1 א (Alef) 1
2 Alas! 3 The city once full of people 4
now sits all alone! 5
The prominent 6 lady among the nations
has become a widow! 7
The princess 8 who once ruled the provinces 9
has become 10 a forced laborer! 11
2 ב (Bet)
She weeps bitterly at night;
tears stream down her cheeks. 12
She has no one to comfort her
among all her lovers. 13
All her friends have betrayed her;
they have become her enemies.
3 ג (Gimel)
Judah 14 has departed into exile
under 15 affliction and harsh oppression. 16
She 17 lives among the nations;
she has found no resting place.
All who pursued her overtook her
in 18 narrow straits. 19
4 ד (Dalet)
The roads to Zion 20 mourn 21
because no one 22 travels to the festivals. 23
All her city gates 24 are deserted; 25
her priests groan. 26
Her virgins grieve; 27
she is in bitter anguish! 28
5 ה (He)
Her foes subjugated her; 29
her enemies are at ease. 30
For the Lord afflicted her
because of her many acts of rebellion. 31
Her children went away
captive 32 before the enemy.
6 ו (Vav)
All of Daughter Zion’s 33 splendor 34
has departed. 35
Her leaders became like deer;
they found no pasture,
so they were too exhausted to escape 36
from the hunter. 37
7 ז (Zayin)
Jerusalem 38 remembers, 39
when 40 she became a poor homeless person, 41
all her treasures
that she owned in days of old. 42
When her people fell into an enemy’s grip, 43
none of her allies came to her rescue. 44
Her enemies 45 gloated over 46 her;
they sneered 47 at her downfall. 48
8 ח (Khet)
Jerusalem committed terrible sin; 49
therefore she became an object of scorn. 50
All who admired 51 her have despised her 52
because they have seen her nakedness. 53
She groans aloud 54
and turns away in shame. 55
9 ט (Tet)
Her menstrual flow 56 has soiled 57 her clothing; 58
she did not consider 59 the consequences of her sin. 60
Her demise 61 was astonishing, 62
and there was no one to comfort her.
She cried, “Look, 63 O Lord, on my 64 affliction
because my 65 enemy boasts!”
10 י (Yod)
An enemy grabbed 66
all her valuables. 67
Indeed she watched in horror 68 as Gentiles 69
invaded her holy temple 70 –
those whom you 71 had commanded:
“They must not enter 72 your assembly place.” 73
11 כ (Kaf)
All her people groaned
as they searched for a morsel of bread. 74
They exchanged 75 their valuables 76
for 77 just enough food
to stay alive. 78
“Look, O Lord! Consider 79
that I have become worthless!”
12 ל (Lamed)
Is it nothing to you, 80 all you who pass by on the road? 81
Look and see!
Is there any pain like mine?
The Lord 82 has afflicted me, 83
he 84 has inflicted it on me
when 85 he burned with anger. 86
13 מ (Mem)
He sent down fire 87
into my bones, and it overcame 88 them.
He spread out a trapper’s net 89 for my feet;
he made me turn back.
He has made me desolate;
I am faint all day long.
14 נ (Nun)
My sins are bound around my neck like a yoke; 90
they are fastened together by his hand.
He has placed his yoke 91 on my neck; 92
he has sapped my strength. 93
The Lord 94 has handed me over 95
to those whom I cannot resist.
15 ס (Samek)
He rounded up 96 all my mighty ones; 97
The Lord 98 did this 99 in 100 my midst.
He summoned an assembly 101 against me
to shatter my young men.
The Lord has stomped like grapes 102
the virgin daughter, Judah. 103
16 ע (Ayin)
I weep because of these things;
my eyes 104 flow with tears. 105
For there is no one in sight who can comfort me 106
or encourage me. 107
My children 108 are desolated 109
because an enemy has prevailed.
17 פ (Pe)
Zion spread out her hands,
but there is no one to comfort her.
The Lord has issued a decree against Jacob;
his neighbors 110 have become his enemies.
Jerusalem has become
like filthy garbage 111 in their midst. 112
18 צ (Tsade)
The Lord is right to judge me! 113
Yes, I rebelled against his commands. 114
Please listen, all you nations, 115
and look at my suffering!
My young women and men
have gone into exile.
19 ק (Qof)
I called for my lovers, 116
but they had deceived me.
My priests and my elders
perished in the city.
Truly they had 117 searched for food
to 118 keep themselves 119 alive. 120
20 ר (Resh)
Look, O Lord! I am distressed; 121
my stomach is in knots! 122
My heart is pounding 123 inside me.
Yes, I was terribly rebellious! 124
Out in the street the sword bereaves a mother of her children; 125
Inside the house death is present. 126
21 ש (Sin/Shin)
They have heard 127 that I groan,
yet there is no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my trouble;
they are glad that you 128 have brought it about. 129
Bring about 130 the day of judgment 131 that you promised 132
so that 133 they may end up 134 like me!
22 ת (Tav)
Let all their wickedness come before you;
afflict 135 them
just as you have afflicted 136 me 137
because of all my acts of rebellion. 138
For my groans are many,
and my heart is sick with sorrow. 139
