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Lamentations 1
New International Version
Lamentations 1
New International Version
1 [a]How deserted(A) lies the city,
once so full of people!(B)
How like a widow(C) is she,
who once was great(D) among the nations!
She who was queen among the provinces
has now become a slave.(E)
2 Bitterly she weeps(F) at night,
tears are on her cheeks.
Among all her lovers(G)
there is no one to comfort her.
All her friends have betrayed(H) her;
they have become her enemies.(I)
3 After affliction and harsh labor,
Judah has gone into exile.(J)
She dwells among the nations;
she finds no resting place.(K)
All who pursue her have overtaken her(L)
in the midst of her distress.
4 The roads to Zion mourn,(M)
for no one comes to her appointed festivals.
All her gateways are desolate,(N)
her priests groan,
her young women grieve,
and she is in bitter anguish.(O)
5 Her foes have become her masters;
her enemies are at ease.
The Lord has brought her grief(P)
because of her many sins.(Q)
Her children have gone into exile,(R)
captive before the foe.(S)
6 All the splendor has departed
from Daughter Zion.(T)
Her princes are like deer
that find no pasture;
in weakness they have fled(U)
before the pursuer.
7 In the days of her affliction and wandering
Jerusalem remembers all the treasures
that were hers in days of old.
When her people fell into enemy hands,
there was no one to help her.(V)
Her enemies looked at her
and laughed(W) at her destruction.
8 Jerusalem has sinned(X) greatly
and so has become unclean.(Y)
All who honored her despise her,
for they have all seen her naked;(Z)
she herself groans(AA)
and turns away.
9 Her filthiness clung to her skirts;
she did not consider her future.(AB)
Her fall(AC) was astounding;
there was none to comfort(AD) her.
“Look, Lord, on my affliction,(AE)
for the enemy has triumphed.”
10 The enemy laid hands
on all her treasures;(AF)
she saw pagan nations
enter her sanctuary(AG)—
those you had forbidden(AH)
to enter your assembly.
11 All her people groan(AI)
as they search for bread;(AJ)
they barter their treasures for food
to keep themselves alive.
“Look, Lord, and consider,
for I am despised.”
12 “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?(AK)
Look around and see.
Is any suffering like my suffering(AL)
that was inflicted on me,
that the Lord brought on me
in the day of his fierce anger?(AM)
13 “From on high he sent fire,
sent it down into my bones.(AN)
He spread a net(AO) for my feet
and turned me back.
He made me desolate,(AP)
faint(AQ) all the day long.
14 “My sins have been bound into a yoke[b];(AR)
by his hands they were woven together.
They have been hung on my neck,
and the Lord has sapped my strength.
He has given me into the hands(AS)
of those I cannot withstand.
15 “The Lord has rejected
all the warriors in my midst;(AT)
he has summoned an army(AU) against me
to[c] crush my young men.(AV)
In his winepress(AW) the Lord has trampled(AX)
Virgin Daughter(AY) Judah.
16 “This is why I weep
and my eyes overflow with tears.(AZ)
No one is near to comfort(BA) me,
no one to restore my spirit.
My children are destitute
because the enemy has prevailed.”(BB)
17 Zion stretches out her hands,(BC)
but there is no one to comfort her.
The Lord has decreed for Jacob
that his neighbors become his foes;(BD)
Jerusalem has become
an unclean(BE) thing(BF) among them.
18 “The Lord is righteous,(BG)
yet I rebelled(BH) against his command.
Listen, all you peoples;
look on my suffering.(BI)
My young men and young women
have gone into exile.(BJ)
19 “I called to my allies(BK)
but they betrayed me.
My priests and my elders
perished(BL) in the city
while they searched for food
to keep themselves alive.
20 “See, Lord, how distressed(BM) I am!
I am in torment(BN) within,
and in my heart I am disturbed,(BO)
for I have been most rebellious.(BP)
Outside, the sword bereaves;
inside, there is only death.(BQ)
Footnotes
- Lamentations 1:1 This chapter is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
- Lamentations 1:14 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint He kept watch over my sins
- Lamentations 1:15 Or has set a time for me / when he will
Lamentations 1
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Lamentations 1
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Lament over Jerusalem א Aleph
1 How[a] she sits alone,(A)
the city(B) once crowded with people!
She who was great among the nations
has become like a widow.(C)
The princess among the provinces
has been put to forced labour.
ב Beth
2 She weeps bitterly during the night,(D)
with tears on her cheeks.
There is no one to offer her comfort,
not one from all her lovers.[b](E)
All her friends have betrayed her;
they have become her enemies.
ג Gimel
3 Judah has gone into exile
following[c] affliction and harsh slavery;
she lives among the nations
but finds no place to rest.(F)
All her pursuers have overtaken her
in narrow places.
