א (Alef)
2:1 Alas! 1 The Lord 2 has covered
Daughter Zion 3 with his anger. 4
He has thrown down the splendor of Israel
from heaven to earth;
he did not protect 5 his temple 6
when he displayed his anger. 7
ב (Bet)
2:2 The Lord 8 destroyed 9 mercilessly 10
all the homes of Jacob’s descendants. 11
In his anger he tore down
the fortified cities 12 of Daughter Judah.
He knocked to the ground and humiliated
the kingdom and its rulers. 13
ג (Gimel)
2:3 In fierce anger 14 he destroyed 15
the whole army 16 of Israel.
He withdrew his right hand 17
as the enemy attacked. 18
He was like a raging fire in the land of Jacob; 19
it consumed everything around it. 20
ד (Dalet)
2:4 He prepared his bow 21 like an enemy;
his right hand was ready to shoot. 22
Like a foe he killed everyone,
even our strong young men; 23
he has poured out his anger like fire
on the tent 24 of Daughter Zion.
ה (He)
2:5 The Lord, 25 like an enemy,
destroyed 26 Israel.
He destroyed 27 all her palaces;
he ruined her 28 fortified cities.
He made everyone in Daughter Judah
mourn and lament. 29
ו (Vav)
2:6 He destroyed his temple 30 as if it were a vineyard; 31
he destroyed his appointed meeting place.
The Lord has made those in Zion forget
both the festivals and the Sabbaths. 32
In his fierce anger 33 he has spurned 34
both king and priest.
ז (Zayin)
2:7 The Lord 35 rejected 36 his altar
and abhorred his temple. 37
He handed over to the enemy 38
her palace walls;
the enemy 39 shouted 40 in the Lord’s temple
as if it were a feast day. 41
ח (Khet)
2:8 The Lord was determined to tear down
Daughter Zion’s wall.
He prepared to knock it down; 42
he did not withdraw his hand from destroying. 43
He made the ramparts and fortified walls lament;
together they mourned their ruin. 44
ט (Tet)
2:9 Her city gates have fallen 45 to the ground;
he smashed to bits 46 the bars that lock her gates. 47
Her king and princes were taken into exile; 48
there is no more guidance available. 49
As for her prophets,
they no longer receive 50 a vision from the Lord.
י (Yod)
2:10 The elders of Daughter Zion
sit 51 on the ground in silence. 52
They have thrown dirt on their heads;
They have dressed in sackcloth. 53
Jerusalem’s young women 54 stare down at the ground. 55
כ (Kaf)
2:11 My eyes are worn out 56 from weeping; 57
my stomach is in knots. 58
My heart 59 is poured out on the ground
due to the destruction 60 of my helpless people; 61
children and infants faint
in the town squares.