1 How the Lord has covered Daughter Zion with the cloud of his anger "! He has hurled down the splendor of Israel from heaven to earth; he has not remembered his footstool in the day of his anger.2 Without pity the Lord has swallowed up all the dwellings of Jacob; in his wrath he has torn down the strongholds of Daughter Judah. He has brought her kingdom and its princes down to the ground in dishonor.3 In fierce anger he has cut off every horn ""of Israel. He has withdrawn his right hand at the approach of the enemy. He has burned in Jacob like a flaming fire that consumes everything around it.4 Like an enemy he has strung his bow; his right hand is ready. Like a foe he has slain all who were pleasing to the eye; he has poured out his wrath like fire on the tent of Daughter Zion.5 The Lord is like an enemy; he has swallowed up Israel. He has swallowed up all her palaces and destroyed her strongholds. He has multiplied mourning and lamentation for Daughter Judah.6 He has laid waste his dwelling like a garden; he has destroyed his place of meeting. The LORD has made Zion forget her appointed festivals and her Sabbaths; in his fierce anger he has spurned both king and priest.7 The Lord has rejected his altar and abandoned his sanctuary. He has given the walls of her palaces into the hands of the enemy; they have raised a shout in the house of the LORD as on the day of an appointed festival.8 The LORD determined to tear down the wall around Daughter Zion. He stretched out a measuring line and did not withhold his hand from destroying. He made ramparts and walls lament; together they wasted away.9 Her gates have sunk into the ground; their bars he has broken and destroyed. Her king and her princes are exiled among the nations, the law is no more, and her prophets no longer find visions from the LORD.10 The elders of Daughter Zion sit on the ground in silence; they have sprinkled dust on their heads and put on sackcloth. The young women of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground.11 My eyes fail from weeping, I am in torment within; my heart is poured out on the ground because my people are destroyed, because children and infants faint in the streets of the city.12 They say to their mothers, "Where is bread and wine?" as they faint like the wounded in the streets of the city, as their lives ebb away in their mothers' arms.13 What can I say for you? With what can I compare you, Daughter Jerusalem? To what can I liken you, that I may comfort you, Virgin Daughter Zion? Your wound is as deep as the sea. Who can heal you?14 The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your sin to ward off your captivity. The prophecies they gave you were false and misleading.15 All who pass your way clap their hands at you; they scoff and shake their heads at Daughter Jerusalem: "Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth?"16 All your enemies open their mouths wide against you; they scoff and gnash their teeth and say, "We have swallowed her up. This is the day we have waited for; we have lived to see it."17 The LORD has done what he planned; he has fulfilled his word, which he decreed long ago. He has overthrown you without pity, he has let the enemy gloat over you, he has exalted the horn "of your foes.18 The hearts of the people cry out to the Lord. You walls of Daughter Zion, let your tears flow like a river day and night; give yourself no relief, your eyes no rest.19 Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint from hunger at every street corner.20 "Look, LORD, and consider: Whom have you ever treated like this? Should women eat their offspring, the children they have cared for? Should priest and prophet be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord?21 "Young and old lie together in the dust of the streets; my young men and young women have fallen by the sword. You have slain them in the day of your anger; you have slaughtered them without pity.22 "As you summon to a feast day, so you summoned against me terrors on every side. In the day of the LORD's anger no one escaped or survived; those I cared for and reared my enemy has destroyed."

