The Prophet Speaks:

א (Alef)80

1:1 1 Alas!2 The city once full of people3

now sits all alone!4

The prominent5 lady among the nations

has become a widow!6

The princess7 who once ruled the provinces8

has become9 a forced laborer!10

ב (Bet)

1:2 She weeps bitterly at night;

tears stream down her cheeks.11

She has no one to comfort her

among all her lovers.12

All her friends have betrayed her;

they have become her enemies.

ג (Gimel)

1:3 Judah13 has departed into exile

under14 affliction and harsh oppression.15

She16 lives among the nations;

she has found no resting place.

All who pursued her overtook her

in17 narrow straits.18

ד (Dalet)

1:4 The roads to Zion19 mourn20

because no one21 travels to the festivals.22

All her city gates23 are deserted;24

her priests groan.25

Her virgins grieve;26

she is in bitter anguish!27

ה (He)

1:5 Her foes subjugated her;28

her enemies are at ease.29

For the Lord afflicted her

because of her many acts of rebellion.30

Her children went away

captive31 before the enemy.

ו (Vav)

1:6 All of Daughter Zion’s32 splendor33

has departed.34

Her leaders became like deer;

they found no pasture,

so they were too exhausted to escape35

from the hunter.36

ז (Zayin)

1:7 Jerusalem37 remembers,38

when39 she became a poor homeless person,40

all her treasures

that she owned in days of old.41

When her people fell into an enemy’s grip,42

none of her allies came to her rescue.43

Her enemies44 gloated over45 her;

they sneered46 at her downfall.47

ח (Khet)

1:8 Jerusalem committed terrible sin;48

therefore she became an object of scorn.49

All who admired50 her have despised her51

because they have seen her nakedness.52

She groans aloud53

and turns away in shame.54

ט (Tet)

1:9 Her menstrual flow55 has soiled56 her clothing;57

she did not consider58 the consequences of her sin.59

Her demise60 was astonishing,61

and there was no one to comfort her.

She cried, “Look,62 O Lord, on my63 affliction

because my64 enemy boasts!”

י (Yod)

1:10 An enemy grabbed65

all her valuables.66

Indeed she watched in horror67 as Gentiles68

invaded her holy temple69—

those whom you70 had commanded:

“They must not enter71 your assembly place.”72

כ (Kaf)

1:11 All her people groaned

as they searched for a morsel of bread.73

They exchanged74 their valuables75

for76 just enough food

to stay alive.77