Lamentations 5
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 5
The Community’s Lament to the Lord
1 Remember, Lord, what has happened to us,
pay attention, and see our disgrace:
2 Our heritage is turned over to strangers,
our homes, to foreigners.(A)
3 We have become orphans, without fathers;
our mothers are like widows.
4 We pay money to drink our own water,
our own wood comes at a price.
5 With a yoke on our necks, we are driven;
we are worn out, but allowed no rest.
6 We extended a hand to Egypt and Assyria,
to satisfy our need of bread.[a]
7 Our ancestors, who sinned, are no more;
but now we bear their guilt.
8 Servants[b] rule over us,
with no one to tear us from their hands.
9 We risk our lives just to get bread,
exposed to the desert heat;(B)
10 Our skin heats up like an oven,
from the searing blasts of famine.(C)
11 Women are raped in Zion,
young women in the cities of Judah;(D)
12 Princes have been hanged by them,
elders shown no respect.(E)
13 Young men carry millstones,
boys stagger under loads of wood;
14 The elders have abandoned the gate,[c]
the young men their music.
15 The joy of our hearts has ceased,
dancing has turned into mourning;(F)
16 The crown has fallen from our head:
woe to us that we sinned!
17 Because of this our hearts grow sick,
at this our eyes grow dim:
18 Because of Mount Zion, lying desolate,
and the jackals roaming there!
19 But you, Lord, are enthroned forever;
your throne stands from age to age.(G)
20 [d]Why have you utterly forgotten us,
forsaken us for so long?(H)
21 Bring us back to you, Lord, that we may return:
renew our days as of old.(I)
22 For now you have indeed rejected us
and utterly turned your wrath against us.(J)
Footnotes
- 5:6 Extended a hand: that is, made an alliance. In its state of abjection, Judah was forced to depend on the major powers to the west and the east for subsistence.
- 5:8 Servants: the Hebrew word for “servant” is also the word used for an official of relatively high status (servant of the ruler; cf. 2 Kgs 25:24, where the term is used to refer to Babylonian rulers over occupied Jerusalem); the author doubtless intends the double meaning here.
- 5:14 The gate: a place of assembly, where city decisions were made and judgment given by the elders and other community leaders; see note on Ru 4:1.
- 5:20–22 Unlike most of the laments found in the Book of Psalms, the Book of Lamentations never moves from lament to thanksgiving. It ends with this question still unanswered by God: “Why have you utterly forgotten us?”
Lamentaciones 5
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Plegaria de Jeremías por el pueblo
5 Acuérdate, oh Señor, de lo que nos ha sucedido;
Mira y ve nuestro oprobio(A).
2 Nuestra heredad ha pasado a extraños(B),
Nuestras casas a extranjeros(C).
3 Hemos quedado huérfanos, sin padre,
Nuestras madres, como viudas(D).
4 Por el agua que bebemos tenemos que pagar,
Nuestra leña nos llega por precio(E).
5 Sobre nuestros cuellos están nuestros perseguidores;
No hay descanso para nosotros, estamos agotados(F).
6 A Egipto y a Asiria nos hemos sometido
Para saciarnos de pan(G).
7 Nuestros padres pecaron, ya no existen,
Y nosotros cargamos con sus iniquidades(H).
8 Esclavos dominan sobre nosotros(I),
No hay quien nos libre de su mano(J).
9 Con peligro de nuestras vidas conseguimos nuestro pan(K),
Enfrentándonos a la espada en el desierto.
10 Nuestra piel quema como un horno,
A causa de los ardores[a] del hambre(L).
11 Violaron a las mujeres en Sión(M),
A las vírgenes en las ciudades de Judá.
12 Los príncipes fueron colgados de sus manos,
Los rostros de los ancianos no fueron respetados(N).
13 Los jóvenes trabajaron en el molino(O),
Y los muchachos cayeron bajo el peso de la leña(P).
14 Los ancianos se han ido de la puerta de la ciudad,
Los jóvenes, de su música(Q).
15 Ha cesado el gozo de nuestro corazón,
Se ha convertido en duelo nuestra danza(R).
16 Ha caído la corona de nuestra cabeza(S).
¡Ay de nosotros, pues hemos pecado(T)!
17 Por esto está abatido nuestro corazón(U),
Por estas cosas se nublan nuestros ojos(V),
18 Porque el monte Sión está asolado(W);
Las zorras merodean en él(X).
19 ¶Pero Tú, oh Señor, reinas para siempre,
Tu trono permanece de generación en generación(Y).
20 ¿Por qué te olvidas para siempre de nosotros,
Y nos abandonas a perpetuidad(Z)?
21 Restáuranos a Ti, oh Señor, y seremos restaurados(AA);
Renueva nuestros días como antaño(AB),
22 A no ser que nos hayas desechado totalmente(AC),
Y estés enojado en gran manera contra nosotros(AD).
Footnotes
- 5:10 O ante los tormentos.
Lamentations 5
New International Reader's Version
5 Lord, think about what has happened to us.
Look at the shame our enemies have brought on us.
2 The land you gave us has been turned over to outsiders.
Our homes have been given to strangers.
3 Our fathers have been killed.
Our mothers don’t have husbands.
4 We have to buy the water we drink.
We have to pay for the wood we use.
5 Those who chase us are right behind us.
We’re tired and can’t get any rest.
6 We put ourselves under the control of Egypt and Assyria
just to get enough bread.
7 Our people of long ago sinned.
And they are now dead.
We are being punished because of their sins.
8 Slaves rule over us.
No one can set us free
from their power.
9 We put our lives in danger just to get some bread to eat.
Robbers in the desert might kill us with their swords.
10 Our skin is as hot as an oven.
We are so hungry we’re burning up with fever.
11 Our women have been treated badly in Zion.
Our virgins have been treated badly in the towns of Judah.
12 Our princes have been hung up by their hands.
No one shows our elders any respect.
13 Our young men are forced to grind grain at the mill.
Our boys almost fall down
as they carry heavy loads of wood.
14 Our elders don’t go to the city gate anymore.
Our young men have stopped playing their music.
15 There isn’t any joy in our hearts.
Our dancing has turned into mourning.
16 All of our honor is gone.
How terrible it is for us because we have sinned!
17 So our hearts are weak.
Our eyes can’t see very clearly.
18 Mount Zion has been deserted.
Wild dogs are prowling all around on it.
19 Lord, you rule forever.
Your throne will last for all time to come.
20 Why do you always forget us?
Why have you deserted us for so long?
21 Lord, please bring us back to you.
Then we can return.
Make our lives like new again.
22 Or have you completely turned away from us?
Are you really that angry with us?
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
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