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A Prayer to the Lord

Remember, Lord, what happened to us [C a call to God for help and revenge].
    Look and see our ·disgrace [scorn].
Our ·land [L inheritance] has been turned over to strangers;
    our houses have been given to foreigners.
We are like orphans with no father;
    our mothers are like widows [C defenseless and vulnerable].
We have to buy the water we drink;
    ·we must pay for the firewood [L our wood comes with a price].
·Those who chase after us want to catch us [L We are pursued] by the neck.
    We are ·tired [exhausted] and find no rest.
We ·made an agreement with [L gave a hand to] Egypt
    and with Assyria to get enough food [Is. 28:1—33:24; Jer. 2:35].
Our ·ancestors [fathers] sinned against you, but they are ·gone [L no more];
    now we ·suffer because of their sins [L bear their iniquity].
·Slaves [Servants] ·have become our rulers [L rule over us; Prov. 19:10; 30:21–22; Eccl. 10:5–7; Is. 24:2],
    and no one can ·save us from them [L tear them off us].
We risk our lives to get our ·food [bread];
    ·we face death in the desert [L because of the sword in the wilderness; C fields were outside the walls of the city where the enemy camped].
10 Our skin is ·hot [or black] like an oven;
    ·we burn with [from the heat/fever of] ·starvation [famine].
11 ·The enemy [L They] ·abused [violated; raped] the women ·of Jerusalem [L in Zion; C the location of the Temple]
    and the ·girls [L virgins] in the ·cities [towns] of Judah.
12 Princes were hung by the hands;
    they did not respect our ·elders [or old men].
13 The young men ·ground grain at the mill [are forced to grind],
    and boys stumbled under loads of wood.
14 The ·elders [or old men] ·no longer sit at the city [L have left the] gates [C the center of government and business];
    the young men no longer sing.
15 ·We have no more joy in [L Joy has left] our hearts;
    our dancing has turned to ·sadness [mourning].
16 The crown has fallen from our head.
    ·How terrible it is [L Woe to us] because we sinned.
17 Because of this ·we are afraid [L our hearts are sick],
    and now our eyes ·are dim [grow dark; Ps. 69:23].
18 Mount Zion [C Jerusalem] is ·empty [desolate],
    and ·wild dogs [jackals] wander around it [Jer. 9:11; 10:22].

19 But you ·rule [sit; C as king] forever, Lord.
    ·You will be King [L Your throne] ·from now on [L from generation to generation].
20 Why have you forgotten us for so long?
    Have you ·left [abandoned; forsaken] us ·forever [L for length of days]?
21 Bring us back to you, Lord, and we will ·return [be restored].
    ·Make [L Renew] our days as they were before,
22 or have you completely rejected us?
    Are you so angry with us?

Remember, Lord, what has happened to us;
    look, and see our disgrace.(A)
Our inheritance(B) has been turned over to strangers,(C)
    our homes(D) to foreigners.(E)
We have become fatherless,
    our mothers are widows.(F)
We must buy the water we drink;(G)
    our wood can be had only at a price.(H)
Those who pursue us are at our heels;
    we are weary(I) and find no rest.(J)
We submitted to Egypt and Assyria(K)
    to get enough bread.
Our ancestors(L) sinned and are no more,
    and we bear their punishment.(M)
Slaves(N) rule over us,
    and there is no one to free us from their hands.(O)
We get our bread at the risk of our lives
    because of the sword in the desert.
10 Our skin is hot as an oven,
    feverish from hunger.(P)
11 Women have been violated(Q) in Zion,
    and virgins in the towns of Judah.
12 Princes have been hung up by their hands;
    elders(R) are shown no respect.(S)
13 Young men toil at the millstones;
    boys stagger under loads of wood.
14 The elders are gone from the city gate;
    the young men have stopped their music.(T)
15 Joy is gone from our hearts;
    our dancing has turned to mourning.(U)
16 The crown(V) has fallen from our head.(W)
    Woe to us, for we have sinned!(X)
17 Because of this our hearts(Y) are faint,(Z)
    because of these things our eyes(AA) grow dim(AB)
18 for Mount Zion,(AC) which lies desolate,(AD)
    with jackals prowling over it.

