1How deserted lies the city of Jerusalem, once so full of people and activity! How like a widow she has become – once the queen among nations; she is now a slave! 2She weeps bitterly in the night, tears on her cheeks; she has none among all her lovers to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her, they have now become her enemies. 3Judah has gone into exile under distress, and rigorous servitude; she dwells among foreign nations, and finds no resting place; all her persecutors exploited her in her affliction. 4The roads of Zion mourn, because no one comes to the solemn feasts; all her gates are desolate; her priests sigh, her young women grieve, and are in bitterness. 5Her adversaries are now her masters; they prosper at her expense; for the LORD has punished her for her many transgressions; her children have become captives of her enemy. 6All her splendor has departed from the daughter of Zion; her leaders are like deer that find no pasture, and they flee without strength before their pursuer.

7In her days of affliction and wandering, Jerusalem remembered all the pleasant things that she had in the days of old. But when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, there was no one to help her; the adversaries saw her, and mocked at her downfall. 8Jerusalem has grievously sinned; therefore, she is discarded like a filthy rag. All that honored her now despise her, because they have seen her stripped naked; yea, she sighs, and turns away. 9Her filthiness clung to her skirts; she did not consider her latter end; therefore, her downfall was astounding, she had no comforter. “Look, O LORD, upon my affliction,” she cries; for the enemy has triumphed. 10The adversary has seized all her treasures; she has seen pagan nations enter her sanctuary, whom You, O LORD, have forbidden to enter Your congregation. 11All her people sigh, they seek food; they have traded their treasures for food to relieve their hunger. Look, O LORD, and consider; for I am despised. 12Is it nothing to you, all you that pass by? Look, and see if there is any sorrow like the suffering that is inflicted upon me, with which the LORD has afflicted me in the day of His fierce anger? 13From above He sent fire into my bones, and it dominated them; He has spread a net for my feet, He has turned me back, He has made me desolate and faint all the day. 14He has woven my sins into a yoke that is bound by His hand upon my neck; He has made my strength to fail; the LORD has delivered me into the hands of those I am not able to withstand. 15The LORD has treated all my warriors with contempt; He has summoned a great army against me to crush my young men; the LORD has trampled the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress. 16For these things I weep; my eye overflows with tears, because any comforter who could relieve me is far from me. My children are desolate, because the enemy has prevailed.

17Zion reaches out her hands, but there is no one to comfort her; the LORD has decreed concerning Jacob, that his neighbors should be his foes around him; Jerusalem is regarded as an unclean thing among them. 18The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against His commandment. Listen, all you people, and observe all my sorrow; my young women and my young men have gone into captivity. 19I called for my allies, but they failed me; my priests and my elders died in the city, while looking food to relieve their hunger. 20Behold, O LORD; for I am in distress. My heart is broken; it despairs within me; for I have grievously rebelled; outside, the sword slays, and within, there is nothing but death. 21Others have heard my groaning, but there is none to comfort me; all my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad at what You have done. May You bring the day that You have promised, when they shall be like me. 22Let all their wickedness come before You; and deal with them, as You have dealt with me for all my transgressions; for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.