Lamentations 1
International Children’s Bible
Jerusalem Cries over Her Destruction
1 Jerusalem once was full of people.
But now the city is empty.
Jerusalem once was a great city among the nations.
But now she[a] has become like a widow.
She was like a queen of all the other cities.
But now she is a slave.
2 She cries loudly at night.
Tears are on her cheeks.
There is no one to comfort her.
All her lovers are gone.
All her friends have turned against her.
They have become her enemies.
3 Judah has gone into captivity.
She has suffered and worked hard.
She lives among other nations.
But she has found no rest.
Those who chased her caught her.
They caught her when she was in trouble.
4 The roads to Jerusalem are sad.
No one comes to Jerusalem for the feasts.
No one passes through her gates.
And her priests groan.
Her young women are suffering.
And Jerusalem suffers terribly.
5 Her enemies have become her masters.
Her enemies enjoy the wealth they have won.
The Lord is punishing her
for her many sins.
Her children have gone away.
They are captives of the enemy in a foreign land.
6 The beauty of Jerusalem
has gone away.
Her rulers are like deer
that cannot find food.
They are weak and have run away
from those who chased them.
7 Jerusalem is suffering and homeless.
She remembers all the precious things
she had in the past.
She remembers when her people were defeated by the enemy.
There was no one to help her.
When her enemies saw her,
they laughed to see her ruined.
8 Jerusalem sinned terribly.
So she has become unclean.
Those who honored her hate her now
because they have seen her nakedness.
Jerusalem groans
and turns away.
9 Jerusalem made herself unclean by her sins.
She did not think about what would happen to her.
Her defeat was surprising.
There was no one to comfort her.
She says, “Lord, see how I suffer.
The enemy has won.”
10 The enemy reached out and took
all her precious things.
She even saw foreigners
enter her Temple.
Lord, you had commanded
that they should not enter the meeting of your people.
11 All of Jerusalem’s people are groaning.
They are looking for bread.
They are giving away their precious things for food
so they can stay alive.
The city says, “Look, Lord, and see.
I am hated.”
12 Jerusalem says, “You who pass by on the road don’t seem to care.
Come, look at me and see.
Is there any pain like mine?
Is there any pain like that he has caused me?
The Lord has punished me
on the day of his great anger.
13 “The Lord sent fire from above.
It went down into my bones.
He stretched out a net for my feet.
He turned me back.
He made me sad and lonely.
I am weak all day.
14 “He has noticed my sins.
They are tied together by his hands.
They hang around my neck.
He has turned my strength into weakness.
The Lord has let me be defeated
by those who are stronger than I am.
15 “The Lord has rejected
all my mighty men inside my walls.
He brought an army against me
to destroy my young men.
As if in a winepress, the Lord has crushed
the capital city of Judah.
16 “I cry about these things.
My eyes overflow with tears.
There is no one near to comfort me.
There is no one who can give me strength again.
My children are left sad and lonely
because the enemy has won.”
17 Jerusalem reaches out her hands,
but there is no one to comfort her.
The Lord has commanded for the people of Jacob
that their enemies surround them.
Jerusalem has become unclean
like those around her.
18 Jerusalem says, “The Lord is right.
But I refused to obey him.
Listen, all you people.
Look at my pain.
My young women and men
have gone into captivity.
19 “I called out to my friends,
but they turned against me.
My priests and my elders
have died in the city.
They were looking for food
so they could stay alive.
20 “Look at me, Lord. I am upset.
I am troubled.
My heart is troubled
because I have been so stubborn.
Out in the streets, the sword kills.
Inside the houses, death destroys.
21 “People have heard my groaning.
There is no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my trouble.
They are happy that you have done this to me.
Now bring that day you have announced.
Let my enemies be like me.
22 “Look at all their evil.
Do to them what you have done to me
because of all my sins.
I groan over and over again,
and I am afraid.”
Footnotes
- 1:1 she In this poem the city of Jerusalem is described as a woman.
