耶利米哀歌 1
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified)
哀叹锡安居民被掳
1 先前满有人民的城，现在何竟独坐！先前在列国中为大的，现在竟如寡妇！先前在诸省中为王后的，现在成为进贡的！ 2 她夜间痛哭，泪流满腮。在一切所亲爱的中间，没有一个安慰她的。她的朋友都以诡诈待她，成为她的仇敌。 3 犹大因遭遇苦难，又因多服劳苦，就迁到外邦。她住在列国中，寻不着安息，追逼她的都在狭窄之地将她追上。 4 锡安的路径因无人来守圣节就悲伤，她的城门凄凉，她的祭司叹息，她的处女受艰难，自己也愁苦。 5 她的敌人为首，她的仇敌亨通，因耶和华为她许多的罪过使她受苦。她的孩童被敌人掳去。 6 锡安城[a]的威荣全都失去，她的首领像找不着草场的鹿，在追赶的人前无力行走。 7 耶路撒冷在困苦窘迫之时，就追想古时一切的乐境。她百姓落在敌人手中，无人救济。敌人看见，就因她的荒凉嗤笑。 8 耶路撒冷大大犯罪，所以成为不洁之物。素来尊敬她的，见她赤露就都藐视她，她自己也叹息退后。 9 她的污秽是在衣襟上，她不思想自己的结局，所以非常地败落，无人安慰她。她说：“耶和华啊，求你看我的苦难！因为仇敌夸大。” 10 敌人伸手夺取她的美物，她眼见外邦人进入她的圣所，论这外邦人，你曾吩咐不可入你的会中。 11 她的民都叹息，寻求食物，他们用美物换粮食，要救性命。他们说：“耶和华啊，求你观看！因为我甚是卑贱。”
耶路撒冷自述艰苦
12 “你们一切过路的人哪，这事你们不介意吗？你们要观看，有像这临到我的痛苦没有，就是耶和华在他发烈怒的日子使我所受的苦。 13 他从高天使火进入我的骨头，克制了我。他铺下网罗绊我的脚，使我转回。他使我终日凄凉发昏。 14 我罪过的轭是他手所绑的，犹如轭绳缚在我颈项上，他使我的力量衰败。主将我交在我所不能抵挡的人手中。 15 主轻弃我中间的一切勇士，招聚多人[b]攻击我，要压碎我的少年人。主将犹大居民踹下，像在酒榨中一样。 16 我因这些事哭泣，我眼泪汪汪，因为那当安慰我、救我性命的，离我甚远。我的儿女孤苦，因为仇敌得了胜。” 17 锡安举手，无人安慰。耶和华论雅各已经出令，使四围的人做他仇敌，耶路撒冷在他们中间像不洁之物。
申诉神的公义
18 “耶和华是公义的，他这样待我，是因我违背他的命令。众民哪，请听我的话，看我的痛苦！我的处女和少年人都被掳去。 19 我招呼我所亲爱的，他们却愚弄我。我的祭司和长老正寻求食物救性命的时候，就在城中绝气。
20 “耶和华啊，求你观看，因为我在急难中。我心肠扰乱，我心在我里面翻转，因我大大悖逆。在外刀剑使人丧子，在家犹如死亡。 21 听见我叹息的有人，安慰我的却无人。我的仇敌都听见我所遭的患难，因你做这事他们都喜乐。你必使你报告的日子来到，他们就像我一样。 22 愿他们的恶行都呈在你面前，你怎样因我的一切罪过待我，求你照样待他们。因我叹息甚多，心中发昏。”
Footnotes
- 耶利米哀歌 1:6 “城”原文作“女子”，下同。
- 耶利米哀歌 1:15 原文作：大会。
Lamentations 1
Expanded Bible
Jerusalem Cries over Her Loss
1 How lonely sits the city [C Jerusalem],
once so full of people.
She is like a widow,
once great among the nations [Ps. 122:3].
