י (Yod)
1:10 An enemy grabbed 1
all her valuables. 2
Indeed she watched in horror 3 as Gentiles 4
invaded her holy temple 5 –
those whom you 6 had commanded:
“They must not enter 7 your assembly place.” 8
כ (Kaf)
1:11 All her people groaned
as they searched for a morsel of bread. 9
They exchanged 10 their valuables 11
for 12 just enough food
to stay alive. 13
“Look, O Lord! Consider 14
that I have become worthless!”
ל (Lamed)
1:12 Is it nothing to you, 15 all you who pass by on the road? 16
Look and see!
Is there any pain like mine?
The Lord 17 has afflicted me, 18
he 19 has inflicted it on me
when 20 he burned with anger. 21
מ (Mem)
1:13 He sent down fire 22
into my bones, and it overcame 23 them.
He spread out a trapper’s net 24 for my feet;
he made me turn back.
He has made me desolate;
I am faint all day long.
נ (Nun)
1:14 My sins are bound around my neck like a yoke; 25
they are fastened together by his hand.
He has placed his yoke 26 on my neck; 27
he has sapped my strength. 28
The Lord 29 has handed me over 30
to those whom I cannot resist.
ס (Samek)
1:15 He rounded up 31 all my mighty ones; 32
The Lord 33 did this 34 in 35 my midst.
He summoned an assembly 36 against me
to shatter my young men.
The Lord has stomped like grapes 37
the virgin daughter, Judah. 38
ע (Ayin)
1:16 I weep because of these things;
my eyes 39 flow with tears. 40
For there is no one in sight who can comfort me 41
or encourage me. 42
My children 43 are desolated 44
because an enemy has prevailed.
פ (Pe)
1:17 Zion spread out her hands,
but there is no one to comfort her.
The Lord has issued a decree against Jacob;
his neighbors 45 have become his enemies.
Jerusalem has become
like filthy garbage 46 in their midst. 47
צ (Tsade)
1:18 The Lord is right to judge me! 48
Yes, I rebelled against his commands. 49
Please listen, all you nations, 50
and look at my suffering!
My young women and men
have gone into exile.
ק (Qof)
1:19 I called for my lovers, 51
but they had deceived me.
My priests and my elders
perished in the city.
Truly they had 52 searched for food
to 53 keep themselves 54 alive. 55
ר (Resh)
1:20 Look, O Lord! I am distressed; 56
my stomach is in knots! 57
My heart is pounding 58 inside me.
Yes, I was terribly rebellious! 59
Out in the street the sword bereaves a mother of her children; 60
Inside the house death is present. 61
ש (Sin/Shin)
1:21 They have heard 62 that I groan,
yet there is no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my trouble;
they are glad that you 63 have brought it about. 64
Bring about 65 the day of judgment 66 that you promised 67
so that 68 they may end up 69 like me!
ת (Tav)
1:22 Let all their wickedness come before you;
afflict 70 them
just as you have afflicted 71 me 72
because of all my acts of rebellion. 73
For my groans are many,
and my heart is sick with sorrow. 74