Restore Us to Yourself, O Lord

(A)Remember, O Lord, what has befallen us;
    look, and see (B)our disgrace!
(C)Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,
    our homes to foreigners.
We have become orphans, fatherless;
    our mothers are like widows.
We must pay for the water we drink;
    the wood we get must be bought.
(D)Our pursuers are at our necks;
    we are weary; we are given no rest.
We have given the hand to (E)Egypt, and to (F)Assyria,
    to get bread enough.
Our fathers sinned, and are no more;
    (G)and we bear their iniquities.
(H)Slaves rule over us;
    there is none to deliver us from their hand.
(I)We get our bread at the peril of our lives,
    because of the sword in the wilderness.
10 (J)Our skin is hot as an oven
    with (K)the burning heat of famine.
11 Women are raped in Zion,
    young women in the towns of Judah.
12 (L)Princes are hung up by their hands;
    (M)no respect is shown to the elders.
13 Young men are compelled to (N)grind at the mill,
    and boys stagger (O)under loads of wood.
14 (P)The old men have left the city gate,
    the young men (Q)their music.
15 (R)The joy of our hearts has ceased;
    (S)our dancing has been turned to mourning.
16 (T)The crown has fallen from our head;
    woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 For this (U)our heart has become sick,
    for these things (V)our eyes have grown dim,
18 for Mount Zion which lies desolate;
    (W)jackals prowl over it.
19 (X)But you, O Lord, reign forever;
    your throne endures to all generations.
20 (Y)Why do you forget us forever,
    why do you forsake us for so many days?
21 (Z)Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored!
    Renew our days as of old—
22 (AA)unless you have utterly rejected us,
    and you remain exceedingly angry with us.

Ricordati, Eterno, di quanto ci è accaduto, guarda e vedi il nostro obbrobrio.

La nostra eredità è passata a stranieri, le nostre case a estranei.

Noi siamo diventati orfani, senza padre, le nostre madri sono come vedove.

Dobbiamo pagare per l'acqua che beviamo, la nostra legna l'abbiamo solo a pagamento.

Siamo inseguiti con un giogo sul collo, siamo esausti e non abbiamo alcun riposo.

Abbiamo teso la mano all'Egitto e all'Assiria, per saziarci di pane.

I nostri padri hanno peccato e non sono piú, e noi portiamo la punizione delle loro iniquità.

Schiavi dominano su di noi, nessuno può liberarci dalle loro mani.

Ci procuriamo il pane a rischio della nostra vita, davanti alla spada del deserto.

10 La nostra pelle si è riscaldata come un forno per l'ardore della fame.

11 Hanno violentato le donne in Sion, le vergini nelle città di Giuda.

12 I capi sono stati impiccati dalle loro mani, la persona dei vecchi non è stata rispettata.

13 I giovani sono stati messi a macinare, i ragazzi sono caduti sotto il carico delle legna.

14 I vecchi hanno smesso di radunarsi alla porta, i giovani hanno smesso di suonare i loro strumenti.

15 La gioia dei nostri cuori è venuta meno, la nostra danza si è mutata in lutto.

16 La corona è caduta dal nostro capo; guai a noi, perché abbiamo peccato!

17 Per questo si è ammalato il nostro cuore, per queste cose si sono oscurati i nostri occhi:

18 per il monte di Sion che è desolato, e vi scorazzano le volpi.

19 Ma tu, o Eterno, rimani per sempre, e il tuo trono di generazione in generazione.

20 Perché ci dimenticheresti per sempre e ci abbandoneresti per un lungo tempo?

21 Facci ritornare a te, o Eterno, e noi ritorneremo; ristabilisci i nostri giorni come In passato.

22 Ci hai forse interamente rigettati o sei tu grandemente adirato contro di noi?

O Yahweh, Remember Us!

