The Sorrows of Captive Zion

11 How lonely sits the city That was full of people ! She has become like a widow Who was once great among the nations ! She who was a princess among the [1]provinces Has become a forced laborer ! 2 She weeps bitterly in the night And her tears are on her cheeks ; She has none to comfort her Among all her lovers . All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; They have become her enemies . 3 Judah has gone into exile [2]under affliction And [2]under [4]harsh servitude ; She dwells among the nations , But she has found no rest ; All her pursuers have overtaken her In the midst of [5]distress . 4 The roads [6]of Zion are in mourning Because e no one comes to the appointed feasts . All her gates are desolate ; Her priests are groaning , Her virgins are afflicted , And she herself [7]is bitter . 5 Her adversaries have become [8]her masters , Her enemies [9]prosper ; For the Lord has caused her grief Because of the multitude of her transgressions ; Her little ones have gone away As captives before the adversary . 6 All her majesty Has departed from the daughter of Zion ; Her princes have become like deer That have found no pasture ; And they have [10] fled without strength Before the pursuer . 7 In the days of her affliction and homelessness Jerusalem remembers all her precious things That were from the days of old , When her people fell into the hand of the adversary And no one helped her. The adversaries saw her, They mocked at her [11]ruin . 8 Jerusalem sinned greatly , Therefore e she has become an unclean thing . All who honored her despise her Because they have seen her nakedness ; Even she herself groans and turns away . 9 Her uncleanness was in her skirts ; She [12]did not consider her future . Therefore she has [13] fallen astonishingly ; She has no comforter . " See , O Lord , my affliction , For the enemy has magnified himself!" 10 The adversary has stretched out his hand Over all her precious things , For she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary , The ones whom You commanded That they should not enter into Your congregation . 11 All her people groan seeking bread ; They have given their precious things for food To restore their [14]lives themselves. "See , O Lord , and look , For I am despised ."

12 "Is it nothing to all you who pass this way ? Look and see if there is any [15]pain like my [15]pain Which was severely dealt out to me, Which the Lord inflicted on the day of His fierce anger . 13 "From on high He sent fire into my bones , And it [17]prevailed over them. He has spread a net for my feet ; He has turned me back ; He has made me desolate , [18]Faint all day long. 14 "The yoke of my transgressions is bound ; By His hand they are knit together . They have come upon my neck ; He has made my strength [19]fail . The Lord has given me into the hands Of those against whom I am not able to stand . 15 "The Lord has rejected all my strong men In my midst ; He has called an appointed [20]time against me To crush my young men ; The Lord has trodden as in a wine press The virgin daughter of Judah . 16 "For these things I weep ; [21]My eyes run down with water ; Because far from me is a comforter , One who restores my soul . My children are desolate Because the enemy has prevailed ." 17 Zion stretches out her hands ; There is no one to comfort her; The Lord has commanded concerning Jacob That the ones round about him should be his adversaries ; Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them. 18 "The Lord is righteous ; For I have rebelled against His [22]command ; Hear now , all peoples , And behold my [23]pain ; My virgins and my young men Have gone into captivity . 19 "I called to my lovers , but they deceived me; My priests and my elders perished in the city While they sought food to restore [24]their strength themselves. 20 "See , O Lord , for I am in distress ; My [25] spirit is greatly troubled ; My heart is overturned within me, For I have been very rebellious . In the street the sword [26]slays ; In the house it is like death . 21 "They have heard that I groan ; There is no one to comfort me; All my enemies have heard of my [27]calamity ; They are glad that You have done it. Oh, that You would bring the day which You have proclaimed , That they may become like me. 22 "Let all their wickedness come before You; And deal with them as You have dealt with me For all my transgressions ; For my groans are many and my heart is faint ."