18 (A)“The Lord is in the right,
    (B)for I have rebelled against his word;
but hear, all you peoples,
    and see my suffering;
(C)my young women and my young men
    have gone into captivity.

19 “I called to (D)my lovers,
    but they deceived me;
my priests and elders
    perished in the city,
while (E)they sought food
    to revive their strength.

20 “Look, O Lord, for I am in distress;
    (F)my stomach churns;
my heart is wrung within me,
    because I have been very rebellious.
(G)In the street the sword bereaves;
    in the house it is like death.

21 “They heard[a] (H)my groaning,
    yet (I)there is no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my trouble;
    (J)they are glad that you have done it.
You have brought[b] the day you announced;
    (K)now let them be as I am.

22 (L)“Let all their evildoing come before you,
    and deal with them
as (M)you have dealt with me
    because of all my transgressions;
for (N)my groans are many,
    and (O)my heart is faint.”

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Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 1:21 Septuagint, Syriac Hear
  2. Lamentations 1:21 Syriac Bring

18 “The Lord is right,” Jerusalem says,
    “for I rebelled against him.
Listen, people everywhere;
    look upon my anguish and despair,
for my sons and daughters
    have been taken captive to distant lands.

19 “I begged my allies for help,
    but they betrayed me.
My priests and leaders
    starved to death in the city,
even as they searched for food
    to save their lives.

20 Lord, see my anguish!
    My heart is broken
and my soul despairs,
    for I have rebelled against you.
In the streets the sword kills,
    and at home there is only death.

21 “Others heard my groans,
    but no one turned to comfort me.
When my enemies heard about my troubles,
    they were happy to see what you had done.
Oh, bring the day you promised,
    when they will suffer as I have suffered.

22 “Look at all their evil deeds, Lord.
    Punish them,
as you have punished me
    for all my sins.
My groans are many,
    and I am sick at heart.”

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