Lamentations 1
Living Bible
1 Jerusalem’s streets, once thronged with people, are silent now. Like a widow broken with grief, she sits alone in her mourning. She, once queen of nations, is now a slave.
2 She sobs through the night; tears run down her cheeks. Among all her lovers,[a] there is none to help her. All her friends are now her enemies.
3 Why is Judah led away, a slave? Because of all the wrong she did to others, making them her slaves. Now she sits in exile far away. There is no rest, for those she persecuted have turned and conquered her.
4 The roads to Zion mourn, no longer filled with joyous throngs who come to celebrate the Temple feasts; the city gates are silent, her priests groan, her virgins have been dragged away. Bitterly she weeps.
5 Her enemies prosper, for the Lord has punished Jerusalem for all her many sins; her young children are captured and taken far away as slaves.
6 All her beauty and her majesty are gone; her princes are like starving deer that search for pasture—helpless game too weak to keep on running from their foes.
7 And now in the midst of all Jerusalem’s sadness she remembers happy bygone days. She thinks of all the precious joys she had before her mocking enemy struck her down—and there was no one to give her aid.
8 For Jerusalem sinned so horribly; therefore, she is tossed away like dirty rags. All who honored her despise her now, for they have seen her stripped naked and humiliated. She groans and hides her face.
9 She indulged herself in immorality and refused to face the fact that punishment was sure to come. Now she lies in the gutter with no one left to lift her out. “O Lord,” she cries, “see my plight. The enemy has triumphed.”
10 Her enemies have plundered her completely, taking everything precious she owns. She has seen foreign nations violate her sacred Temple—foreigners you had forbidden even to enter.
11 Her people groan and cry for bread; they have sold all they have for food to give a little strength. “Look, O Lord,” she prays, “and see how I’m despised.”
12 Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow because of all the Lord has done to me in the day of his fierce wrath.
13 He has sent fire from heaven that burns within my bones; he has placed a pitfall in my path and turned me back. He has left me sick and desolate the whole day through.
14 He wove my sins into ropes to hitch me to a yoke of slavery. He sapped my strength and gave me to my enemies; I am helpless in their hands.
15 The Lord has trampled all my mighty men. A great army has come at his command to crush the noblest youth. The Lord has trampled his beloved city as grapes in a winepress.
16 For all these things I weep; tears flow down my cheeks. My Comforter is far away—he who alone could help me. My children have no future; we are a conquered land.
17 Jerusalem pleads for help, but no one comforts her. For the Lord has spoken: “Let her neighbors be her foes! Let her be thrown out like filthy rags!”
18 And the Lord is right, for we rebelled. And yet, O people everywhere, behold and see my anguish and despair, for my sons and daughters are taken far away as slaves to distant lands.
19 I begged my allies[b] for their help. False hope—they could not help at all. Nor could my priests and elders—they were starving in the streets while searching through the garbage dumps for bread.
20 See, O Lord, my anguish; my heart is broken and my soul despairs, for I have terribly rebelled. In the streets the sword awaits me; at home, disease and death.
21 Hear my groans! And there is no one anywhere to help. All my enemies have heard my troubles, and they are glad to see what you have done. And yet, O Lord, the time will surely come—for you have promised it—when you will do to them as you have done to me.
22 Look also on their sins, O Lord, and punish them as you have punished me, for my sighs are many and my heart is faint.
Footnotes
- Lamentations 1:2 Among all her lovers refers to Egypt and Israel’s other former allies.
- Lamentations 1:19 allies, literally, “lovers,” which probably refers to Egypt.
Lamentations 1
King James Version
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. O Lord, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.
10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.
11 All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O Lord, and consider; for I am become vile.
12 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.
13 From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.
14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.
15 The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.
16 For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.
17 Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
18 The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.
19 I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.
20 Behold, O Lord; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.
21 They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.
22 Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.
Lamentations 1
New King James Version
Jerusalem in Affliction
1 How lonely sits the city
That was full of people!
(A)How like a widow is she,
Who was great among the nations!
