Lamentations 5
Lexham English Bible
A Request for Mercy
5 Remember, O Yahweh, what has become of us;
take note, and see our disgrace!
2 Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,
our houses, to foreigners.
3 We have become orphans, fatherless,
our mothers are like widows.
4 We pay for water with money,[a]
our wood comes to us at a price.
5 We are driven on our necks;
we are weary, there is no rest for us.
6 We have made a deal with Egypt and Assyria
to be satisfied with food.
7 Our fathers have sinned, they are no more;
we bear their iniquity.
8 Slaves rule over us;
there is no one to deliver us from their hand.
9 We risk our life for food[b]
because of the sword of the desert.
10 Our skin is hot like an oven
because of the scorching famine.
11 They raped women in Zion,
young women[c] in the cities of Judah.
12 They hang princes by their hand;
they do not show respect before elders.
13 Young men must carry a hand-mill
and boys stumble under the wood.
14 Elders are no longer at the gate,
young men no longer play stringed instruments.
15 The joy of our hearts has stopped;
our circle-dancing has changed to a mourning ceremony.
16 The crown has fallen from our head;
woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 Because of this, our heart has become faint,
because of these, our eyes have become dim.
18 Because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate,
foxes tread on it.[d]
19 You, O Yahweh, will sit forever
on your throne for generation to generation.
20 Why have you forgotten us forever?
Why have you forsaken us for so long?[e]
21 Restore us to you, O Yahweh, that we will be restored;
renew our days as of old.
22 Unless you have utterly rejected us,
unless you are angry with us beyond measure.
Footnotes
- Lamentations 5:4 Literally “we drink our water by money”
- Lamentations 5:9 Literally “We take our food at our life”
- Lamentations 5:11 Or “virgins”
- Lamentations 5:18 Literally “foxes go on it”
- Lamentations 5:20 Literally “for long days”
Lamentations 5
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Prayer for Restoration
5 Yahweh, remember what has happened to us.
Look, and see our disgrace!(A)
2 Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,
our houses to foreigners.
3 We have become orphans, fatherless;
our mothers are widows.
4 We must pay for the water we drink;
our wood comes at a price.
5 We are closely pursued;
we are tired, and no one offers us rest.
6 We made a treaty with[a] Egypt
and with Assyria, to get enough food.(B)
7 Our fathers sinned; they no longer exist,
but we bear their punishment.
8 Slaves rule over us;(C)
no one rescues us from their hands.
9 We secure our food at the risk of our lives
because of the sword in the wilderness.
10 Our skin is as hot[b] as an oven(D)
from the ravages of hunger.
11 Women are raped in Zion,
girls in the cities of Judah.
12 Princes are hung up by their hands;
elders are shown no respect.(E)
13 Young men labor at millstones;(F)
boys stumble under loads of wood.
14 The elders have left the city gate,
the young men, their music.(G)
15 Joy has left our hearts;(H)
our dancing has turned to mourning.
16 The crown has fallen from our head.(I)
Woe to us, for we have sinned.(J)
17 Because of this, our heart is sick;
because of these, our eyes grow dim:(K)
18 because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate
and has jackals prowling in it.(L)
19 You, Lord, are enthroned forever;
Your throne endures from generation to generation.(M)
20 Why have You forgotten us forever,(N)
abandoned us for our entire lives?
21 Lord, restore us to Yourself, so we may return;(O)
renew our days as in former times,
22 unless You have completely rejected us
and are intensely angry with us.
Footnotes
- Lamentations 5:6 Lit We gave the hand to
- Lamentations 5:10 Or black; Hb obscure
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