19 You, Lord, reign forever;(AE)
    your throne endures(AF) from generation to generation.
20 Why do you always forget us?(AG)
    Why do you forsake(AH) us so long?
21 Restore(AI) us to yourself, Lord, that we may return;
    renew our days as of old
22 unless you have utterly rejected us(AJ)
    and are angry with us beyond measure.(AK)

A Prayer for Mercy

O Lord, remember what has come upon us;
Look, and see our reproach (national disgrace)!

Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,
Our houses to foreigners.

We have become orphans without a father;
Our mothers are like widows.

We have to pay for our drinking water;
Our wood comes to us at a price.

Our pursuers are at our necks;
We are worn out, there is no rest for us.

We have given the hand [as a pledge of fidelity and submission] to Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.

Our fathers sinned, and are no more;
It is [a]we who have carried their sin.(A)

Servants rule over us;
There is no one to rescue us out of their hand.(B)

We get our bread at the risk of our lives
Because of the sword [of the Arabs] in the wilderness [who may attack if we go out to harvest the crop].
10 
Our skin is as hot as [the heat of] an oven
Because of the burning heat of [the fever of] famine.
11 
They ravished the women in Zion,
The virgins in the cities of Judah.
12 
Princes were hung by their hands;
Elders were not respected.
13 
Young men worked at the grinding mill,
And boys fell [staggering] under loads of wood.
14 
Elders are gone from the gate;
Young men from their music.
15 
The joy of our hearts has ended;
Our dancing has been turned into mourning.
16 
The crown has fallen from our head [our honor is covered with dust]!
Woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 
Because of this our heart is faint,
Because of these things our eyes are dim.
18 
As for Mount Zion, which lies desolate,
Foxes and the jackals prowl over it.

19 
But You, O Lord, reign forever;
Your throne endures from generation to [all] generations.
20 
Why do You forget us forever?
Why do You forsake us so long?
21 
Return us to You, O Lord, so that we may be restored;
Renew our days as of old,
22 
Unless You have utterly rejected us
And are exceedingly angry with us.

Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 5:7 Both forefathers and sons were responsible for the disaster that had come on Jerusalem. This generation was equally deserving of punishment.

Remember, O Lord, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach.

Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens.

We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.

We have drunken our water for money; our wood is sold unto us.

Our necks are under persecution: we labour, and have no rest.

We have given the hand to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.

Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities.

Servants have ruled over us: there is none that doth deliver us out of their hand.

We gat our bread with the peril of our lives because of the sword of the wilderness.

10 Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine.

11 They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah.

12 Princes are hanged up by their hand: the faces of elders were not honoured.

13 They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood.

14 The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musick.

15 The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.

16 The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned!

17 For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes are dim.

18 Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.

19 Thou, O Lord, remainest for ever; thy throne from generation to generation.

20 Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, and forsake us so long time?

21 Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

22 But thou hast utterly rejected us; thou art very wroth against us.

向耶和华祷告诉苦

耶和华啊!求你记念我们所遭遇的!垂顾关注我们的耻辱。

我们的产业转归外人,我们的房屋归给异族。

我们成为孤儿,没有父亲,我们的母亲好象寡妇一样。

我们所喝的水要用银子买,我们的柴也付代价而得。

我们被人追赶,颈项带上重轭;我们疲乏,得不着歇息。

我们臣服埃及和亚述,为要得着粮食充饥。

我们的先祖犯了罪,现在他们不在了;我们却要担负他们的罪孽。

奴仆辖制我们;没有人救我们脱离他们的手。

因为旷野有刀剑的威胁,我们要冒生命的危险才得到粮食。

10 我们因饥饿而发烧,我们的皮肤好象火炉一般的热。

11 妇女在锡安被污辱,处女在犹大的城镇被强暴。

12 众领袖被敌人吊起来;长老也不受人尊敬。

13 青年人推磨吃苦;孩童因背木柴而跌倒。

14 众长老不再坐在城门口;青年人不再唱歌作乐。

15 我们心里不再欢乐;我们的舞蹈变为哀哭。

16 冠冕从我们的头上掉下来。我们有祸了;因为我们犯了罪。

17 为了这事,我们心里愁烦;为了这事,我们的眼睛昏花;

18 因为锡安山荒凉,野狗就在山上到处出没。

祈求复兴

19 但耶和华啊,你永远坐着为王;你的宝座代代长存。

20 你为甚么永远忘记我们?为甚么长久离弃我们?

21-22 耶和华啊!除非你真的弃绝我们,

你向我们所发的怒气难收,

不然,求你使我们归向你,好使我们回转过来;

求你更新我们的日子,像古时一样。