Álef
Este capítulo es un poema acróstico, que sigue el orden del alfabeto hebreo. 1¡Ay, el Señor ha eclipsado a la bella Sión
con la nube de su furor!2:1 ¡Ay … furor! Alt. ¡Cómo el Señor, en su enojo, / ha tratado con reproches a la hija de Sión!
Desde el cielo echó por tierra
el esplendor de Israel;
en el día de su ira se olvidó
del estrado de sus pies.
Bet
2Sin compasión el Señor ha destruido
todas las moradas de Jacob;
en su furor ha derribado
los baluartes de la bella Judá
y ha puesto su honra por los suelos
al derrocar a su rey y a sus príncipes.
Guímel
3Dio rienda suelta a su furor
y deshizo todo el poder2:3 todo el poder. Lit. todo cuerno. de Israel.
Nos vimos frente al enemigo,
y el Señor nos negó su ayuda.2:3 nos negó su ayuda. Lit. retiró su mano derecha.
Ardió en Jacob como un fuego encendido
que consumía cuanto le rodeaba.
Dálet
4Como enemigo, tensó el arco;
lista estaba su mano derecha.
Como enemigo, eliminó
a nuestros seres queridos.
Como fuego, derramó su ira
sobre las tiendas de la bella Sión.
He
5El Señor se porta como enemigo:
ha destruido a Israel.
Ha destruido todos sus palacios
y derribado sus baluartes.
Ha multiplicado el luto y los lamentos
por la bella Judá.
Vav
6Ha desolado su morada como a un jardín;
ha derribado su lugar de reunión.
El Señor ha hecho que Sión olvide
sus fiestas solemnes y sus sábados;
se desató su furia contra el rey
y dejó de lado al sacerdote.
Zayin
7El Señor ha rechazado su altar;
ha abandonado su santuario.
Ha puesto en manos del enemigo
las murallas de sus palacios.
¡Lanzan gritos en la casa del Señor
como en día de fiesta!
Jet
8El Señor decidió derribar
la muralla que rodea a la bella Sión.
Tomó la vara y midió;
destruyó sin compasión.
Hubo lamentos en rampas y muros;
todos ellos se derrumbaron.
Tet
9Las puertas se han desplomado;
él rompió por completo sus cerrojos.
Su rey y sus príncipes
andan entre las naciones;
ya no hay ley ni profetas,
ni visiones de parte del Señor.
Yod
10En la bella Sión, los ancianos
se sientan silenciosos en el suelo;
se echan ceniza sobre la cabeza
y se visten de luto.
Postradas yacen en el suelo
las jóvenes de Jerusalén.
Caf
11El llanto me consume los ojos;
siento una profunda agonía.2:11 siento … agonía. Lit. mis entrañas se agitan.
Estoy con el ánimo2:11 Estoy con el ánimo. Lit. Mi hígado está derramado. por los suelos
porque mi pueblo ha sido destruido.
Niños e infantes desfallecen
por las calles de la ciudad.
Lámed
12«¿Dónde hay pan y vino?»,
preguntan a sus madres
mientras caen por las calles
como heridos de muerte,
mientras en los brazos maternos
exhalan el último suspiro.
Mem
13¿Qué puedo decir de ti, bella Jerusalén?
¿A qué te puedo comparar?
¿Qué ejemplo darte como consuelo,
virginal ciudad de Sión?
Profundas como el mar son tus heridas.
¿Quién podría devolverte la salud?
Nun
14Tus profetas te anunciaron
visiones falsas y engañosas.
No denunciaron tu maldad;
no evitaron tu cautiverio.
Los mensajes que te anunciaban
eran patrañas.
Sámej
15Cuantos pasan por el camino
aplauden burlones al verte.
Ante ti, bella Jerusalén, hacen muecas,
y entre silbidos preguntan:
«¿Es esta la ciudad de belleza perfecta?
¿Es esta la alegría de toda la tierra?»
Pe
16Todos tus enemigos abren la boca
para hablar mal de ti;
rechinando los dientes, declaran burlones:
«Nos la hemos comido viva.
Llegó el día tan esperado;
¡hemos vivido para verlo!»
Ayin
17El Señor ha llevado a cabo sus planes;
ha cumplido su palabra,
que decretó hace mucho tiempo.
Sin piedad, te echó por tierra;
dejó que el enemigo se burlara de ti,
y enalteció el poder2:17 poder. Lit. cuerno. de tus oponentes.
Tsade
18El corazón de la gente
clama al Señor con angustia.
Bella Sión amurallada,
¡deja que día y noche
corran tus lágrimas como un río!
¡No te des un momento de descanso!
¡No retengas el llanto de tus ojos!2:18 no retengas … ojos. Lit. no acalles a la niña de tus ojos.
Qof
19Levántate y clama por las noches,
cuando empiece la vigilancia nocturna.
Deja correr el llanto de tu corazón
como ofrenda derramada ante el Señor.
Eleva tus manos a Dios en oración
por la vida de tus hijos,
que desfallecen de hambre
y quedan tendidos por las calles.
