1 How alone sits the city that was full of people! She has become like a widow, who was once great among the nations, a princess among the nations, but now has come under tribute.2 She weeps bitterly in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; among all her lovers, she has no one to comfort her. All her friends have dealt deceitfully with her; they have become her enemies.3 Judah went into captivity under affliction and hard labor. She dwells among the nations; she finds no rest; all her pursuers have overtaken her between the straits.4 The roads of Zion mourn because none go to the appointed meetings. All her gates are deserted; her priests sigh; her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.5 Her oppressors have become the chief; her enemies are at ease; for Jehovah has afflicted her for the multitude of her sins. Her children have gone into captivity before the enemy.6 And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty has departed. Her rulers have become like deer, who find no pasture, that flee without strength before the pursuer.7 In the days of her affliction and her wandering, Jerusalem remembered all her desirable things from ancient days, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy with no one to help her. The enemies saw her; they laughed at her annihilation.8 Jerusalem has grievously sinned, therefore she has become impure. All who honored her despise her because they have seen her nakedness; yea, she sighs and turns backward.9 Her uncleanness is in her skirts; she did not remember her end, and her downfall was extraordinary. There is no comforter for her. O Jehovah, behold my affliction, for the enemy has magnified himself.10 The enemy has spread out his hand upon all her desirable things; for she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary, whom You commanded that they should not enter into Your assembly.11 All her people sigh; they seek bread. They have given their desirable things for food to restore life. See, O Jehovah, and look upon me, for I have become vile.12 Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow which is done to me, with which Jehovah has afflicted me in the day of His fierce anger.13 From above He has sent fire into my bones and it has laid them low. He has spread a net for my feet; He has turned me back; He has made me desolate and faint all the day.14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by His hand, woven together, and thrust upon my neck. He has made my strength to falter; the Lord has delivered me into their hands. I am not able to rise up.15 The Lord has trampled all my mighty ones in my midst; He has called a gathering against me to crush my young men. The Lord has trodden the virgin daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.16 For these I weep; my eye, my eye runs down with water, because the comforter who could refresh my soul is far from me. My children are desolate because the enemy has prevailed.17 Zion spreads forth her hands, but no one comforts her. Jehovah has commanded concerning Jacob that his enemies should be all around him; Jerusalem has become as an impure thing among them.18 Jehovah is righteous, for I have rebelled against His command. I beseech you, all peoples, hear and behold my sorrow. My virgins and my young men have gone into captivity.19 I called for my lovers, but they deceived me; my priests and my elders died in the city while they sought food for them to restore their life.20 Behold, O Jehovah, for I am in distress; my stomach is upset; my heart churns within me, for I have grievously rebelled. Outside the sword bereaves; at home it is like death.21 They hear that I sigh; but no one comforts me. All my enemies have heard of my evil; they are glad that You have done it. You will bring the day that You have called, and they shall be like me.22 Let all their wickedness come before You; and do to them as You have done to me for all my transgressions. For my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.

1 Aleph. Hou sittith aloone the citee ful of puple? the ladi of folkis is maad as a widewe; the prince of prouynces is maad vndir tribute.2 Beth. It wepynge wepte in the niyt, and the teeris therof ben in `the chekis therof; `noon is of alle the dereworthe therof, that coumfortith it; alle the frendis therof forsoken it, and ben maad enemyes to it.3 Gymel. Juda passide fro turment and multitude of seruage, it dwellide among hethene men, and foond no reste; alle the pursueris therof token it among angwischis.4 Deleth. The weies of Sion mourenen, for no men comen to the solempnytee; alle the yatis therof ben distried, the prestis therof weilen; the vergyns therof ben defoulid, and it is oppressid with bitternesse.5 He. The enemyes therof ben maad in the heed, and the enemyes therof ben maad riche, for the Lord spak on it. For the multitude of wickidnessis therof the litle children therof ben led in to caitiftee, bifore the face of the troblere.6 Vau. And al the fairnesse of the douyter of Syon yede out fro the douyter of Sion; the princes therof ben maad as rammes not fyndynge lesewis; and yeden forth withouten strengthe bifore the face of the suere.7 Zai. And Jerusalem bithouyte on the daies of hir affliccioun and of trespassyng, and on alle hir desirable thingis whiche it hadde fro elde daies; whanne the puple therof felle doun in the hond of enemyes, and noon helpere was; enemyes sien it, and scorneden the sabatis therof.8 Heth. Jerusalem synnede a synne, therfor it was maad vnstidfast; alle that glorifieden it forsoken it, for thei sien the schenschipe therof; forsothe it weilide, and was turned a bak.9 Theth. The filthis therof ben in the feet therof, and it hadde no mynde of hir ende; it was putte doun greetli, and hadde no coumfortour; Lord, se thou my turment, for the enemye is reisid.10 Joth. The enemye putte his hond to alle desirable thingis therof; for it siy hethene men entride in to thi seyntuarie, of which thou haddist comaundid, that thei schulden not entre in to thi chirche.11 Caph. Al the puple therof was weilinge and sekynge breed, thei yauen alle preciouse thingis for mete, to coumforte the soule; se thou, Lord, and biholde, for Y am maad vijl.12 Lameth. A! alle ye that passen bi the weie, perseyue, and se, if ony sorewe is as my sorewe; for he gaderide awei grapis fro me, as the Lord spak in the day of wraththe of his strong veniaunce.13 Men. Fro an hiy he sente fier in my boonys, and tauyte me; he spredde a brood a net to my feet, he turnede me a bak; he settide me desolat, meddlid togidere al dai with mourenyng.14 Nun. The yok of my wickidnessis wakide in the hond of hym, tho ben foldid togidere, and put on my necke; my vertu is maad feble; the Lord yaf me in the hond, fro which Y schal not mowe rise.15 Sameth. The Lord took awei alle my worschipful men fro the myddis of me; he clepide tyme ayens me, that he schulde al to-foule my chosun men; the Lord stampide a pressour to the virgyn, the douytir of Juda.16 Ayn. Therfor Y am wepynge, and myn iye is ledynge doun watir; for a coumfortour, conuertynge my soule, is maad fer fro me; my sones ben maad lost, for the enemye hadde the maistrie.17 Phe. Sion spredde a brood hise hondis, noon is that coumfortith it; the Lord sente ayenus Jacob enemyes therof, in the cumpas therof; Jerusalem is maad as defoulid with vncleene blood among hem.18 Sade. The Lord is iust, for Y terride his mouth to wrathfulnesse; alle puplis, Y biseche, here ye, and se my sorewe; my virgyns and my yonge men yeden forth in to caitiftee.19 Coth. I clepide my frendis, and thei disseyueden me; my prestis and myn elde men in the citee ben wastid; for thei souyten mete to hem silf, to coumforte hir lijf.20 Res. Se thou, Lord, for Y am troblid, my wombe is disturblid; myn herte is distried in my silf, for Y am ful of bittirnesse; swerd sleeth with outforth, and lijk deth is at hoome.21 Syn. Thei herden, that Y make ynward weilyng, and noon is that coumfortith me; alle myn enemyes herden myn yuel, thei ben glad, for thou hast do; thou hast brouyt a dai of coumfort, and thei schulen be maad lijk me.22 Tau. Al the yuel of hem entre byfore thee, and gadere thou grapis awei fro hem, as thou hast gaderid grapis awei fro me; for my wickidnessis, for my weilyngis ben manye, and myn herte is mornynge.