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18 Yahweh is righteous;
    I have rebelled against his word.[a]
Please hear, all the nations,
    And see my pain;
My young women[b] and young men
    went into captivity.
19 I have called to my lovers,
    they themselves deceived me;
my priests and elders perished in the city
    when they sought food for themselves
        to revive their life.[c]
20 See, O Yahweh, that I am in distress;[d]
    my stomach[e] is in torment,
my heart has turned inside me
    because I have certainly rebelled.
From outside a sword brings bereavement,
    inside the house it is like death.
21 They hear that I was groaning;
    there is no comforter for me.
All my enemies have heard my misery,
    they are pleased that you have done it.
Bring that day that you have proclaimed,[f]
    And let them be like me.
22 Let all their evil come before you;
    and deal with them
just as you have dealt with me
    because of all my crimes;
for my groaning is much and my heart is faint.

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Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 1:18 Literally “his mouth”
  2. Lamentations 1:18 Or “virgins”
  3. Lamentations 1:19 Or “their soul”
  4. Lamentations 1:20 Literally “there is distress for me”
  5. Lamentations 1:20 Literally “inner parts”
  6. Lamentations 1:21 Or “you have called”

18 The Lord is right, because I disobeyed his word.
Listen, all you people; look at my suffering.
My young women and young men have gone away as prisoners.

19 I called to my lovers, but they deceived me.
My priests and my elders have perished in the city;
they were looking for food to survive.

20 Pay attention, Lord, for I am in trouble. My stomach is churning;
my heart is pounding inside me because I am so bitter.
In the streets the sword kills; in the house it is like death.

21 People heard that I was groaning, that I had no comforter.
All my enemies heard about my distress; they were thrilled that you had done this.
Bring the day you have announced so they become like me!

22 Let all their evil come before you.
Then injure them like you’ve injured me because of all my wrong acts;
my groans are many, my heart is sick.

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