(KJV) Lamentations 1¹

⥃How Lonely Lies the City! ^{[ 2 Kings 24:10–17 ]}

[1] How doth² the city sit³ solitary, [that was] full⁴ of people! [how] is she become as a⁵ widow! she [that was] great⁶ among the nations, [and] princess among the provinces, [how] is⁷ she become tributary! [2] She weepeth⁸ sore in the night, and her tears [are] on her cheeks: among⁹ all her lovers she hath none¹⁰ to comfort [her]: all her friends¹¹ have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies. [3] Judah is gone¹² into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude¹³: she¹⁴ dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all¹⁵ her persecutors overtook her between the straits. [4] The ways¹⁶ of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates¹⁷ are desolate: her priests¹⁸ sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she [is] in bitterness. [5] Her adversaries¹⁹ are the chief, her enemies prosper; for²⁰ the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children²¹ are gone into captivity before the enemy. [6] And from²² the daughter of Zion all²³ her beauty is departed: her princes²⁴ are become like harts²⁵ [that] find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer. [7] Jerusalem remembered²⁶ in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her²⁷ pleasant²⁸ things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries²⁹ saw her, [and] did mock at her sabbaths. [8] Jerusalem hath³⁰ grievously sinned; therefore she is removed³¹: all³² that honoured her despise her, because they³³ have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth³⁴, and turneth backward. [9] Her filthiness³⁵ [is] in her skirts; she remembereth³⁶ not her last end; therefore she came³⁷ down wonderfully: she had³⁸ no comforter. O Lord, behold³⁹ my affliction: for⁴⁰ the enemy hath magnified [himself]. [10] The adversary hath spread⁴¹ out his hand upon all her pleasant⁴² things: for she hath seen⁴³ [that] the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom⁴⁴ thou didst command [that] they should not enter into thy congregation. [11] All her people sigh, they seek⁴⁵ bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul⁴⁶: see⁴⁷, O Lord, and consider; for I am become vile.

[12] [Is it] nothing⁴⁸ to you, all ye that pass by⁴⁹? behold, and see if⁵⁰ there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted [me] in the day of his fierce anger. [13] From above⁵¹ hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread⁵² a net for my feet, he hath turned⁵³ me back: he hath made me desolate⁵⁴ [and] faint all the day. [14] The yoke⁵⁵ of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, [and] come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered⁵⁶ me into [their] hands, [from whom] I am not able to rise up. [15] The Lord hath trodden⁵⁷ under foot all my mighty [men] in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush⁵⁸ my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin⁵⁹, the daughter of Judah, [as] in⁶⁰ a winepress. [16] For these [things] I weep⁶¹; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve⁶² my soul is far from me: my children⁶³ are desolate, because the enemy prevailed. [17] Zion spreadeth⁶⁴ forth her hands, [and there is] none⁶⁵ to comfort her: the Lord hath commanded⁶⁶ concerning Jacob, [that] his adversaries [should be] round about him: Jerusalem⁶⁷ is as a menstruous woman among them.

[18] [¶]The Lord⁶⁸ is righteous; for I⁶⁹ have rebelled against his commandment⁷⁰: hear⁷¹, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins⁷² and my young men are gone into captivity. [19] I called for⁷³ my lovers, [but] they deceived me: my priests⁷⁴ and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls. [20] Behold⁷⁵, O Lord; for I [am] in distress: my bowels⁷⁶ are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for⁷⁷ I have grievously rebelled: abroad⁷⁸ the sword bereaveth, at home [there is] as death. [21] They have heard that⁷⁹ I sigh: [there is] none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are⁸⁰ glad that thou hast done [it]: thou wilt⁸¹ bring the day⁸² [that] thou hast called⁸³, and they shall⁸⁴ be like unto me. [22] Let all their⁸⁵ wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs [are] many, and my heart⁸⁶ [is] faint.