Lamentations 1:18-22

New International Reader's Version

¹⁸ Jerusalem says, “The Lord always does what is right.
    But I refused to obey his commands.
Listen, all you nations.
    Pay attention to how much I’m suffering.
My young men and women
    have been taken away as prisoners.

¹⁹ “I called out to those who were going to help me.
    But they turned against me.
My priests and elders
    died in the city.
They were searching for food
    just to stay alive.

²⁰ “Lord, see how upset I am!
    I am suffering deep down inside.
My heart is troubled.
    Again and again I have refused to obey you.
Outside the city, people are being killed by swords.
    Inside, there is nothing but death.

²¹ “People have heard me groan.
    But no one is here to comfort me.
My enemies have heard about all my troubles.
    What you have done makes them happy.
So please judge them, just as you said you would.
    Let them become like me.

²² “Please pay attention to all their sinful ways.
    Punish them as you have punished me.
    You judged me because I had committed so many sins.
I groan all the time.
    And my heart is weak.”