ד Daleth
4 The roads to Zion(G) mourn,
for no one comes to the appointed festivals.(H)
All her gates are deserted;
her priests groan,
her young women grieve,
and she herself is bitter.
ה He
5 Her adversaries have become her masters;(I)
her enemies are at ease,(J)
for the Lord has made her suffer
because of her many transgressions.
Her children have gone away
as captives before the adversary.
ו Waw
6 All the splendour(K) has vanished
from Daughter Zion.(L)
Her leaders are like stags
that find no pasture;
they stumble away exhausted
before the hunter.(M)
ז Zayin
7 During the days of her affliction and homelessness(N)
Jerusalem remembers all her precious belongings
that were hers in days of old.
When her people fell into the adversary’s hand,
she had no one to help.
The adversaries looked at her,
laughing over her downfall.
ח Cheth
8 Jerusalem has sinned grievously;
therefore, she has become an object of scorn.[d]
All who honoured her now despise her,
for they have seen her nakedness.
She herself groans and turns away.
ט Teth
9 Her uncleanness stains her skirts.(O)
She never considered her end.
Her downfall was astonishing;(P)
there was no one to comfort her.
Lord, look on my affliction,
for the enemy boasts.
י Yod
10 The adversary has seized
all her precious belongings.
She has even seen the nations
enter her sanctuary –
those you had forbidden
to enter your assembly.(Q)
כ Kaph
11 All her people groan
while they search for bread.(R)
They have traded their precious belongings for food
in order to stay alive.(S)
Lord, look and see
how I have become despised.
ל Lamed
12 Is this nothing to you, all you who pass by?(T)
Look and see!
Is there any pain like mine,
which was dealt out to me,
which the Lord made me suffer
on the day of his burning anger?(U)
מ Mem
13 He sent fire from on high(V) into my bones;
he made it descend.[e](W)
He spread a net for my feet(X)
and turned me back.
He made me desolate,
ill all day long.
נ Nun
14 My transgressions have been formed into a yoke,[f][g](Y)
fastened together by his hand;
they have been placed on my neck,
and the Lord has broken my strength.
He has handed me over
to those I cannot withstand.
ס Samek
15 The Lord has rejected(Z)
all the mighty men within me.
He has summoned an army[h] against me
to crush my young warriors.
The Lord has trampled Virgin Daughter Judah(AA)
like grapes in a winepress.(AB)
ע Ayin
16 I weep because of these things;
my eyes flow[i] with tears.(AC)
For there is no one nearby to comfort me,(AD)
no one to keep me alive.
My children are desolate
because the enemy has prevailed.
פ Pe
17 Zion stretches out her hands;
there is no one to comfort her.
The Lord has issued a decree against Jacob
that his neighbours should be his adversaries.
Jerusalem has become
something impure(AE) among them.
צ Tsade
18 The Lord is just,
for I have rebelled against his command.(AF)
Listen, all you people;
look at my pain.
My young women and young men
have gone into captivity.(AG)
ק Qoph
19 I called to my lovers,(AH)
but they betrayed me.
My priests and elders
perished in the city
while searching for food
to keep themselves alive.(AI)
ר Resh
20 Lord, see how I am in distress.
I am churning within;(AJ)
my heart is broken,[j]
for I have been very rebellious.
Outside, the sword takes the children;
inside, there is death.(AK)
שׁ Shin
21 People have heard me groaning,(AL)
but there is no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my misfortune;
they are glad that you have caused it.(AM)
Bring on the day you have announced,
so that they may become like me.(AN)
ת Taw
22 Let all their wickedness come before you,
and deal with them
as you have dealt with me
because of all my transgressions.(AO)
For my groans are many,
and I am sick at heart.
Footnotes
- 1:1 The stanzas in Lm 1–4 form an acrostic.
- 1:2 = Jerusalem’s political allies
- 1:3 Or because of
- 1:8 Or become impure
- 1:13 DSS, LXX; MT reads bones, and it prevailed against them
- 1:14 Some Hb mss, LXX read He kept watch over my transgressions
- 1:14 Or The yoke of my transgressions is bound; Hb obscure
- 1:15 Or has announced an appointed time
- 1:16 Lit my eye, my eye flows
- 1:20 Lit is turned within me
Lamentations 1
English Standard Version
Lamentations 1
English Standard Version
How Lonely Sits the City
1 (A)How lonely sits the city
that was full of people!
How like (B)a widow has she become,
she who was great among the nations!
She who was (C)a princess among the provinces
has become (D)a slave.
