Lamentations 1
1How doth HaIr (the city, Yerushalayim) sit solitary, 1 that was full of people! 1 How is she become like an almanah (widow)! 1 She that was great among the Goyim, 1 and sarah (princess) among the provinces, 1 how is she become a forced laborer! 1
2She weepeth bitterly in the lailah (night), 1 and her tears are on her cheeks; 1 among all her lovers she hath no Menachem (comforter); 1 all her friends have dealt treacherously with her; 1 they have become her enemies. 1
3Yehudah is gone into the Golus (Exile) under affliction, 1 and under great avodah (servitude); 1 she dwelleth among the Goyim; 1 she findeth no manoach (rest); 1 all her rodefim (persecutors) 1 overtook her in dire straits. 1
4The darkhei Tziyon (approaches to Tziyon) do mourn, 1 because none come to mo'ed (set feasts); 1 all her she'arim (gates) are desolate; 1 her kohanim sigh, 1 her betulot (virgins) are afflicted, 1 and she is in bitterness. 1
5Her adversaries are now the rosh (supreme, master); 1 her enemies prosper; 1 for Hashem hath afflicted her 1 because of the multitude of her peysha'im (transgressions); 1 her olalim (little children) are gone 1 into captivity before the enemy. 1
6And from Bat Tziyon 1 all her beauty has departed; 1 her sarim (princes) are become like deer 1 that find no pasture, 1 and they are gone without strength 1 before the rodef (persecutor, pursuer). 1
7In the yamim (days) of her affliction 1 and of her persecutions, 1 Yerushalayim remembers all her pleasant things 1 that she had miymei kedem (in the days of old). 1 When her people fell into the hand of the enemy, 1 and there was no ozer (helper) for her, 1 the adversaries saw her, 1 and did mock at her downfall. 1
8Yerushalayim hath grievously sinned; 1 therefore she is niddah + 1:8 Lv 15:19 (unclean, Jewish womanʼs untouchability during menstruation); 1 all that honored her despise her, 1 because they have seen her erom (nakedness); 1 yea, she sigheth, and turneth away for shame. 1
9Her filthiness is in her skirts; 1 she remembereth not her latter end; 1 therefore she sank appallingly; 1 she had no Menachem (comforter). 1 O Hashem, behold my affliction; 1 for the enemy hath triumphed. 1
10The adversary hath spread out his hand 1 upon all her precious things; 1 for she hath seen how the Goyim 1 entered into her [Beis] Hamikdash, 1 whom Thou didst command that 1 they should not enter into Thy Kahal (congregation, community). 1
11All her people sigh, they seek lechem; 1 they have given their precious things 1 for bread to revive the nefesh; 1 see, O Hashem, and consider 1 that I am become despised. 1
12Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? 1 Consider, and see 1 if there be any sorrow like my sorrow, 1 which is done unto me, 1 wherewith Hashem hath afflicted me 1 in the Yom Charon Af (day of His fierce anger). 1
13From above hath He sent eish 1 into my atzamot (bones), and it prevaileth against them; 1 He hath spread a net for my feet, 1 He hath turned me back; 1 He hath made me desolate and kol hayom (ever) languishing. 1
14The yoke of my peysha'im hath been fastened by His hand; 1 they + 1:14 i.e., my sins intertwine themselves and set upon my tzavar (neck); 1 He hath made my strength to fall; 1 Adonoi hath delivered me into their hands, 1 from whom I am not able to rise up. 1
15Adonoi hath taken away 1 all my strong ones in my midst; 1 He hath proclaimed a mo'ed (set time) against me 1 to crush my young men; 1 Adonoi hath trodden the winepress 1 for the Betulat Bat Yehudah. 1
16For these things I weep; 1 mine eye, mine eye runneth down with mayim, 1 because the Menachem (comforter) 1 that should refresh my nefesh is far from me; 1 my children are desolate, 1 because the enemy hath prevailed. 1
17Tziyon stretcheth forth her hands, 1 yet there is no Menachem (comforter) for her; 1 Hashem hath commanded concerning Ya'akov, 1 that his adversaries should be round about him; 1 Yerushalayim is as a niddah (menstruous woman) among them. 1
18Tzaddik is Hashem; 1 for I have rebelled against His mouth; 1 hear, I pray you, kol amim (all people), 1 and behold my sorrow; 1 my betulot and my bochurim 1 are gone into captivity. 1
19I called for my lovers, 1 but they have deceived me; 1 my kohanim and my zekenim 1 gave up the ghost + 1:19 i.e., expired in HaIr (the City), 1 while they sought okhel (food) 1 to revive their nefashot. 1
20Consider, O Hashem how I am in distress; 1 my bowels are troubled; 1 mine lev is turned within me; 1 for I have grievously rebelled; 1 without, + 1:20 i.e., outside the cherev (sword) bereaveth, 1 within + 1:20 i.e., babayit, at home it is like mavet (death). 1
21They have heard that I sigh; 1 there is no Menachem (comforter); 1 all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; 1 they are glad that Thou hast done it; 1 Thou bringest the Yom Karata (the day that Thou has proclaimed), 1 that they + 1:21 see 1:18 [all the peoples] may be like me. 1
22Let all their wickedness come before Thee; 1 and do unto them, 1 as Thou hast done unto me for all my peysha'im; 1 for my sighs are many, 1 and my lev is faint.