Lamentations 2:13–19

¹³O Jerusalem, beloved Jerusalem, what can I say?

How can I comfort you? No one has ever suffered like this.

Your disaster is boundless as the ocean; there is no possible hope.

¹⁴Your prophets had nothing to tell you but lies;

Their preaching deceived you by never exposing your sin.

They made you think you did not need to repent.

¹⁵People passing by the city look at you in scorn.

They shake their heads and laugh at the ruins of Jerusalem.

“Is this that lovely city? Is this the pride of the world?”

¹⁶All your enemies mock you and glare at you with hate.

They curl their lips and sneer, “We have destroyed it!

This is the day we have waited for!”

¹⁷The Lord has finally done what he threatened to do:

He has destroyed us without mercy, as he warned us long ago.

He gave our enemies victory, gave them joy at our downfall.

¹⁸O Jerusalem, let your very walls cry out to the Lord!^e

Let your tears flow like rivers night and day;

Wear yourself out with weeping and grief!

¹⁹All through the night get up again and again to cry out to the Lord;

Pour out your heart and beg him for mercy on your children—

Children starving to death on every street corner!