am faint all day long.
נ (Nun)
1:14 My sins are bound around my neck like a yoke; 103
they are fastened together by his hand.
He has placed his yoke 104 on my neck; 105
he has sapped my strength. 106
The Lord 107 has handed me over 108
to those whom I cannot resist.
ס (Samek)
1:15 He rounded up 109 all my mighty ones; 110
The Lord 111 did this 112 in 113 my midst.
He summoned an assembly 114 against me
to shatter my young men.
The Lord has stomped like grapes 115
the virgin daughter, Judah. 116
ע (Ayin)
1:16 I weep because of these things;
my eyes 117 flow with tears. 118
For there is no one in sight who can comfort me 119
or encourage me. 120
My children 121 are desolated 122
because an enemy has prevailed.
פ (Pe)
1:17 Zion spread out her hands,
but there is no one to comfort her.
The Lord has issued a decree against Jacob;
his neighbors 123 have become his enemies.
Jerusalem has become
like filthy garbage 124 in their midst. 125
צ (Tsade)
1:18 The Lord is right to judge me! 126
Yes, I rebelled against his commands. 127
Please listen, all you nations, 128
and look at my suffering!
My young women and men
have gone into exile.
ק (Qof)
1:19 I called for my lovers, 129
but they had deceived me.
My priests and my elders
perished in the city.
Truly they had 130 searched for food
to 131 keep themselves 132 alive. 133
ר (Resh)
1:20 Look, O Lord! I am distressed; 134
my stomach is in knots! 135
My heart is pounding 136 inside me.
Yes, I was terribly rebellious! 137
Out in the street the sword bereaves a mother of her children; 138
Inside the house death is present. 139
ש (Sin/Shin)
1:21 They have heard 140 that I groan,
yet there is no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my trouble;
they are glad that you 141 have brought it about. 142
Bring about 143 the day of judgment 144 that you promised 145
so that 146 they may end up 147 like me!
ת (Tav)
1:22 Let all their wickedness come before you;
afflict 148 them
just as you have afflicted 149 me 150
because of all my acts of rebellion. 151
For my groans are many,
and my heart is sick with sorrow. 152