1 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary! 2 She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies. 3 Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits. 4 The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness. 5 Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy. 6 And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer. 7 Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths. 8 Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward. 9 Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself . 10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation. 11 All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O LORD, and consider; for I am become vile.
12 ¶ Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. 13 From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day. 14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up. 15 The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress. 16 For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed. 17 Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
18 ¶ The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity. 19 I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls. 20 Behold, O LORD; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death. 21 They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me. 22 Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.
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.
