1How she has sat alone! The great city of people has become like a widow; great among the nations, a princess among the provinces, she has become tribute.2She weeps, she weeps in the night, and her tears are on her cheek. There is none to comfort her from all her lovers. All her companions have betrayed her; they have become enemies to her.3Judah has gone into exile from affliction and from multitude of service. She has sat among the nations; she has not found rest. All her pursuers have overtaken her between the straits.4The ways of Zion mourn, without comers at the appointed time; all her gates are desolate; her priests groan, her virgins are sorrowful, and she is bitter to herself.5Her afflictions have become a head to her enemies, for the LORD has meditated over the multitude of her transgressions; her children have gone captive before affliction.6All majesty has gone out from the house of Zion; her chiefs were like rams that did not find pasture, and they went in no strength before the pursuer.7Jerusalem remembered her days of poverty and her rebellions, all her precious things that were from days of old. In the falling of her people into the hand of the enemy, there was no helper for her. She saw enemies laugh at her dwelling.8Jerusalem has sinned a sin; on account of this she has become a niddah. All who honored her have despised her, for they have seen her nakedness; she also groans and turns back.9Her ritual impurity is in her hems; she did not remember her latter end, and she went down astonishingly; there is no comforter for her. The LORD has seen her afflicted ones, for the enemy has magnified.10The enemy's hand has spread out over all her delights, for she has seen nations come into her sanctuary, which she commanded, "Nations shall not enter your assembly."11All her people groan, seeking bread; they have given their desirable things for food to return nephesh. See, O LORD, and look, for she has become a parched woman.12No, to you all passersby of the way, look and see: if there is pain like my pain which he has done to me, which the LORD has kindled on the day of the fierceness of his nostril.13From on high he sent fire into my bones and brought it down. He spread a net for my feet; he turned me back; he gave me desolation all day; he causes me to languish.14He has kept watch over my transgressions; in his hand they have intertwined, they have ascended over my neck. He has made my power stumble; the Lord has given me into his hands—I cannot arise.15Selah. The Lord has trodden a path for the virgin daughter of Judah. He called against me an appointed time to break my mighty ones in my midst, the youths of Gath.16Over these things I weep, my eye, my eye runs with water, for a comforter who restores my soul is far from me; my sons have become desolate, for the enemy has prevailed.17Zion has spread out her hands; there is no comforter for her. The LORD has commanded concerning Jacob his surrounders—his afflicters. Jerusalem has become a niddah among them.18The LORD is righteous, for I have rebelled against his mouth. Please hear all the peoples and see my pain—my virginity and my choice young men have gone into captivity.19I called to my lovers, but they deceived me; my priests and elders in the city gasped because they sought food for themselves to restore their life force.20See, O LORD, for affliction to me; my bowels have boiled, my heart has turned within me, for I have rebelled bitterly. Outside the sword bereaves, in the house like death.21Hear! For I groan; I have no comforter. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they rejoice, for you have done it. You have brought the day you called, and they have become like me.22Let all their moral evil come before your face, and deal with them as you have dealt with me over all my transgressions; for my groanings are many and my heart is languishing.