The (B)princess among the provinces
Has become a [a]slave!
2 She (C)weeps bitterly in the (D)night,
Her tears are on her cheeks;
Among all her lovers
She has none to comfort her.
All her friends have dealt treacherously with her;
They have become her enemies.
3 (E)Judah has gone into captivity,
Under affliction and hard servitude;
(F)She dwells among the [b]nations,
She finds no (G)rest;
All her persecutors overtake her in dire straits.
4 The roads to Zion mourn
Because no one comes to the [c]set feasts.
All her gates are (H)desolate;
Her priests sigh,
Her virgins are afflicted,
And she is in bitterness.
5 Her adversaries (I)have become [d]the master,
Her enemies prosper;
For the Lord has afflicted her
(J)Because of the multitude of her transgressions.
Her (K)children have gone into captivity before the enemy.
6 And from the daughter of Zion
All her splendor has departed.
Her princes have become like deer
That find no pasture,
That [e]flee without strength
Before the pursuer.
7 In the days of her affliction and roaming,
Jerusalem (L)remembers all her pleasant things
That she had in the days of old.
When her people fell into the hand of the enemy,
With no one to help her,
The adversaries saw her
And mocked at her [f]downfall.
8 (M)Jerusalem has sinned gravely,
Therefore she has become [g]vile.
All who honored her despise her
Because (N)they have seen her nakedness;
Yes, she sighs and turns away.
9 Her uncleanness is in her skirts;
She (O)did not consider her destiny;
Therefore her collapse was awesome;
She had no comforter.
“O Lord, behold my affliction,
For the enemy is exalted!”
10 The adversary has spread his hand
Over all her [h]pleasant things;
For she has seen (P)the nations enter her [i]sanctuary,
Those whom You commanded
(Q)Not to enter Your assembly.
11 All her people sigh,
(R)They [j]seek bread;
They have given their [k]valuables for food to restore life.
“See, O Lord, and consider,
For I am scorned.”
12 “Is it nothing to you, all you who [l]pass by?
Behold and see
(S)If there is any sorrow like my sorrow,
Which has been brought on me,
Which the Lord has inflicted
In the day of His fierce anger.
13 “From above He has sent fire into my bones,
And it overpowered them;
He has (T)spread a net for my feet
And turned me back;
He has made me desolate
And faint all the day.
14 “The(U) yoke of my transgressions was [m]bound;
They were woven together by His hands,
And thrust upon my neck.
He made my strength fail;
The Lord delivered me into the hands of those whom I am not able to withstand.
15 “The Lord has trampled underfoot all my mighty men in my midst;
He has called an assembly against me
To crush my young men;
(V)The Lord trampled as in a winepress
The virgin daughter of Judah.
16 “For these things I weep;
My eye, (W)my eye overflows with water;
Because the comforter, who should restore my life,
Is far from me.
My children are desolate
Because the enemy prevailed.”
17 (X)Zion [n]spreads out her hands,
But no one comforts her;
The Lord has commanded concerning Jacob
That those (Y)around him become his adversaries;
Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them.
18 “The Lord is (Z)righteous,
For I (AA)rebelled against His [o]commandment.
Hear now, all peoples,
And behold my sorrow;
My virgins and my young men
Have gone into captivity.
19 “I called for my lovers,
But they deceived me;
My priests and my elders
Breathed their last in the city,
While they sought food
To restore their life.
20 “See, O Lord, that I am in distress;
My (AB)soul[p] is troubled;
My heart is overturned within me,
For I have been very rebellious.
(AC)Outside the sword bereaves,
At home it is like death.
21 “They have heard that I sigh,
But no one comforts me.
All my enemies have heard of my trouble;
They are (AD)glad that You have done it.
Bring on (AE)the day You have [q]announced,
That they may become like me.
22 “Let(AF) all their wickedness come before You,
And do to them as You have done to me
For all my transgressions;
For my sighs are many,
And my heart is faint.”
