^2 (B)“Judah mourns,
    and ^(C)her gates languish;
her people lament on the ground,
    and ^(D)the cry of Jerusalem goes up.
³ Her nobles send their servants for water;
    they come to the cisterns;
they find no water;
    they return with their vessels empty;
they are ^(E)ashamed and confounded
    and ^(F)cover their heads.
⁴ Because of the ground that is dismayed,
    since there is ^(G)no rain on the land,
the farmers are ashamed;
    they cover their heads.
⁵ Even ^(H)the doe in the field forsakes her newborn fawn
    because there is no grass.
^6 (I)The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights;
    they pant for air like jackals;
their eyes fail
    because there is no vegetation.

⁷ “Though our iniquities testify against us,
    act, O Lord, ^(J)for your name's sake;
^(K)for our backslidings are many;
    ^(L)we have sinned against you.
^8 (M)O you hope of Israel,
    its savior in time of trouble,
why should you be like a stranger in the land,
    like a traveler who turns aside to tarry for a night?
⁹ Why should you be like a man confused,
    ^(N)like a mighty warrior who cannot save?
Yet ^(O)you, O Lord, are in the midst of us,
    and ^(P)we are called by your name;
    ^(Q)do not leave us.”

¹⁷ “You shall say to them this word:
^(A)‘Let my eyes run down with tears night and day,
    and let them not cease,
for the virgin ^(B)daughter of my people is shattered with a great wound,
    ^(C)with a very grievous blow.
^18 (D)If I go out into the field,
    behold, those pierced by the sword!
^(E)And if I enter the city,
    behold, the diseases of famine!
^(F)For both prophet and priest ply their trade through the land
    and have no knowledge.’”

^19 (G)Have you utterly rejected Judah?
    Does your soul loathe Zion?
Why have you struck us down
    ^(H)so that there is no healing for us?
^(I)We looked for peace, but no good came;
    ^(J)for a time of healing, but behold, terror.
^20 (K)We acknowledge our wickedness, O Lord,
    and the iniquity of our fathers,
    ^(L)for we have sinned against you.
²¹ Do not spurn us, ^(M)for your name's sake;
    do not dishonor your glorious throne;
    ^(N)remember and do not break your covenant with us.
²² Are there any among ^(O)the false gods of the nations ^(P)that can bring rain?
    Or can the heavens give showers?
Are you not he, O Lord our God?
    We set our hope on you,
    ^(Q)for you do all these things.