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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.

A Prayer for Mercy

Remember, Lord, what has come upon us;
Look, and see our (A)disgrace!
Our inheritance has been turned over to (B)strangers,
Our (C)houses to foreigners.
We have become orphans, (D)without a father;
Our mothers are like widows.
[a]We have to pay for our drinking (E)water,
Our wood comes to us at a price.
[b]Our pursuers are at our necks;
We are worn out, we are given (F)no rest.
We have [c]submitted to (G)Egypt and Assyria [d]to get enough bread.
Our (H)fathers sinned, and are gone;
It is we who have been burdened with the punishment for their wrongdoings.
(I)Slaves rule over us;
There is (J)no one to rescue us from their hand.
We get our bread [e]at the (K)risk of our lives
Because of the sword in the wilderness.
10 Our skin has become as (L)hot as an oven,
Because of the ravages of hunger.
11 They violated the (M)women in Zion,
The virgins in the cities of Judah.
12 Leaders were hung by their hands;
[f](N)Elders were not respected.
13 Young men [g](O)worked at the grinding mill,
And youths (P)staggered under loads of wood.
14 Elders are absent from the gate,
Young men from their (Q)music.
15 The joy of our hearts has (R)ended;
Our dancing has been turned into mourning.
16 The (S)crown has fallen from our head;
(T)Woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 Because of this our (U)heart is faint,
Because of these things our (V)eyes are dim;
18 Because of (W)Mount Zion which lies desolate,
(X)Jackals prowl in it.

19 (Y)You, Lord, [h]rule forever;
Your (Z)throne is from generation to generation.
20 Why will You (AA)forget us forever?
Why do You abandon us for [i]so long?
21 (AB)Restore us to You, Lord, so that we may be restored;
Renew (AC)our days as of old,
22 Unless (AD)You have utterly rejected us
And are exceedingly (AE)angry with us.

Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 5:4 Lit We drink our water with silver
  2. Lamentations 5:5 Lit We have been pursued upon
  3. Lamentations 5:6 Lit given Egypt a hand
  4. Lamentations 5:6 Lit to be satisfied with
  5. Lamentations 5:9 Lit with our soul
  6. Lamentations 5:12 Lit The faces of elders
  7. Lamentations 5:13 Lit carried the
  8. Lamentations 5:19 Lit sit
  9. Lamentations 5:20 Lit length of days

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.

Restore Us to Yourself, O Lord

(A)Remember, O Lord, what has befallen us;
    look, and see (B)our disgrace!
(C)Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,
    our homes to foreigners.
We have become orphans, fatherless;
    our mothers are like widows.
We must pay for the water we drink;
    the wood we get must be bought.
(D)Our pursuers are at our necks;
    we are weary; we are given no rest.
We have given the hand to (E)Egypt, and to (F)Assyria,
    to get bread enough.
Our fathers sinned, and are no more;
    (G)and we bear their iniquities.
(H)Slaves rule over us;
    there is none to deliver us from their hand.
(I)We get our bread at the peril of our lives,
    because of the sword in the wilderness.
10 (J)Our skin is hot as an oven
    with (K)the burning heat of famine.
11 Women are raped in Zion,
    young women in the towns of Judah.
12 (L)Princes are hung up by their hands;
    (M)no respect is shown to the elders.
13 Young men are compelled to (N)grind at the mill,
    and boys stagger (O)under loads of wood.
14 (P)The old men have left the city gate,
    the young men (Q)their music.
15 (R)The joy of our hearts has ceased;
    (S)our dancing has been turned to mourning.
16 (T)The crown has fallen from our head;
    woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 For this (U)our heart has become sick,
    for these things (V)our eyes have grown dim,
18 for Mount Zion which lies desolate;
    (W)jackals prowl over it.
19 (X)But you, O Lord, reign forever;
    your throne endures to all generations.
20 (Y)Why do you forget us forever,
    why do you forsake us for so many days?
21 (Z)Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored!
    Renew our days as of old—
22 (AA)unless you have utterly rejected us,
    and you remain exceedingly angry with us.

Remember, O Jehovah, what is come upon us; consider, and see our reproach.

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

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

Our water have we to drink for money, our wood cometh unto us for a price.

Our pursuers are on our necks: we are weary, we have no rest.

We have given the hand to Egypt, [and] to Asshur, to be satisfied with bread.

Our fathers have sinned, [and] they are not; and we bear their iniquities.

Bondmen rule over us: there is no deliverer out of their hand.

We have to get our bread at the risk of our lives, because of the sword of the wilderness.

10 Our skin gloweth like an oven, because of the burning heat of the famine.

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

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

13 The young men have borne the mill, and the youths have stumbled under the wood.

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

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

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

17 For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes have grown dim,

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

19 Thou, Jehovah, dwellest for ever; thy throne is from generation to generation.

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

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

22 Or is it that thou hast utterly rejected us? Wouldest thou be exceeding wroth against us?