She was like a queen ·of all the other cities [L among the provinces],
but now she is a ·slave [forced laborer; vassal].
2 She [C Jerusalem pictured as a widow] cries loudly at night,
and tears are on her cheeks.
There is no one to comfort her;
·all who loved her are gone [L among all her lovers; C referring to other nations to whom she unfaithfully turned for help].
All her friends have ·turned against [betrayed] her
and are now her enemies.
3 Judah has gone into ·captivity [exile; C to Babylon; 2 Kin. 25:8–21; 2 Chr. 36:17–21; Jer. 39:1–10; 51:12–30]
where she ·suffers [is oppressed/afflicted] ·and works hard [under slavery/harsh servitude].
She lives among other nations,
but she has found no rest.
Those who ·chased [pursued; persecuted] her caught her
·when she was in trouble [L between her distresses].
4 The roads to ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple] ·are sad [mourn],
because no one comes for the feasts [C Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles].
·No one passes through her gates [L All her gates are desolate].
Her priests groan,
her young women are ·suffering [afflicted],
and ·Jerusalem suffers terribly [L she is bitter].
5 Her foes are now her masters.
Her enemies ·enjoy the wealth they have taken [prosper].
The Lord is ·punishing [tormenting; afflicting] her
for her many ·sins [transgressions].
Her ·children [little ones] have gone away
as captives of the ·enemy [foe].
6 The ·beauty [splendor; majesty] of ·Jerusalem [L the daughter of Zion; C the location of the Temple; Ps. 48:1–3]
has gone away.
Her rulers are like deer
that cannot find ·food [L pasture].
They ·are weak [L go without strength]
·and run from the hunters [L before those who pursue/chase/persecute them].
7 Jerusalem ·is suffering and homeless.
She [L …in the days of her affliction and homelessness] remembers all the ·good [desirable; coveted] things
from the ·past [L former days].
But her people ·were defeated by the enemy [L fell to the power/hand of the foe],
and there was no one to help her.
When her ·enemies [foes] saw her,
they laughed ·to see her ruined [at her downfall].
8 Jerusalem sinned terribly,
so she has become ·unclean [or an object of mockery].
Those who honored her now ·hate [despise] her,
because they have seen her nakedness.
She groans
and turns away.
9 She made herself ·dirty [defiled] ·by her sins [L in her skirts; C Jerusalem is pictured as a defiled woman; Lev. 15:19–30]
and did not think about what would happen to her.
Her ·defeat [downfall] was surprising,
and no one could comfort her.
She says, “Lord, see how I ·suffer [am afflicted],
because the enemy has won.”
10 The ·enemy [foe] ·reached out and took [spread his hands on]
all her ·precious [desired; coveted] things.
She even saw ·foreigners [nations]
enter her ·Temple [L holy place; Ps. 74:4–8].
·The Lord had commanded foreigners [L …those you commanded]
never to enter the meeting place of ·his [L your] people.
11 All of ·Jerusalem’s [L its] people groan,
·looking for [seeking] bread.
They ·are trading [L give] their ·precious [desired; coveted] things for food
so they can stay alive.
The city says, “Look, Lord, and see.
I am ·hated [despised].”
12 Jerusalem says, “You who pass by on the road ·don’t seem to care [is it nothing to you…?; L No, to you].
Come, look at me and see:
Is there any ·pain [sorrow] like ·mine [L my pain/sorrow]?
·Is there any pain like that he has caused me […which has come upon me]?
The Lord has ·punished [afflicted; tormented] me
on the day of his great anger.
13 “He sent fire from above
that went ·down [deep] into my bones.
He ·stretched [spread] out a net for my feet
and turned me back.
He made me so ·sad and lonely [desolate]
that I am ·weak [faint; sick] all day.
14 “He ·has noticed my sins [or bound my transgressions into a yoke];
they are ·tied together [intertwined] by his hands;
they hang around my neck.
