Lamentations 5
Amplified Bible
A Prayer for Mercy
5 O Lord, remember what has come upon us;
Look, and see our reproach (national disgrace)!
2
Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,
Our houses to foreigners.
3
We have become orphans without a father;
Our mothers are like widows.
4
We have to pay for our drinking water;
Our wood comes to us at a price.
5
Our pursuers are at our necks;
We are worn out, there is no rest for us.
6
We have given the hand [as a pledge of fidelity and submission] to Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.
7
Our fathers sinned, and are no more;
It is [a]we who have carried their sin.(A)
8
Servants rule over us;
There is no one to rescue us out of their hand.(B)
9
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
- Lamentations 5:7 Both forefathers and sons were responsible for the disaster that had come on Jerusalem. This generation was equally deserving of punishment.
Lamentations 5
New American Standard Bible
A Prayer for Mercy
5 Remember, Lord, what has come upon us;
Look, and see our (A)disgrace!
2 Our inheritance has been turned over to (B)strangers,
Our (C)houses to foreigners.
3 We have become orphans, (D)without a father;
Our mothers are like widows.
4 [a]We have to pay for our drinking (E)water,
Our wood comes to us at a price.
5 [b]Our pursuers are at our necks;
We are worn out, we are given (F)no rest.
6 We have [c]submitted to (G)Egypt and Assyria [d]to get enough bread.
7 Our (H)fathers sinned, and are gone;
It is we who have been burdened with the punishment for their wrongdoings.
8 (I)Slaves rule over us;
There is (J)no one to rescue us from their hand.
9 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
- Lamentations 5:4 Lit We drink our water with silver
- Lamentations 5:5 Lit We have been pursued upon
- Lamentations 5:6 Lit given Egypt a hand
- Lamentations 5:6 Lit to be satisfied with
- Lamentations 5:9 Lit with our soul
- Lamentations 5:12 Lit The faces of elders
- Lamentations 5:13 Lit carried the
- Lamentations 5:19 Lit sit
- Lamentations 5:20 Lit length of days
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.