Lamentations 5

5Lord, think about what has happened to us.

Look at the shame our enemies have brought on us.

²The land you gave us has been turned over to outsiders.

Our homes have been given to strangers.

³Our fathers have been killed.

Our mothers don’t have husbands.

⁴We have to buy the water we drink.

We have to pay for the wood we use.

⁵Those who chase us are right behind us.

We’re tired. We can’t get any rest.

⁶We put ourselves under the control of Egypt and Assyria

just to get enough bread.

⁷Our people before us sinned.

And they are now dead.

We are being punished because of their sins.

⁸Slaves rule over us.

No one can set us free

from their powerful hands.

⁹We put our lives in danger just to get some bread to eat.

Robbers in the desert might kill us with their swords.

¹⁰Our skin is as hot as an oven.

We are so hungry we’re burning up with fever.

¹¹Our women have been raped in Zion.

Our virgins have been raped in the towns of Judah.

¹²Our princes have been hung up by their hands.

No one shows our elders any respect.

¹³Our young men are forced to grind grain at the mill.

Our boys almost fall down

as they carry heavy loads of wood.

¹⁴Our elders don’t go to the city gate anymore.

Our young men have stopped playing their music.

¹⁵There isn’t any joy in our hearts.

Our dancing has turned into sobbing.

¹⁶All of our honor is gone.

How terrible it is for us! We have sinned.

¹⁷So our hearts are weak.

Our eyes can’t see very clearly.

¹⁸Mount Zion has been deserted.

Wild dogs are prowling all around on it.

¹⁹Lord, you rule forever.

Your throne will last for all time to come.

²⁰Why do you always forget us?

Why have you deserted us for so long?

²¹Lord, please bring us back to you.

Then we can return.

Make our lives like new again.

²²Or have you completely turned away from us?

Are you really that angry with us?