Footnotes
- Lamentations 1:1 Lit. forced laborer
- Lamentations 1:3 Gentiles
- Lamentations 1:4 appointed
- Lamentations 1:5 Lit. her head
- Lamentations 1:6 Lit. are gone
- Lamentations 1:7 Vg. Sabbaths
- Lamentations 1:8 LXX, Vg. moved or removed
- Lamentations 1:10 desirable
- Lamentations 1:10 holy place, the temple
- Lamentations 1:11 hunt food
- Lamentations 1:11 desirable things
- Lamentations 1:12 Lit. pass by this way
- Lamentations 1:14 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. watched over
- Lamentations 1:17 Prays
- Lamentations 1:18 Lit. mouth
- Lamentations 1:20 Lit. inward parts
- Lamentations 1:21 proclaimed
Baroorashadii Yeremyaah 1
Somali Bible
BAROORASHADII YEREMYAAH
1 Magaaladii dadku ka buuxay sidee bay keligeed u fadhiisataa!
Sidee bay carmal oo kale u noqotay!
Tii quruumaha dhexdooda ku weynayd, oo dalalka gobolladooda amiirad ku ahayd
Sidee bay addoon u noqotay!
2 Habeenkii aad bay u ooydaa, oo ilmadeediina dhabannaday kaga taal.
Kuwii jeclaa oo dhan iyadu kama haysato mid u qalbi qaboojiya.
Saaxiibbadeedii oo dhammu way wada khiyaaneeyeen,
Oo waxay noqdeen cadaawayaasheedii.
3 Quruunta Yahuudah maxaabiis ahaan baa loo kaxaystay dhibkeedii iyo addoonsigeedii weynaa aawadood.
Quruumahay dhex deggan tahay, oo innaba nasasho ma hesho.
Silciyayaasheedii oo dhammu waxay soo gaadheen iyadoo cidhiidhi ku dhex jirta.
4 Jidadkii Siyoon way baroortaan, maxaa yeelay, ninna iidaha uma yimaado.
Irdaheedii oo dhammu waa cidla, wadaaddadeeduna way wada taahaan,
Hablaheeda bikradaha ahuna way dhibaataysan yihiin, oo iyada qudheedana dhib qadhaadh baa haya.
5 Kuwii cidhiidhin jiray madax bay noqdeen, cadaawayaasheediina way barwaaqoobaan,
Waayo, Rabbigu wuxuu iyada u dhibay xadgudubyadeedii badnaa aawadood.
Carruurteediina maxaabiis ahaan bay cadowgoodii u hor socdeen.
6 Oo magaaladii Siyoon quruxdeedii oo dhammuna way ka dhammaatay.
Amiirradeedii waxay noqdeen sidii deero daaq weyday,
Oo waxay tageen iyagoo aan itaal ku lahayn kan eryanaya hortiis.
7 Yeruusaalem wakhtiga ay dhib iyo wareeg ku jirto ayay waxay soo xusuusataa
Waxyaalihii wanaagsanaa oo ay waagii hore haysatay oo dhan.
Markii dadkeedu gacanta cadowga ku dhacay, oo aan ninna caawiyin
Ayaa cadaawayaashu iyada arkeen, oo baabba'eedana way ku majaajiloodeen.
8 Yeruusaalem aad iyo aad bay u dembaabtay, oo sidaas daraaddeed sida wax wasakh ah ayaa loo xooray.
Intii sharfi jirtay oo dhammu way quudhsadaan, maxaa yeelay, waxay arkeen cawradeedii.
Hubaal way taahdaa, wayna sii jeesataa.
9 Nijaasteedii waxay ku tiil googaradaheeda, kamana ay fiirsan ugudambaysteeda,
Haddaba sidaas daraaddeed si aad loola yaabay ayay u dhacday, oo mid u qalbi qaboojiyana ma ay lahayn.
Rabbiyow, bal dhibkayga fiiri, waayo, cadowgii wuu isweyneeyey.
