The Sorrows of Jerusalem
1 How lonely lies Jerusalem, once so full of people!
Once honored by the world, she is now like a widow;
The noblest of cities has fallen into slavery.
2 All night long she cries; tears run down her cheeks.
Of all her former friends, not one is left to comfort her.
Her allies have betrayed her and are all against her now.
3 Judah's people are helpless slaves, forced away from home.
They live in other lands, with no place to call their own—
Surrounded by enemies, with no way to escape.
4 No one comes to the Temple now to worship on the holy days.
The young women who sang there suffer, and the priests can only groan.
The city gates stand empty, and Zion is in agony.
5 Her enemies succeeded; they hold her in their power.
The Lord has made her suffer for all her many sins;
Her children have been captured and taken away.
6 The splendor of Jerusalem is a thing of the past.
Her leaders are like deer that are weak from hunger,
Whose strength is almost gone as they flee from the hunters.
7 A lonely ruin now, Jerusalem recalls her ancient splendor.
When she fell to the enemy, there was no one to help her;
Her conquerors laughed at her downfall.
8 Her honor is gone; she is naked and held in contempt.
She groans and hides her face in shame.
Jerusalem made herself filthy with terrible sin.
9 Her uncleanness was easily seen, but she showed no concern for her fate.
Her downfall was terrible; no one can comfort her.
Her enemies have won, and she cries to the Lord for mercy.
10 The enemies robbed her of all her treasures.
She saw them enter the Temple itself,
Where the Lord had forbidden Gentiles to go.
11 Her people groan as they look for something to eat;
They exchange their treasures for food to keep themselves alive.
“Look at me, Lord,” the city cries; “see me in my misery.”
12 “Look at me!” she cries to everyone who passes by.
“No one has ever had pain like mine,
Pain that the Lord brought on me in the time of his anger.
13 “He sent fire from above, a fire that burned inside me.
He set a trap for me and brought me to the ground.
Then he abandoned me and left me in constant pain.
14 “He took note of all my sins and tied them all together;
He hung them around my neck, and I grew weak beneath the weight.
The Lord gave me to my foes, and I was helpless against them.
15 “The Lord laughed at all my strongest soldiers;
He sent an army to destroy my young men.
He crushed my people like grapes in a wine press.
16 “That is why my eyes are overflowing with tears.
No one can comfort me; no one can give me courage.
The enemy has conquered me; my people have nothing left.
17 “I stretch out my hands, but no one will help me.
The Lord has called enemies against me from every side;
They treat me like some filthy thing.
18 “But the Lord is just, for I have disobeyed him.
Listen to me, people everywhere; look at me in my pain.
My young men and women have been taken away captive.
19 “I called to my allies, but they refused to help me.
The priests and the leaders died in the city streets,
Looking for food to keep themselves alive.
20 “Look, O Lord, at my agony, at the anguish of my soul!
My heart is broken in sorrow for my sins.
There is murder in the streets; even indoors there is death.
21 “Listen to my groans; there is no one to comfort me.
My enemies are glad that you brought disaster on me.
Bring the day you promised; make my enemies suffer as I do.
22 “Condemn them for all their wickedness;
Punish them as you punished me for my sins.
I groan in misery, and I am sick at heart.”
Pamestā pilsēta
1 Ak, vai!
Guļ vientuļa pilsēta, reiz pilna tautas,
lielā starp tautām kļuva kā atraitne,
novadu valdniece – klaušās.
2 Tā raudot raud naktī un asarās vaigi,
tai mierinātāja nav – no tiem, kas to mīl,
tuvie pievīla, kļuva naidnieki.
3 No ciešanām, pārmēra verdzības Jūda svešumā devās,
starp tautām mīt un nerod miera,
un vajātāji atkāpties šaurumā spieda.
4 Sērās Ciānas ceļi – nav, kas ietu uz svētkiem,
tukši vārti, vaidēja priesteri,
jaunavas skumjas, un Ciānā rūgtums.
5 Apspiedējs valda, naidniekiem labi;
jo Kungs lika ciest par visiem noziegumiem,
bērni aizgāja gūstā naidnieka priekšā.
6 Viss krāšņums pameta Ciānas meitu,
tās augstmaņi kā brieži nerod ganības
un bezspēkā aiziet vajātāja priekšā.
7 Jeruzāleme piemin ciešanu, klaidu dienas,
visas dārglietas, kas tajās sendienās bija,
kad tauta krīt pretinieka rokā, palīga nav,
apspiedēji skatās un smej viņas postu.
8 Grēkot grēkoja Jeruzāleme, nu tapusi sārņaina,
kas godāja – nicina, jo redzēja viņas kailumu,
tā vaid un novēršas.
9 Netīra tērpa mala; savu galu tā neapdomā,
baisi nolaidusies; nav tai mierinātāja,
redzi, Kungs, manas ciešanas, jo naidnieks tapis liels.
10 Pretinieks izstiepis roku pār visiem dārgumiem;
un tā redzēja tautas viņas svētnīcā ejam,
lai gan tu viņiem liedzi iet tavā sapulcē.
11 Visa tās tauta vaid, meklējot maizi,
dārgumus atdod par ēdamo, lai vilktu dzīvību;
redzi, Kungs, lūko – cik es tapusi lēta.
12 Ejošie ceļu, lūkojiet, skatiet,
vai ir vēl tādas sāpes kā man, kas apņem mani;
tā skumdina mani Kungs viņa dusmu kvēles dienā.
13 No augšienes viņš sūtīja uguni,
manus kaulus tā pārņem,
zem kājām pleš tīklu, rauj mani atpakaļ,
posta un vārdzina mani cauru dienu.
14 Savīts manu grēku jūgs, viņa rokām tie sapīti,
pār manu kaklu tie nāk, liek klupt manam spēkam,
to rokās nodevis mani Kungs, nevaru piecelties.
15 Visus spēcīgos saminis Kungs manā vidū,
sasauca svētkus pār mani, lai bradātu manus puišus,
jaunavai, Jūdas meitai, Kungs vīnspaidu mina.
16 Par to raudu es, acis, man acis asarām pārplūst,
tālu mierinātājs, kas veldzētu dvēseli,
mani bērni ir postā, jo naidnieks pārspēj.
17 Pleš Ciāna rokas – nav mierinātāja,
Kungs liek Jēkabu lenkt pretiniekiem,
un Jeruzāleme sārņaina viņiem!
18 Taisns ir Kungs – es pretojos viņam,
klausieties, tautas, redziet manas sāpes,
jaunavas manas un jaunekļi aizgāja gūstā.
19 Mīlošos saucu – tie pievīla,
priesteri mani un vecie – pilsētā mira,
barību meklējot, ko dzīvību vilkt.
20 Kungs, skaties – man grūti, rūgst manas iekšas,
sirds krūtīs žņaudzas, ka spītēt spītējos, –
ārā kauj zobens, mājā nāve.
21 Dzirdiet, kā vaidu, nav mierinātāja,
naidnieki dzirdēja manu nelaimi,
priekā par to, ko tu dari,
dod dienu, ko nosauci, – lai tiem ir kā man.
22 Lai nāk tavā priekšā viss viņu ļaunums, atdari tiem,
kā darīji man par maniem grēkiem,
papilnam es vaidu, sirds mana vārgst.
