This chapter is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. 1How deserted lies the city,
once so full of people!
How like a widow is she,
who once was great among the nations!
She who was queen among the provinces
has now become a slave.
2Bitterly she weeps at night,
tears are on her cheeks.
Among all her lovers
there is no one to comfort her.
All her friends have betrayed her;
they have become her enemies.
3After affliction and harsh labor,
Judah has gone into exile.
She dwells among the nations;
she finds no resting place.
All who pursue her have overtaken her
in the midst of her distress.
4The roads to Zion mourn,
for no one comes to her appointed festivals.
All her gateways are desolate,
her priests groan,
her young women grieve,
and she is in bitter anguish.
5Her foes have become her masters;
her enemies are at ease.
The Lord has brought her grief
because of her many sins.
Her children have gone into exile,
captive before the foe.
6All the splendor has departed
from Daughter Zion.
Her princes are like deer
that find no pasture;
in weakness they have fled
before the pursuer.
7In the days of her affliction and wandering
Jerusalem remembers all the treasures
that were hers in days of old.
When her people fell into enemy hands,
there was no one to help her.
Her enemies looked at her
and laughed at her destruction.
8Jerusalem has sinned greatly
and so has become unclean.
All who honored her despise her,
for they have all seen her naked;
she herself groans
and turns away.
9Her filthiness clung to her skirts;
she did not consider her future.
Her fall was astounding;
there was none to comfort her.
“Look, Lord, on my affliction,
for the enemy has triumphed.”
10The enemy laid hands
on all her treasures;
she saw pagan nations
enter her sanctuary—
those you had forbidden
to enter your assembly.
11All her people groan
as they search for bread;
they barter their treasures for food
to keep themselves alive.
“Look, Lord, and consider,
for I am despised.”
12“Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?
Look around and see.
Is any suffering like my suffering
that was inflicted on me,
that the Lord brought on me
in the day of his fierce anger?
13“From on high he sent fire,
sent it down into my bones.
He spread a net for my feet
and turned me back.
He made me desolate,
faint all the day long.
14“My sins have been bound into a yoke1:14 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint He kept watch over my sins;
by his hands they were woven together.
They have been hung on my neck,
and the Lord has sapped my strength.
He has given me into the hands
of those I cannot withstand.
15“The Lord has rejected
all the warriors in my midst;
he has summoned an army against me
to1:15 Or has set a time for me / when he will crush my young men.
In his winepress the Lord has trampled
Virgin Daughter Judah.
16“This is why I weep
and my eyes overflow with tears.
No one is near to comfort me,
no one to restore my spirit.
My children are destitute
because the enemy has prevailed.”
17Zion stretches out her hands,
but there is no one to comfort her.
The Lord has decreed for Jacob
that his neighbors become his foes;
Jerusalem has become
an unclean thing among them.
18“The Lord is righteous,
yet I rebelled against his command.
Listen, all you peoples;
look on my suffering.
My young men and young women
have gone into exile.
19“I called to my allies
but they betrayed me.
My priests and my elders
perished in the city
while they searched for food
to keep themselves alive.
20“See, Lord, how distressed I am!
I am in torment within,
and in my heart I am disturbed,
for I have been most rebellious.
Outside, the sword bereaves;
inside, there is only death.
21“People have heard my groaning,
but there is no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my distress;
they rejoice at what you have done.
May you bring the day you have announced
so they may become like me.
22“Let all their wickedness come before you;
deal with them
as you have dealt with me
because of all my sins.
My groans are many
and my heart is faint.”
1Báwo ni ìlú ṣe jókòó nìkan,
nígbà kan tí ó sì kún fún ènìyàn!
Ó ti fìgbà kan jẹ́ ìlú olókìkí láàrín àwọn orílẹ̀-èdè,
tí ó wà ní ipò opó,
Ẹni tí ó jẹ́ ọmọ ọbabìnrin láàrín ìlú
ni ó padà di ẹrú.