2 (E)She weeps bitterly in the night,
with tears on her cheeks;
(F)among all her lovers
she has (G)none to comfort her;
(H)all her friends have dealt treacherously with her;
they have become her enemies.
3 (I)Judah has gone into exile because of affliction[a]
and hard servitude;
(J)she dwells now among the nations,
(K)but finds no resting place;
her pursuers have all overtaken her
in the midst of her distress.[b]
4 The roads to Zion mourn,
for none come to (L)the festival;
(M)all her gates are desolate;
her priests (N)groan;
her virgins have been afflicted,[c]
and she herself suffers bitterly.
5 (O)Her foes have become the head;
her (P)enemies prosper,
because (Q)the Lord has afflicted her
(R)for the multitude of her transgressions;
(S)her children have gone away,
captives before the foe.
6 From the daughter of Zion
all her majesty has departed.
Her princes have become like deer
(T)that find no pasture;
they fled without strength
before the pursuer.
7 Jerusalem remembers
in the days of her affliction and wandering
(U)all the precious things
that were hers from (V)days of old.
When her people fell into the hand of the foe,
and there was none to help her,
her foes gloated over her;
they (W)mocked at her downfall.
8 (X)Jerusalem sinned grievously;
therefore she became filthy;
all who honored her despise her,
(Y)for they have seen her nakedness;
she herself (Z)groans
and turns her face away.
9 Her uncleanness was (AA)in her skirts;
(AB)she took no thought of her future;[d]
therefore her fall is terrible;
(AC)she has no comforter.
“O Lord, behold my affliction,
for the enemy has (AD)triumphed!”
10 The enemy has stretched out his hands
over all her (AE)precious things;
for she has seen (AF)the nations
enter her sanctuary,
those whom you (AG)forbade
to enter your congregation.
11 All her people (AH)groan
as (AI)they search for bread;
they trade their (AJ)treasures for (AK)food
to revive their strength.
“Look, O Lord, and see,
for I am despised.”
12 “Is it nothing to you, all (AL)you who pass by?
(AM)Look and see
if there is any sorrow like my sorrow,
which was brought upon me,
which (AN)the Lord inflicted
on (AO)the day of his fierce anger.
13 “From on high he (AP)sent fire;
into my bones[e] he made it descend;
(AQ)he spread a net for my feet;
he turned me back;
(AR)he has left me stunned,
faint all the day long.
14 “My transgressions were bound[f] into (AS)a yoke;
by his hand they were fastened together;
they were set upon my neck;
he caused my strength to fail;
the Lord gave me into the hands
of those whom I cannot withstand.
15 “The Lord rejected
all my mighty men in my midst;
he summoned an assembly against me
to crush my young men;
(AT)the Lord has trodden as in a winepress
the virgin daughter of Judah.
16 “For these things (AU)I weep;
my eyes flow with tears;
for (AV)a comforter is far from me,
one to (AW)revive my spirit;
my children are desolate,
for the enemy has prevailed.”
17 (AX)Zion stretches out her hands,
but (AY)there is none to comfort her;
the Lord has commanded against Jacob
that his neighbors should be his foes;
Jerusalem has become
a filthy thing among them.
18 (AZ)“The Lord is in the right,
(BA)for I have rebelled against his word;
but hear, all you peoples,
and see my suffering;
(BB)my young women and my young men
have gone into captivity.
19 “I called to (BC)my lovers,
but they deceived me;
my priests and elders
perished in the city,
while (BD)they sought food
to revive their strength.
20 “Look, O Lord, for I am in distress;
(BE)my stomach churns;
my heart is wrung within me,
because I have been very rebellious.
(BF)In the street the sword bereaves;
in the house it is like death.
21 “They heard[g] (BG)my groaning,
yet (BH)there is no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my trouble;
(BI)they are glad that you have done it.
You have brought[h] the day you announced;
(BJ)now let them be as I am.
22 (BK)“Let all their evildoing come before you,
and deal with them
as (BL)you have dealt with me
because of all my transgressions;
for (BM)my groans are many,
and (BN)my heart is faint.”
Footnotes
- Lamentations 1:3 Or under affliction
- Lamentations 1:3 Or in the narrow passes
- Lamentations 1:4 Septuagint, Old Latin dragged away
- Lamentations 1:9 Or end
- Lamentations 1:13 Septuagint; Hebrew bones and
- Lamentations 1:14 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Lamentations 1:21 Septuagint, Syriac Hear
- Lamentations 1:21 Syriac Bring
Lamentaciones 1
Reina Valera Contemporánea
Lamentaciones 1
Reina Valera Contemporánea
Jerusalén lamenta su caída
1 ¡Cuán solitaria ha quedado la otrora ciudad populosa!
¡Cual viuda ha quedado la capital de las naciones!