·He has turned my strength into weakness [L My strength falters].
The Lord has handed me over
to those who ·are stronger than I [L I cannot stand against].
15 “The Lord has rejected
all my mighty men ·inside my walls [L in my midst].
He ·brought an army [or proclaimed a time] against me
to ·destroy [break] my young men.
As if in a winepress, the Lord has ·crushed [trampled]
the ·capital city [L virgin daughter] of Judah [Is. 63:1–6].
16 “I cry about these things;
my eyes overflow with tears.
·There is no one near to comfort me [L A comforter is far from me],
no one who can ·give me strength again [L restore my soul].
My children are ·left sad and lonely [desolate],
because the enemy has ·won [prevailed].”
17 ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple] ·reaches [spreads] out her hands,
but there is no one to comfort her.
The Lord commanded the people of Jacob
to be surrounded by their ·enemies [foes].
Jerusalem is now unclean [1:8–9]
·like [L among] those around her.
18 Jerusalem says, “The Lord is ·right [righteous],
but I ·refused to obey him [L have rebelled against his mouth].
Listen, all you people,
and look at my ·pain [sorrow].
My young women and men
have gone into captivity [1:3].
19 “I called out to my ·friends [L lovers; 1:2],
but they ·turned against [deceived] me.
My priests and my elders
have died in the city
while ·looking for [seeking] food
to ·stay alive [revive their strength].
20 “Look at me, Lord. I am ·upset [distressed]
and ·greatly troubled [L my innards/stomach/bowels are agitated].
My heart is ·troubled [L overturned within me],
because I have been so ·stubborn [rebellious].
Out in the streets, the sword ·kills [bereaves];
inside the houses, ·death destroys [L it is like death].
21 “People have heard my groaning,
and there is no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my trouble,
and they are happy you have done this to me.
Now bring that day you have announced
so that ·my enemies [L they] will be like me.
22 “·Look at all their evil [L Let all their evil come before you].
Do to them what you have done to me
because of all my ·sins [transgressions].
I groan over and over again,
and ·I am afraid [L my heart is sick/faint/weak].”
Lamentations 1
The Voice
1 [a] Aaghh! Lonely is this city that once bustled with life;
Cheer is empty; like a widow, she is abandoned
and oh, so lonely.
She who was a princess, great among the nations,
has lost everything and been forced to serve as a slave.
2 Bawling, she weeps without constraint every night,
cries herself to sleep, bitter tears streaming down her cheeks.
Her former friends ignore her;
there is no one there to share her sorrow;
Companions contend and have betrayed her;
friends have been unfaithful and turned against her as enemies.
3 Carried off to a foreign place, Judah is exiled in misery
and debased by affliction and hard labor;
She cannot find rest living among the pagan nations.
She tried to run and hide, but in her distress pursuers have overcome her.
4 Despair permeates the very dust of Zion’s roads.
Nobody walks them in anticipation of celebration and worship.
No one enters the city’s desolate gates bringing offerings or sacrifices to God.
The religious leaders are heavyhearted,
And the virgin women despair.
It’s so bitter for dear Zion!
5 Enemies of Jerusalem have gained the upper hand.
Her foes prosper against her.
The Eternal One has caused her sorrow because of her rebellions,
for she acted against Him, willfully, again and again.
Even her little ones are taken away at the whim of her foes.
6 Faded beauty, this daughter Zion.
Her princely young men, like stags,
They have no place to graze, no strength to fight;
they fled to the woods,
Pursued mercilessly by hunters.
7 Gone are the days that she remembers, happy and precious;
Jerusalem wanders aimlessly and remembers what precious things she has lost—
Things from the old days of David, Solomon, and Josiah.
But now her people have fallen to her enemies,
And in this defeat by her enemies, no one ran to her aid,
and her enemies now snicker and gloat at her downfall.
8 Hideous must be Jerusalem’s crimes
that the city itself is now morally and ritually impure.
