Take account, Eternal One, of me; how miserable I am. My belly growls and turns; My heart is wrung out like a rag; my faults and failings are to blame because I have been rebellious. Death is everywhere in the homes; the sword makes women childless in the streets.

Vindicate me and judge their evil actions and make them suffer, As You’ve made me suffer for all my wrongdoings. I’m a wreck, and I groan with a faint heart.

Hesitating not for one moment, the Eternal measured across the city of daughter Zion; Unrelenting, He was determined to destroy, to bring the city down with rampart and wall To its knees in rubble and grief.

Stand up and yell in the night with all your heart; call to God even while the city sleeps during the night watch; Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands and plead to Him for the lives of your children, For the babies weak with hunger dying on every street corner.

Kept in God’s care: the Lord won’t reject him forever.

Keeping us down: it is not the desire or way of God’s heart to hurt and grieve the children of men.

Left as captives of the land to be stomped on and crushed,

Now let’s lift up to God in heaven our hearts along with our hands in praise and supplication.

The joy from our hearts is gone, utterly gone. Our once-dancing feet now plod along mournfully.

We’re sick at heart about it all, blind with the sorrow and grief we caused.