How sits alone the city, once great with people! She has become like a widow, the princess among nations, the servant among provinces, now a tributary.

She weeps, she weeps in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; she has no comforter among all her lovers. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies.

Yehudah has gone into exile because of affliction and harsh servitude. She dwells among the nations; she has found no rest. All her pursuers overtook her between the narrow passes.

The roads to Tsiyon mourn because no one comes to the appointed festivals. All her gates are desolate; her priests sigh. Her virgins are distressed, and she herself is in bitterness.

Her adversaries have become the head; her enemies prosper. For יהוה has afflicted her because of her many transgressions. Her young children have gone into captivity before the adversary.

And from the daughter of Tsiyon all her splendor has gone forth. Her princes have become like stags that find no pasture, and they have gone without strength before the pursuer.

Yerushalayim remembers in her days of affliction and her wanderings all her precious things that were from days of old. When her people fell into the hand of the adversary, and there was no helper for her, adversaries saw her; they laughed at her ruin.

Yerushalayim has sinned a sin; therefore she has become a menstruous woman. All who honored her have despised her, because they saw her nakedness. She also sighs and turns backward.

Her uncleanness is in her skirts; she did not consider her end. She has descended wonderfully; there is no comforter for her. See, יהוה, my affliction, for the enemy has magnified himself.

The adversary has spread his hand over all her precious things, for she saw nations enter her sanctuary, concerning which you commanded that they should not enter your assembly.

All her people sigh, seeking bread; they have given their precious things for food to restore their lives. See, יהוה, and consider, for I have become a castaway.

Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any pain like my pain, which has been inflicted on me, which יהוה has afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.

From on high he sent fire into my bones, and it has subdued them. He has spread a net for my feet; he has turned me back. He has made me desolate, all the day I am sick.

The yoke of my transgressions has been bound by his hand; they have become tangled; they have come up on my neck. He has made my strength stumble. Adonai has given me into the hands of those from whom I cannot rise.

Adonai has rejected all my mighty men in my midst; he has called an appointed time against me to crush my young men. Adonai has trodden the virgin daughter of Yehudah as in a winepress.

For these things I weep; my eye, my eye runs down with water, because from me the comforter is far, he who restores my life. My children are desolate because the enemy has prevailed.

Tsiyon spreads out her hands; there is no comforter for her. יהוה has commanded concerning Ya'aqov that his adversaries are all around him. Yerushalayim has become a menstruous woman among them.

יהוה is righteous, for I have rebelled against his command. Hear, please, all you peoples, and see my pain. My virgins and my young men have gone into captivity.

I called for my lovers; they deceived me. My priests and my elders have died in the city, because they sought food for themselves and restored their lives.

See, יהוה, for I am in distress. My insides churn; my heart is overturned within me, because I have greatly rebelled. Outside the sword makes desolate; inside it is like death.

They have heard that I sigh; there is no comforter for me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they rejoice because you have done it. You have brought the day you have called, and they will be like me.

Let all their evil come before you; and deal with them as you have dealt with me because of all my transgressions, for my sighs are many and my heart is sick.