כ (Kaf)
1:11 All her people groaned
as they searched for a morsel of bread. 1
They exchanged 2 their valuables 3
for 4 just enough food
to stay alive. 5
“Look, O Lord! Consider 6
that I have become worthless!”
ל (Lamed)
1:12 Is it nothing to you, 7 all you who pass by on the road? 8
Look and see!
Is there any pain like mine?
The Lord 9 has afflicted me, 10
he 11 has inflicted it on me
when 12 he burned with anger. 13
מ (Mem)
1:13 He sent down fire 14
into my bones, and it overcame 15 them.
He spread out a trapper’s net 16 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; 17
they are fastened together by his hand.
He has placed his yoke 18 on my neck; 19
he has sapped my strength. 20
The Lord 21 has handed me over 22
to those whom I cannot resist.
ס (Samek)
1:15 He rounded up 23 all my mighty ones; 24
The Lord 25 did this 26 in 27 my midst.
He summoned an assembly 28 against me
to shatter my young men.
The Lord has stomped like grapes 29
the virgin daughter, Judah. 30
ע (Ayin)
1:16 I weep because of these things;
my eyes 31 flow with tears. 32
For there is no one in sight who can comfort me 33
or encourage me. 34
My children 35 are desolated 36
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 37 have become his enemies.
Jerusalem has become
like filthy garbage 38 in their midst. 39