10 Cadowgu wuxuu gacanta ku fidiyey waxyaalaheedii wanaagsan oo dhan,
Waayo, iyadu way aragtay in quruumihii ay meesheedii quduuska ahayd galeen,
Kuwaasoo aad amartay inayan ururkaaga gelin.
11 Dadkeeda oo dhammu way taahaan, oo kibis bay doondoonaan.
Waxyaalahoodii wanaagsanaa cuntay siisteen si ay nafta ugu ceshadaan.
Rabbiyow, bal eeg oo ka fiirso, waayo, waxaan noqday wax la nacay.
12 Miyaydaan dan iga lahayn, kuwiinna i ag marayow?
Bal eega, oo fiiriya hadday jirto murug murugtayda la mid ah ee laygu riday,
Oo uu Rabbigu igu dhibay maalintii ay cadhadiisa kululu timid.
13 Xagga sare ayuu lafahayga uga soo daayay dab iyaga ka xoog badnaaday.
Cagahayga ayuu shabag u kala bixiyey, oo dib buu ii celiyey.
Maalintii oo dhan cidla buu iga dhigay, wuuna i taag gabiyey.
14 Harqoodkii xadgudubyadayda gacantiisaa xidhay.
Way isku xidhan yihiin oo qoortay ii saaran yihiin. Xooggayguu yareeyey.
Sayidku wuxuu igu riday gacmihii kuwa aanan iska daafici karin.
15 Raggaygii xoogga badnaa oo dhan Sayidku dhexdayduu ku tuuray.
Wuxuu iigu yeedhay shir inuu barbaarradayda burburiyo.
Gabadhii bikradda ahayd ee quruunta Yahuudah ah Sayidku wuxuu ugu tuntay sidii macsaro khamri.
16 Waxyaalahan daraaddood ayaan la ooyayaa, oo indhahayga ilmaa ka daadanaysa,
Maxaa yeelay, kii i qalbi qaboojin lahaa oo naftayda u raaxayn lahaa waa iga fog yahay.
Carruurtaydii way cidloobeen, maxaa yeelay, cadowgii baa iga adkaaday.
17 Siyoon gacmahay hoorsataa, mase jiro mid u qalbi qaboojiya.
Rabbigu wuxuu amray in kuwa dadka Yacquub ku wareegsan ay cadaawayaashooda noqdaan.
Yeruusaalemna waxay dhexdooda ku tahay sida wax wasakh ah.
18 Rabbigu waa xaq, waayo, amarkiisaan ku caasiyoobay.
Dadyowga oo dhammow, i maqla, waan idin baryayaaye, oo bal murugtayda fiiriya.
Hablahaygii bikradaha ahaa iyo barbaarradaydii maxaabiis ahaan baa loo kaxaystay.
19 Waxaan u yeedhay kuwii i jeclaa, laakiinse way i khiyaaneeyeen.
Wadaaddadaydii iyo duqowdaydiiba magaalada dhexdeeda ayay ku naf bexeen,
Intay doondoonayeen cunto ay nafta ku ceshadaan.
20 Rabbiyow, bal i eeg, waayo, cidhiidhi baan ku jiraa. Uurkaa i gubanaya,
Qalbigayguna wuu igu dhex rogman yahay, waayo, aad baan u caasiyoobay.
Dibadda seef baa igu gablamisa, gurigana geeri baa ii joogta.
21 Inaan taahayo waa la maqlay, ninnase ima qalbi qaboojiyo.
Cadaawayaashaydii oo dhammu dhibaatadaydii way maqleen, oo inaad saas igu samaysay way ku faraxsan yihiin.
Waad keeni doontaa maalintii aad ka hadashay, oo iyaguna sidaydoo kalay noqon doonaan.
22 Xumaantooda oo dhammu hortaada ha timaado,
Oo iyaga ku samee wixii aad xadgudubyadayda aawadood iigu samaysay oo dhan,
Waayo, taahaygu waa badan yahay, oo qalbigaygiina wuu itaal darnaaday.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
© 1979, 2008 Society for International Ministries-Kenya