Resh
20«Mira, Señor, y ponte a pensar:
¿A quién trataste alguna vez así?
¿Habrán de comerse las mujeres
a sus hijos, fruto de sus entrañas?
¿Habrán de matar a sacerdotes y profetas
en el santuario del Señor?
Shin
21»Jóvenes y ancianos por igual
yacen en el polvo de las calles;
mis jóvenes y mis doncellas
cayeron a filo de espada.
En tu enojo les quitaste la vida;
¡los masacraste sin piedad!
Tav
22»Como si invitaras a una fiesta solemne,
enviaste contra mí terror de todas partes.
En el día de la ira del Señor,
nadie pudo escapar, nadie quedó con vida.
A mis seres queridos, a los que eduqué,
los aniquiló el enemigo».
1See how the Lord covered the city of Zion
with the cloud of his anger!
He threw Israel’s glory down
from heaven to earth.
When he was angry, he turned his back
on his own city.
2Without pity the Lord swallowed up
all the homes of Jacob’s people.
When he was angry, he tore down
the forts of the people of Judah.
He brought down their kingdom and princes
to the ground in dishonor.
3When he was very angry,
he took away Israel’s power.
He pulled back his powerful right hand
as the enemy approached.
His burning anger blazed out in Jacob’s land.
It burned up everything near it.
4Like an enemy the Lord got his bow ready to use.
He had a sword in his right hand.
Like an enemy he destroyed
everything that used to be pleasing to him.
His anger blazed out like fire.
It burned up the homes in the city of Zion.
5The Lord was like an enemy.
He swallowed up Israel.
He swallowed up all of its palaces.
He destroyed its forts.
He filled the people of Judah
with sorrow and sadness.
6The Lord’s temple was like a garden.
But he completely destroyed it.
He destroyed the place
where he used to meet with his people.
He made Zion’s people forget
their appointed feasts and Sabbath days.
When he was very angry, he turned his back on
king and priest alike.
7The Lord deserted his altar.
He left his temple.
He gave the walls of Jerusalem’s palaces
into the hands of her enemies.
They shouted loudly in the house of the Lord.
You would have thought it was the day
of an appointed feast.
8The Lord decided to tear down
the walls around the city of Zion.
He measured out what he wanted to destroy.
Then he destroyed Jerusalem by his power.
He made even her towers and walls sing songs of sadness.
All of them fell down.
9Her gates sank down into the ground.
He broke the metal bars that locked her gates, and he destroyed them.
Her king and princes were taken away to other nations.
There is no law anymore.
Jerusalem’s prophets no longer receive
visions from the Lord.
10The elders of the city of Zion
sit silently on the ground.
They have sprinkled dust on their heads.
They’ve put on the clothes of sadness.
The young women of Jerusalem
have bowed their heads toward the ground.
11I’ve cried so much I can’t see very well.
I’m suffering deep down inside.
My heart is broken
because my people are destroyed.
Children and babies are fainting
in the streets of the city.
12They say to their mothers,
“Where can we find something to eat and drink?”
They faint like wounded soldiers
in the streets of the city.
Their lives are slipping away
in their mothers’ arms.
13City of Jerusalem, what can I say about you?
What can I compare you to?
People of Zion, what are you like?
I want to comfort you.
Your wound is as deep as the ocean.
Who can heal you?
14The visions of your prophets were lies.
They weren’t worth anything.
They didn’t show you the sins you had committed.
So that’s why you were captured.
The messages they gave you were lies.
They led you astray.
15All those who pass by
clap their hands and make fun of you.
They laugh at you and shake their heads
at the city of Jerusalem.
They say, “Could that be the city
that was called perfect and beautiful?
Is that the city that brought joy to everyone on earth?”
16All your enemies open their mouths
wide against you.
They laugh at you and grind their teeth.
They say, “We have swallowed up Jerusalem’s people.
This is the day we’ve waited for.
And we’ve lived to see it.”
17The Lord has done what he planned to do.
He has made what he said come true.
He gave the command long ago.
He has destroyed you without pity.
He has let your enemies laugh at you.
He has made them stronger than you are.
18People in the city of Zion,
cry out from your heart to the Lord.
Let your tears flow like a river
day and night.
Don’t stop at all.
Don’t give your eyes any rest.
19Get up. Cry out as the night begins.
Tell the Lord all your troubles.
Lift up your hands to him.
Pray that the lives of your children will be spared.
At every street corner they faint
because they are so hungry.
20Jerusalem says, “Lord, look at me.
Think about my condition.
Have you ever treated anyone else like this?
Should women have to eat their babies?
Should they eat the children they’ve taken care of?
Should priests and prophets be killed
in your own temple?
21“Young people and old people alike
lie dead in the dust of my streets.
My young men and women
have been killed by swords.
You killed them when you were angry.
You put them to death without pity.
22“You sent for terrors to come against me on every side.
It was as if you were inviting people to enjoy a feast day.
Because you were angry, no one escaped.
No one was left alive.
I took good care of my children and brought them up.
But my enemies have destroyed them.”