¡La princesa de las provincias es ahora tributaria!
2 Por las noches, amargas lágrimas corren por sus mejillas.
Ni uno solo de sus amantes viene a consolarla.
Sus amigos le fallaron; ¡se volvieron sus enemigos!
3 Presa de la aflicción y de cruel esclavitud,
Judá marcha al cautiverio;
ahora habita entre las naciones
sin hallar descanso alguno.
La acosan sus perseguidores,
la ponen en aprietos.
4 De luto están los caminos de Sión.
Ya nadie asiste a las fiestas.
Todas sus puertas están derribadas.
Sus sacerdotes lloran.
Amargada está Sión,
y afligidas sus doncellas.
5 Sus enconados enemigos son ahora grandes magnates.
¡El Señor la afligió por sus muchas rebeliones,
y sus jóvenes marchan ahora al cautiverio,
arreados por el enemigo!
6 La sin par belleza de Sión se ha esfumado;
sus príncipes andan como ciervos en busca de pastos;
fuerzas no tienen para oponerse a sus perseguidores.
7 Jerusalén recuerda su aflicción y sus rebeliones;
recuerda tantas cosas agradables
de que gozó en los tiempos antiguos;
recuerda cuando cayó ante el enemigo
y nadie vino en ayuda de su pueblo;
recuerda cómo la miraban sus enemigos
y se burlaban de su caída.
8 Pero Jerusalén pecó. ¡Por eso ha sido rechazada!
Al verla desnuda, la desprecian
quienes antes la admiraban;
y ella, sollozante, corre a esconderse.
9 Cubierta está de inmundicia.
No tuvo en cuenta su futuro.
Ha caído a lo más bajo,
y en su desconsuelo exclama:
«¡Mira, Señor, mi aflicción!
¡Mira cómo se regodean mis enemigos!»
10 El enemigo se ha adueñado de todos sus tesoros.
Jerusalén ha visto a los paganos irrumpir en su santuario,
aun cuando prohibiste que esa gente entrara en tu congregación.
11 Entre sollozos, sus habitantes buscan algo qué comer;
cambian por comida sus objetos más preciados
para lograr volver a la vida.
«¡Mírame, Señor!
¡Toma en cuenta mi desconsuelo!»
12 Ustedes, que van por el camino,
¿esto no los conmueve?
¡Consideren si hay dolor
que se compare con el mío!
¡La ira del Señor se encendió
y me envió este sufrimiento!
13 Envió un fuego desde lo alto
que me consumió los huesos;
tendió una red a mi paso
y me hizo retroceder;
me dejó en completa ruina,
y sufro a todas horas.
14 El Señor mismo me ha atado
al yugo de mis rebeliones;
me ha puesto en el cuello ataduras
que acaban con mis fuerzas;
me ha dejado en manos de enemigos
que no puedo vencer.
15 El Señor ha pisoteado en mis calles
a todos mis hombres fuertes;
ha convocado tropas para derrotar a mis valientes;
¡ha prensado a la virginal Judá
como si prensara uvas!
16 Ésta es la causa de mis lágrimas.
El llanto brota de mis ojos,
pues no tengo a nadie que me consuele;
¡no tengo a nadie que me reanime!
¡Mis hijos han sido derrotados!
¡El enemigo nos venció!
17 Sión tiende las manos suplicante,
y no hay quien la consuele;
el Señor hizo que los vecinos de Jacob
se volvieran sus enemigos;
¡Jerusalén les resulta algo repugnante!
18 Pero el Señor es justo.
¡Yo me rebelé contra su palabra!
¡Oigan esto, pueblos todos,
y consideren mi dolor!
¡Mis doncellas y mis jóvenes
fueron llevados al cautiverio!
19 Pedí ayuda a mis amantes, pero ellos me fallaron;
en la ciudad, mis sacerdotes y mis ancianos perecieron;
buscaban comida para volver a la vida.
20 ¡Mírame, Señor, atribulada
y con gran angustia interna!
El corazón me da vuelcos
por causa de mi gran rebeldía.
Allá afuera, hace estragos la espada;
aquí adentro, predomina la muerte.
21 Me oyen sollozar,
pero no hay quien me consuele;
Saben mis enemigos de mi mal,
y se alegran de lo que me haces.
¡Envía ya el día que tienes anunciado,
y que les vaya como a mí!
22 ¡Hazlos comparecer ante ti por toda su maldad,
y trátalos como a mí por todas mis rebeliones!
¡Demasiadas son mis lágrimas!
¡Tengo deshecho el corazón!
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised (CSBA)
Copyright © 2024 by Holman Bible Publishers.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Reina Valera Contemporánea (RVC)
Copyright © 2009, 2011 by Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas