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

צ Tsade

18 The Lord is just,
for I have rebelled against His command.(A)
Listen, all you people;
look at my pain.
My young men and women
have gone into captivity.(B)

ק Qof

19 I called to my lovers,(C)
but they betrayed me.
My priests and elders
perished in the city
while searching for food
to keep themselves alive.(D)

ר Resh

20 Lord, see how I am in distress.
I am churning within;(E)
my heart is broken,[a]
for I have been very rebellious.
Outside, the sword takes the children;
inside, there is death.(F)

שׁ Shin

21 People have heard me groaning,(G)
but there is no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my misfortune;
they are glad that You have caused it.(H)
Bring on the day You have announced,
so that they may become like me.(I)

ת Tav

22 Let all their wickedness come before You,
and deal with them
as You have dealt with me
because of all my transgressions.(J)
For my groans are many,
and I am sick at heart.

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Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 1:20 Lit is turned within me