Those who once admired her now hate her.
They strip her naked and laugh.
All she can do is groan
and shrink back, ashamed.
9 Impurity clung to her inside the cover of her clothes.
She refused to consider anything but the present,
Never expecting her impurity would be revealed.
Nobody came forward with comfort—no one.
Lady Jerusalem: See, Eternal One, how badly I suffer
and how my enemies swell with pride.
The people of Judah and Jerusalem have had many opportunities to recognize their failings. Now they learn that their choices have grave consequences. For generations they have ignored the warnings and continued in idolatry, dependence upon foreign powers, and oppression of the less fortunate. Yes, the sacrifices in the temple have continued, but they have continually turned away from God. One prophet after another has called them back to a life of trust in the Lord, but they still look to others for assurance. Time has run out.
10 Jabbing and fondling,
mauling all her treasures, the enemy takes stock.
Foreign nations enter even her holy place,
claiming what You decided was off-limits
And forbidden to them—Your temple.[b]
11 Kept in hunger,
her people are desperate for food.
Once prosperous, they trade her treasures
for nourishment of any kind.
Lady Jerusalem: Look, Eternal One—
really see how hated I’ve become.
12 Look around, you who pass by and go about your business.
Is there any sorrow as great as mine?
Any pain as great as that which has been forced on me?
No. Because my pain comes from the Eternal.
It is His judgment, rendered on the day of His intense anger.
13 My bones burn with the wrath of God,
the fire sent from on high.
He laid a trap, then left me,
turned me back to the destruction,
With the shakes, constantly sick and faint.
14 Now the burden of all my wrongs is a yoke.
God has laid them upon my shoulders,
Bound them around my neck.
He has made sure I’m too weak to support them.
The Lord gave me into the hand of an enemy.
I could not resist.
15 Overwhelmed by none other than God,
the Lord has determined that all my warriors are worthless.
He has summoned a meeting of those who are against me
to crush the young men who would protect me,
And He has stomped lovely Judah, virgin daughter,
like grapes in a winepress.
16 Pity, my eyes won’t stop their crying; I can’t stop.
There is no one nearby to comfort me or revive my spirit,
No one to pull me up.
My children know it—they’re left empty,
The enemy has won.
17 Quietly, Zion spreads out her hands, pleading for comfort.
But no one comes. The Lord forbids it.
God has commanded Jacob’s enemies
to surround her.
Jerusalem has become their foe;
she is an impurity among them.
The poetic imagery is violently and sexually disturbing. Zion’s captors enter her sacred area and cart off her children. She has been unfaithful to her husband, the Eternal One.
18 Lady Jerusalem: Right and true is the Eternal One.
I am the one in the wrong: I have rebelled against His law.
Listen all of you peoples.
See how much I have suffered;
My handsome men and my gentle women, unmarried and unprotected,
have marched away into captivity.
19 Summoning my lovers brings nothing—
nothing but pain in their betrayal.
The old guard, religious and political leaders,
have died starving here in the city;
Their search for sustenance failed.
20 Take account, Eternal One, of me; how miserable I am.
My belly growls and turns;
My heart is wrung out like a rag; my faults and failings are to blame
because I have been rebellious.
Death is everywhere in the homes;
the sword makes women childless in the streets.
21 Uncaring, with no compassion from others,
they know how badly I suffer.
O how alone I am.
My enemies gloat, and You have brought about my misery,
So happy to know I’m in pain.
But You, O God, will make them as bad off as I.
22 Vindicate me and judge their evil actions
and make them suffer,
As You’ve made me suffer
for all my wrongdoings.
I’m a wreck, and I groan with a faint heart.
Footnotes
- 1:1 A Hebrew acrostic poem. Each verse begins with a successive letter of the alphabet.
- 1:10 Deuteronomy 23:3
Copyright © 2011 by Global Bible Initiative
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.