Remember, O Yahweh, what has happened to us;
Look, and see our (A)reproach!
Our inheritance has been turned over to (B)strangers,
Our (C)houses to foreigners.
We have become orphans (D)without a father;
Our mothers are like widows.
We drink our (E)water by means of silver;
Our wood comes to us at a price.
[a]Our pursuers are at our necks;
We are worn out; there is (F)no rest for us.
We have given over our [b]hands to (G)Egypt and Assyria [c]to get enough bread.
Our (H)fathers sinned; they are no more;
It is we who have borne their iniquities.
(I)Slaves rule over us;
There is (J)no one to tear us away from their hand.
We get our bread [d]at the (K)risk of our lives
[e]Because of the sword in the wilderness.
10 Our skin has become as (L)hot as an oven
Because of [f]the burning heat of famine.
11 They violated the (M)women in Zion,
The virgins in the cities of Judah.
12 Princes were hung by their hands;
[g](N)Elders were not respected.
13 Young men (O)lifted up the stone at the grinding mill,
And youths (P)stumbled down under loads of wood.
14 Elders have ceased from being at the gate,
Young men from their (Q)music.
15 The joy of our hearts has (R)ceased;
Our dancing has been turned into mourning.
16 The (S)crown has fallen from our head;
(T)Woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 Because of this our (U)heart is faint;
Because of these things our (V)eyes are dim;
18 Because of (W)Mount Zion which lies desolate,
(X)Foxes walk about in it.

19 (Y)You, O Yahweh, sit enthroned forever;
Your (Z)throne is from generation to generation.
20 Why do You (AA)forget us forever?
Why do You forsake us [h]so long?
21 (AB)Cause us to return to You, O Yahweh, that we may be returned;
Renew (AC)our days as of old,
22 Even if (AD)You have utterly rejected us
And are exceedingly (AE)angry with us.

Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 5:5 Lit We have been pursued upon
  2. Lamentations 5:6 Lit hand
  3. Lamentations 5:6 Lit to be satisfied with
  4. Lamentations 5:9 Lit with our soul
  5. Lamentations 5:9 Or In the face of
  6. Lamentations 5:10 Or the ravages of hunger
  7. Lamentations 5:12 Lit The faces of elders
  8. Lamentations 5:20 Lit to length of days

Remember, Lord, what has happened to us;
    look, and see our disgrace.(A)
Our inheritance(B) has been turned over to strangers,(C)
    our homes(D) to foreigners.(E)
We have become fatherless,
    our mothers are widows.(F)
We must buy the water we drink;(G)
    our wood can be had only at a price.(H)
Those who pursue us are at our heels;
    we are weary(I) and find no rest.(J)
We submitted to Egypt and Assyria(K)
    to get enough bread.
Our ancestors(L) sinned and are no more,
    and we bear their punishment.(M)
Slaves(N) rule over us,
    and there is no one to free us from their hands.(O)
We get our bread at the risk of our lives
    because of the sword in the desert.
10 Our skin is hot as an oven,
    feverish from hunger.(P)
11 Women have been violated(Q) in Zion,
    and virgins in the towns of Judah.
12 Princes have been hung up by their hands;
    elders(R) are shown no respect.(S)
13 Young men toil at the millstones;
    boys stagger under loads of wood.
14 The elders are gone from the city gate;
    the young men have stopped their music.(T)
15 Joy is gone from our hearts;
    our dancing has turned to mourning.(U)
16 The crown(V) has fallen from our head.(W)
    Woe to us, for we have sinned!(X)
17 Because of this our hearts(Y) are faint,(Z)
    because of these things our eyes(AA) grow dim(AB)
18 for Mount Zion,(AC) which lies desolate,(AD)
    with jackals prowling over it.

19 You, Lord, reign forever;(AE)
    your throne endures(AF) from generation to generation.
20 Why do you always forget us?(AG)
    Why do you forsake(AH) us so long?
21 Restore(AI) us to yourself, Lord, that we may return;
    renew our days as of old
22 unless you have utterly rejected us(AJ)
    and are angry with us beyond measure.(AK)