1 [ Aleph Quomodo obtexit caligine in furore suoDominus filiam Sion ;projecit de clo in terraminclytam Isral,et non est recordatus scabelli pedum suorumin die furoris sui !2 Beth Prcipitavit Dominus, nec pepercitomnia speciosa Jacob :destruxit in furore suomuntiones virginis Juda,et dejecit in terram ;polluit regnum et principes ejus.3 Ghimel Confregit in ira furoris suiomne cornu Isral ;avertit retrorsum dexteram suama facie inimici,et succendit in Jacob quasi ignemflamm devorantis in gyro.4 Daleth Tetendit arcum suum quasi inimicus,firmavit dexteram suam quasi hostis,et occidit omne quod pulchrum erat visuin tabernaculo fili Sion ;effudit quasi ignemindignationem suam.5 He Factus est Dominus velut inimicus,prcipitavit Isral :prcipitavit omnia mnia ejus,dissipavit munitiones ejus,et replevit in filia Judahumiliatum et humiliatam.6 Vau Et dissipavit quasi hortum tentorium suum ;demolitus est tabernaculum suum.Oblivioni tradidit Dominus in Sionfestivitatem et sabbatum ;et in opprobrium, et in indignationem furoris sui,regem et sacerdotem.7 Zain Repulit Dominus altare suum ;maledixit sanctificationi su :tradidit in manu inimicimuros turrium ejus.Vocem dederunt in domo Dominisicut in die solemni.8 Heth Cogitavit Dominus dissiparemurum fili Sion ;tetendit funiculum suum,et non avertit manum suam a perditione :luxitque antemurale,et murus pariter dissipatus est.9 Teth Defix sunt in terra port ejus,perdidit et contrivit vectes ejus ;regem ejus et principes ejus in gentibus :non est lex,et prophet ejus non inveneruntvisionem a Domino.10 Jod Sederunt in terra, conticueruntsenes fili Sion ;consperserunt cinere capita sua,accincti sunt ciliciis :abjecerunt in terram capita suavirgines Jerusalem.11 Caph Defecerunt pr lacrimis oculi mei,conturbata sunt viscera mea ;effusum est in terra jecur meumsuper contritione fili populi mei,cum deficeret parvulus et lactensin plateis oppidi.12 Lamed Matribus suis dixerunt :Ubi est triticum et vinum ?cum deficerent quasi vulneratiin plateis civitatis,cum exhalarent animas suasin sinu matrum suarum.13 Mem Cui comparabo te, vel cui assimilabo te,filia Jerusalem ?cui exquabo te, et consolabor te,virgo, filia Sion ?magna est enim velut mare contritio tua :quis medebitur tui ?14 Nun Prophet tui viderunt tibifalsa et stulta ;nec aperiebant iniquitatem tuam,ut te ad pnitentiam provocarent ;viderunt autem tibi assumptiones falsas,et ejectiones.15 Samech Plauserunt super te manibusomnes transeuntes per viam ;sibilaverunt et moverunt caput suumsuper filiam Jerusalem :Hccine est urbs, dicentes, perfecti decoris,gaudium univers terr ?16 Phe Aperuerunt super te os suumomnes inimici tui :sibilaverunt, et fremuerunt dentibus,et dixerunt : Devorabimus :en ista est dies quam exspectabamus ;invenimus, vidimus.17 Ain Fecit Dominus qu cogitavit ;complevit sermonem suum,quem prceperat a diebus antiquis :destruxit, et non pepercit,et ltificavit super te inimicum,et exaltavit cornu hostium tuorum.18 Sade Clamavit cor eorum ad Dominumsuper muros fili Sion :Deduc quasi torrentem lacrimasper diem et noctem ;non des requiem tibi,neque taceat pupilla oculi tui.19 Coph Consurge, lauda in nocte,in principio vigiliarum ;effunde sicut aquam cor tuumante conspectum Domini :leva ad eum manus tuaspro anima parvulorum tuorum,qui defecerunt in famein capite omnium compitorum.20 Res Vide, Domine, et consideraquem vindemiaveris ita.Ergone comedent mulieres fructum suum,parvulos ad mensuram palm ?si occiditur in sanctuario Dominisacerdos et propheta ?21 Sin Jacuerunt in terra forispuer et senex ;virgines me et juvenes meiceciderunt in gladio :interfecisti in die furoris tui,percussisti, nec misertus es.22 Thau Vocasti quasi ad diem solemnem,qui terrerent me de circuitu ;et non fuit in die furoris Domini qui effugeret,et relinqueretur :quos educavi et enutrivi,inimicus meus consumpsit eos.]