A Prayer for Mercy
1 Remember, O Lord, what has happened to us.
Look at us, and see our disgrace.
2 Our property is in the hands of strangers;
foreigners are living in our homes.
3 Our fathers have been killed by the enemy,
and now our mothers are widows.
4 We must pay for the water we drink;
we must buy the wood we need for fuel.
5 Driven hard like donkeys or camels,
we are tired, but are allowed no rest.
6 To get food enough to stay alive,
we went begging to Egypt and Assyria.
7 Our ancestors sinned, but now they are gone,
and we are suffering for their sins.
8 Our rulers are no better than slaves,
and no one can save us from their power.
9 Murderers roam through the countryside;
we risk our lives when we look for food.
10 Hunger has made us burn with fever
until our skin is as hot as an oven.
11 Our wives have been raped on Mount Zion itself;
in every Judean village our daughters have been forced to submit.
12 Our leaders have been taken and hanged;
our elders are shown no respect.
13 Our young men are forced to grind grain like slaves;
boys go staggering under heavy loads of wood.
14 The old people no longer sit at the city gate,
and the young people no longer make music.
15 Happiness has gone out of our lives;
grief has taken the place of our dances.
16 Nothing is left of all we were proud of.
We sinned, and now we are doomed.
17 We are sick at our very hearts
and can hardly see through our tears,
18 because Mount Zion lies lonely and deserted,
and wild jackals prowl through its ruins.
19 But you, O Lord, are king forever
and will rule to the end of time.
20 Why have you abandoned us so long?
Will you ever remember us again?
21 Bring us back to you, Lord! Bring us back!
Restore our ancient glory.
22 Or have you rejected us forever?
Is there no limit to your anger?
1 Piemini, Kungs, kas mums noticis, skaties un uzlūko mūsu negodu! 2 Mūsu mantojuma tiesa kritusi svešiniekiem, mūsu nami - ārzemniekiem. 3 Mēs esam kļuvuši bāriņi bez tēva, mūsu mātes ir kā atraitnes. 4 Savu ūdeni mēs dzeram par naudu, savu malku saņemam par maksu. 5 Mūs izdzen kā suņus, mēs esam noguruši, un nav mums miera. 6 Mēs pakļāvāmies Ēģiptei un Asīrijai, lai dabūtu paēst maizes. 7 Mūsu tēvi ir grēkojuši, viņu vairs nav, bet mēs nesam viņu noziegumus. 8 Kalpi valda pār mums, nav neviena, kas mūs atsvabinātu no viņu rokas. 9 Sava maize mums jāsagādā bailēs par mūsu dzīvību no zobena tuksnesī. 10 Mūsu āda ir apdegusi melna bada šausmās kā krāsnī. 11 Sievas Ciānā ir apsmietas un jaunavas Jūdas pilsētās. 12 Dižciltīgos tie ir pakāruši, vecaju vaigs nav turēts cieņā. 13 Jaunekļiem bija jānes dzirnavu akmeņi, zēniem jāklūp zem malkas nastām. 14 Vecie nesēd vairs vārtos, un jaunie vairs nedzied. 15 Mūsu sirds līksmība ir zudusi, mūsu rotaļas pārvērtušās par vaimanām. 16 Mūsu vainags mums nokritis no galvas: bēdas mums, ka esam grēkojuši! 17 Tādēļ mūsu sirds ir gurdena un mūsu acis kļuvušas tumšas, 18 Ciānas kalna dēļ, tas nopostīts un lapsas skraida pa to. 19 Bet Tu, Kungs, valdi mūžīgi, Tavs tronis paliek uz radu radiem! 20 Kādēļ Tu gribi mūs aizmirst pavisam, mūs atstāt tik ilgi? 21 Atgriez mūs, Kungs, pie Sevis, un mēs atgriezīsimies! Atjauno mūsu dienas kā vecos laikos! 22 Vai tad Tu mūs esi pavisam atmetis, vai Tavas dusmas tik bargas?
