1 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people!
how is she become as a widow!
she that was great among the nations,
and princess among the provinces,
how is she become tributary!
² She weepeth sore in the night,
and her tears are on her cheeks:
among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her:
all her friends have dealt treacherously with her,
they are become her enemies.
³ Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction,
and because of great servitude:
she dwelleth among the heathen,
she findeth no rest:
all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.
⁴ The ways of Zion do mourn,
because none come to the solemn feasts:
all her gates are desolate:
her priests sigh,
her virgins are afflicted,
and she is in bitterness.
⁵ Her adversaries are the chief,
her enemies prosper;
for the Lord hath afflicted her
for the multitude of her transgressions:
her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.
⁶ And from the daughter of Zion
all her beauty is departed:
her princes are become like harts that find no pasture,
and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.
⁷ Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction
and of her miseries
all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old,
when her people fell into the hand of the enemy,
and none did help her:
the adversaries saw her,
and did mock at her sabbaths.
⁸ Jerusalem hath grievously sinned;
therefore she is removed:
all that honoured her despise her,
because they have seen her nakedness:
yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.
⁹ Her filthiness is in her skirts;
she remembereth not her last end;
therefore she came down wonderfully:
she had no comforter.