2Ọ̀gànjọ́ òru ni ó fi máa ń sọkún kíkorò
pẹ̀lú omijé ní ẹ̀rẹ̀kẹ́ rẹ̀ tí ó dúró sí ẹ̀rẹ̀kẹ́ rẹ̀.
Nínú gbogbo àwọn olólùfẹ́ rẹ̀
kò sí ọ̀kan nínú wọn láti rẹ̀ ẹ́ lẹ́kún.
Gbogbo àwọn ọ̀rẹ́ rẹ̀ ti jọ̀wọ́ rẹ̀
wọ́n ti di alátakò rẹ̀.
3Lẹ́yìn ìjìyà àti ìpọ́njú nínú oko ẹrú,
Juda lọ sí àjò
Ó tẹ̀dó láàrín àwọn orílẹ̀-èdè,
ṣùgbọ́n kò rí ibi ìsinmi.
Àwọn tí ó ń tẹ̀lé ká á mọ́
ibi tí kò ti le sá àsálà.
4Gbogbo ọ̀nà tí ó wọ Sioni ń ṣọ̀fọ̀,
nítorí ẹnìkan kò wá sí àjọ̀dún tí a yàn.
Gbogbo ẹnu-bodè rẹ̀ dahoro,
àwọn àlùfáà rẹ̀ kẹ́dùn,
àwọn wúńdíá rẹ̀ sì ń káàánú,
òun gan an wà ní ọkàn kíkorò.
5Àwọn aninilára rẹ̀ gbogbo di olúwa rẹ̀,
nǹkan sì rọrùn fún àwọn ọ̀tá rẹ̀,
Olúwa ti fún un ní ìjìyà tó tọ́
nítorí àwọn ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ rẹ̀.
Àwọn ẹ̀ṣọ́ wẹ́wẹ́ rẹ̀ lọ sí oko ẹrú,
ìgbèkùn níwájú àwọn ọ̀tá.
6Gbogbo ẹwà ti di ohun ìgbàgbé
kúrò lọ́dọ̀ ọmọbìnrin Sioni.
Àwọn ìjòyè rẹ̀ dàbí i àgbọ̀nrín
tí kò rí ewé tútù jẹ;
nínú àárẹ̀ wọ́n sáré
níwájú ẹni tí ó ń lé wọn.
7Ní ọjọ́ ìpọ́njú àti àrìnká rẹ̀ ni
Jerusalẹmu rántí àwọn ohun ìní dáradára rẹ̀
tí ó jẹ́ tirẹ̀ ní ọjọ́ pípẹ́.
Nígbà tí àwọn ènìyàn rẹ̀ ṣubú ṣọ́wọ́ àwọn ọ̀tá,
kò sì ṣí olùrànlọ́wọ́ fún un.
Àwọn ọ̀tá rẹ̀ wò ó
wọ́n sì ń fi ìparun rẹ̀ ṣẹlẹ́yà.
8Jerusalẹmu sì ti dẹ́ṣẹ̀ púpọ̀
ó sì ti di aláìmọ́.
Àwọn tí ó ń tẹríba fún un sì kẹ́gàn rẹ̀,
nítorí wọ́n ti rí ìhòhò rẹ̀;
ó kérora fúnrarẹ̀,
ó sì lọ kúrò.
9Ìdọ̀tí wà ní etí aṣọ rẹ̀,
bẹ́ẹ̀ ni kò wo ọjọ́ iwájú rẹ̀,
Ìṣubú rẹ̀ ya ni lẹ́nu;
olùtùnú kò sì ṣí fún un.
“Wo ìpọ́njú mi, Olúwa,
nítorí àwọn ọ̀tá ti borí.”
10Ọ̀tá ti gbọ́wọ́ lé
gbogbo ìní rẹ;
o rí pé àwọn orílẹ̀-èdè
tí wọ́n wọ ibi mímọ́ rẹ—
àwọn tí o ti kọ̀sílẹ̀
láti wọ ìpéjọpọ̀ rẹ.
11Àwọn ènìyàn rẹ̀ ń kérora
bí wọ́n ti ń wá oúnjẹ;
wọ́n fi ohun ìní wọn ṣe pàṣípàrọ̀ oúnjẹ
láti mú wọn wà láààyè.
