求耶和華憐憫

耶和華啊,求你顧念我們的遭遇,
看看我們所受的恥辱!
我們的土地被陌生人侵佔,
我們的房屋落入外族人手中。
我們成了喪父的孤兒,
我們的母親成了寡婦。
我們喝水要付錢,
燒的柴要用錢買。
敵人緊追不捨,
我們疲憊不堪,不得安歇。
為了得到食物,
我們向埃及、亞述卑躬屈膝。
我們的祖先犯了罪,
已經逝去,
我們卻要承擔他們的罪責。
奴僕做了我們的主人,
無人從他們手中解救我們。
曠野中殺機四伏,
我們冒著生命危險才得到糧食。
10 我們因饑餓而發熱,
皮膚熱如烤爐。
11 婦女在錫安遭強暴,
少女在猶大被姦污。
12 首領雙手被吊起來,
老人得不到尊敬。
13 青年被迫推磨,
孩童肩背柴捆,步履蹣跚。
14 老人不再坐在城門口,
青年不再彈琴奏樂。
15 我們心中的快樂消失,
我們的舞蹈變成了哀哭。
16 榮耀的冠冕從我們頭上落下。
我們犯了罪,我們有禍了!
17 此情此景使我們黯然神傷,
淚眼模糊。
18 錫安山一片荒涼,
豺狼四處遊蕩。

19 耶和華啊,你永遠掌權,
你的寶座世代長存。
20 你為何永遠忘記我們?
為何如此長久地棄絕我們?
21 耶和華啊,求你使我們回到你身邊,
讓我們歸向你,
恢復我們昔日的繁榮!
22 難道你完全棄絕了我們,
仍然向我們大發烈怒嗎?

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)

Remember, O Lord, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach.

Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens.

We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.

We have drunken our water for money; our wood is sold unto us.

Our necks are under persecution: we labour, and have no rest.

We have given the hand to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.

Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities.

Servants have ruled over us: there is none that doth deliver us out of their hand.

We gat our bread with the peril of our lives because of the sword of the wilderness.

10 Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine.

11 They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah.

12 Princes are hanged up by their hand: the faces of elders were not honoured.

13 They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood.

14 The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musick.

15 The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.

16 The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned!

17 For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes are dim.

18 Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.

19 Thou, O Lord, remainest for ever; thy throne from generation to generation.

20 Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, and forsake us so long time?

21 Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

22 But thou hast utterly rejected us; thou art very wroth against us.

Prayer for Restoration

Remember, (A)O Lord, what has come upon us;
Look, and behold (B)our reproach!
(C)Our inheritance has been turned over to aliens,
And our houses to foreigners.
We have become orphans and waifs,
Our mothers are like (D)widows.

We pay for the water we drink,
And our wood comes at a price.
(E)They pursue at our [a]heels;
We labor and have no rest.
(F)We have given our hand (G)to the Egyptians
And the (H)Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.

(I)Our fathers sinned and are no more,
But we bear their iniquities.
Servants rule over us;
There is none to deliver us from their hand.
We get our bread at the risk of our lives,
Because of the sword in the wilderness.

10 Our skin is hot as an oven,
Because of the fever of famine.
11 They (J)ravished the women in Zion,
The maidens in the cities of Judah.
12 Princes were hung up by their hands,
And elders were not respected.
13 Young men (K)ground at the millstones;
Boys staggered under loads of wood.
14 The elders have ceased gathering at the gate,
And the young men from their (L)music.

15 The joy of our heart has ceased;
Our dance has turned into (M)mourning.
16 (N)The crown has fallen from our head.
Woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 Because of this our heart is faint;
(O)Because of these things our eyes grow dim;
18 Because of Mount Zion which is (P)desolate,
With foxes walking about on it.

19 You, O Lord, (Q)remain forever;
(R)Your throne from generation to generation.
20 (S)Why do You forget us forever,
And forsake us for so long a time?
21 (T)Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be [b]restored;
Renew our days as of old,
22 Unless You have utterly rejected us,
And are very angry with us!

Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 5:5 Lit. necks
  2. Lamentations 5:21 returned