| 1:1 | א (Alef)**Alas!* The city once full of people* now sits all alone!* The prominent* lady among the nations has become a widow!* The princess* who once ruled the provinces* has become* a forced laborer!* |
| 1:2 | ב (Bet) She weeps bitterly at night; tears stream down her cheeks.* She has no one to comfort her among all her lovers.* All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies. |
| 1:3 | ג (Gimel) Judah* has departed into exile under* affliction and harsh oppression.* She* lives among the nations; she has found no resting place. All who pursued her overtook her in* narrow straits.* |
| 1:4 | ד (Dalet) The roads to Zion* mourn* because no one* travels to the festivals.* All her city gates* are deserted;* her priests groan.* Her virgins grieve;* she is in bitter anguish!* |
| 1:5 | ה (He) Her foes subjugated her;* her enemies are at ease.* For the Lord afflicted her because of her many acts of rebellion.* Her children went away captive* before the enemy. |
| 1:6 | ו (Vav) All of Daughter Zion’s* splendor* has departed.* Her leaders became like deer; they found no pasture, so they were too exhausted to escape* from the hunter.* |
| 1:7 | ז (Zayin) Jerusalem* remembers,* when* she became a poor homeless person,* all her treasures that she owned in days of old.* When her people fell into an enemy’s grip,* none of her allies came to her rescue.* Her enemies* gloated over* her; they sneered* at her downfall.* |
| 1:8 | ח (Khet) Jerusalem committed terrible sin;* therefore she became an object of scorn.* All who admired* her have despised her* because they have seen her nakedness.* She groans aloud* and turns away in shame.* |
| 1:9 | ט (Tet) Her menstrual flow* has soiled* her clothing;* she did not consider* the consequences of her sin.* Her demise* was astonishing,* and there was no one to comfort her. She cried, “Look,* O Lord, on my* affliction because my* enemy boasts!” |
| 1:10 | י (Yod) An enemy grabbed* all her valuables.* Indeed she watched in horror* as Gentiles* invaded her holy temple* – those whom you* had commanded: “They must not enter* your assembly place.”* |
| 1:11 | כ (Kaf) All her people groaned as they searched for a morsel of bread.* They exchanged* their valuables* for* just enough food to stay alive.*“Look, O Lord! Consider* that I have become worthless!” |
| 1:12 | ל (Lamed) Is it nothing to you,* all you who pass by on the road?* Look and see! Is there any pain like mine? The Lord* has afflicted me,* he* has inflicted it on me when* he burned with anger.* |
| 1:13 | מ (Mem) He sent down fire* into my bones, and it overcame* them. He spread out a trapper’s net* for my feet; he made me turn back. He has made me desolate; I am faint all day long. |
| 1:14 | נ (Nun) My sins are bound around my neck like a yoke;* they are fastened together by his hand. He has placed his yoke* on my neck;* he has sapped my strength.* The Lord* has handed me over* to those whom I cannot resist. |
| 1:15 | ס (Samek) He rounded up* all my mighty ones;* The Lord* did this* in* my midst. He summoned an assembly* against me to shatter my young men. The Lord has stomped like grapes* the virgin daughter, Judah.* |
| 1:16 | ע (Ayin) I weep because of these things; my eyes* flow with tears.* For there is no one in sight who can comfort me* or encourage me.* My children* are desolated* because an enemy has prevailed. |
| 1:17 | 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* have become his enemies. Jerusalem has become like filthy garbage* in their midst.* |
| 1:18 | צ (Tsade) The Lord is right to judge me!* Yes, I rebelled against his commands.* Please listen, all you nations,* and look at my suffering! My young women and men have gone into exile. |
| 1:19 | ק (Qof) I called for my lovers,* but they had deceived me. My priests and my elders perished in the city. Truly they had* searched for food to* keep themselves* alive.* |
| 1:20 | ר (Resh) Look, O Lord! I am distressed;* my stomach is in knots!* My heart is pounding* inside me. Yes, I was terribly rebellious!* Out in the street the sword bereaves a mother of her children;* Inside the house death is present.* |
| 1:21 | ש (Sin/Shin) They have heard* that I groan, yet there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that you* have brought it about.* Bring about* the day of judgment* that you promised* so that* they may end up* like me! |
| 1:22 | ת (Tav) Let all their wickedness come before you; afflict* them just as you have afflicted* me* because of all my acts of rebellion.* For my groans are many, and my heart is sick with sorrow.* |
Ratapan 1 - NET Bible [draft]