“Wò ó, Olúwa, kí o sì rò ó,
nítorí a kọ̀ mí sílẹ̀.”
12“Kò ha jẹ́ nǹkan kan sí i yín?
Gbogbo ẹ̀yin tí ń rékọjá,
Ǹjẹ́ ẹnìkan ń jìyà bí èmi ti ń jìyà
tí a fi fún mi, ti
Olúwa mú wá fún mi
ní ọjọ́ ìbínú gbígbóná rẹ̀.
13“Ó rán iná láti òkè
sọ̀kalẹ̀ sínú egungun ara mi.
Ó dẹ àwọ̀n fún ẹsẹ̀ mi,
ó sì yí mi padà.
Ó ti pa mí lára
mó ń kú lọ ní gbogbo ọjọ́.
14“Ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ mi ti di sísopọ̀ sí àjàgà;
ọwọ́ rẹ̀ ni a fi hun ún papọ̀.
Wọ́n ti yí ọrùn mi ká
Olúwa sì ti dín agbára mi kù.
Ó sì ti fi mí lé
àwọn tí n kò le dojúkọ lọ́wọ́.
15“Olúwa kọ
àwọn akọni mi sílẹ̀,
ó rán àwọn ológun lòdì sí mi
kí wọn pa àwọn ọ̀dọ́mọkùnrin mi run.
Nínú ìfúntí wáìnì rẹ̀ Olúwa tẹ́
àwọn ọ̀dọ́mọbìnrin Juda.
16“Ìdí nìyí tí mo fi ń sọkún
tí omijé sì ń dà lójú mi,
Olùtùnú àti ẹni tí ó le mú ọkàn mi sọjí jìnnà sí mi,
kò sí ẹni tí yóò dá ẹ̀mí mi padà.
Àwọn ọmọ mi di aláìní
nítorí ọ̀tá ti borí.”
17Sioni na ọwọ́ jáde,
ṣùgbọ́n kò sí olùtùnú fún un.
Olúwa ti pàṣẹ fún Jakọbu
pé àwọn ará ilé rẹ̀ di ọ̀tá fún un
Jerusalẹmu ti di
ohun aláìmọ́ láàrín wọn.
18“Olóòtítọ́ ni Olúwa,
ṣùgbọ́n mo ṣọ̀tẹ̀ sí àṣẹ rẹ̀.
Ẹ gbọ́, gbogbo ènìyàn;
ẹ wò mí wò ìyà mi.
Gbogbo ọ̀dọ́mọkùnrin àti ọ̀dọ́mọbìnrin mi
ni a ti kó lọ sí ìgbèkùn.
19“Mo pe àwọn ọ̀rẹ́ mi
ṣùgbọ́n wọ́n dà mí.
Àwọn olórí àlùfáà àti àgbàgbà mi
ṣègbé sínú ìlú
nígbà tí wọ́n ń wá oúnjẹ
tí yóò mú wọn wà láààyè.
20“Olúwa, wò ó, bí mo ti wà nínú ìnira!
Tí mo sì ń jẹ̀rora nínú mi,
ìdààmú dé bá ọkàn mi
nítorí pé a ti ṣọ̀tẹ̀ sí mi gidigidi.
Ní gbangba ni idà ń parun;
ikú wà nínú ilé pẹ̀lú.
21“Àwọn ènìyàn ti gbọ́ ìrora mi,
ṣùgbọ́n kò sí olùtùnú fún mi.
Àwọn ọ̀tá mi ti gbọ́ ìparun mi;
wọ́n yọ̀ sí ohun tí o ṣe.
Kí o mú ọjọ́ tí o ti kéde,
kí wọ́n le dàbí tèmi.
22“Jẹ́ kí ìwà ìkà wọn wá síwájú rẹ;
jẹ wọ́n ní yà
bí o ṣe jẹ mí ní yà
nítorí gbogbo ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ mi.
Ìrora mi pọ̀
ọkàn mi sì rẹ̀wẹ̀sì.”
