Lamentations 1 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Deserted City

1 How lonely sits the city
that once was full of people!
How like a widow she has become,
she that was great among the nations!
She that was a princess among the provinces
has become subject to forced labor.(A)

2 She weeps bitterly in the night,
with tears on her cheeks;
among all her lovers,
she has no one to comfort her;
all her friends have dealt treacherously with her;
they have become her enemies.(B)

3 Judah has gone into exile with suffering
and hard servitude;
she lives now among the nations;
she finds no resting place;
her pursuers have all overtaken her
in the midst of her distress.(C)

4 The roads to Zion mourn,
for no one comes to the festivals;
all her gates are desolate;
her priests groan;
her young girls grieve,[a]
and her lot is bitter.(D)

5 Her foes have become the masters;
her enemies prosper
because the Lord has made her suffer
for the multitude of her transgressions;
her children have gone away,
captives before the foe.(E)

6 From daughter Zion has departed
all her majesty.
Her princes have become like stags
that find no pasture;
they fled without strength
before the pursuer.(F)

7 Jerusalem remembers[b] all the precious things
that were hers in days of old.
When her people fell into the hand of the enemy
and there was no one to help her,
the enemy looked on;
they mocked over her downfall.(G)

8 Jerusalem sinned grievously,
so she has become a filthy thing;
all who honored her despise her,
for they have seen her nakedness;
she herself groans
and turns her face away.(H)

9 Her uncleanness was in her skirts;
she took no thought of her future;
her downfall was appalling,
with none to comfort her.
Look, O Lord, at my affliction,
for the enemy has triumphed!(I)

10 Enemies have stretched out their hands
over all her precious things;
she has even seen the nations
invade her sanctuary,
those whom you forbade
to enter your congregation.(J)

11 All her people groan
as they search for bread;
they trade their treasures for food
to revive their lives.
Look, O Lord, and see
how worthless I have become.(K)

12 Is it nothing to you,[c] all you who pass by?
Look and see
if there is any sorrow like my sorrow,
which was brought upon me,
which the Lord inflicted
on the day of his fierce anger.(L)

13 From on high he sent fire;
it went deep into my bones;
he spread a net for my feet;
he turned me back;
he has left me stunned,
faint all day long.(M)

14 My transgressions were bound[d] into a yoke;
by his hand they were fastened together;
they weigh on my neck,
sapping my strength;
the Lord handed me over
to those whom I cannot withstand.(N)

15 The Lord has rejected
all my warriors in the midst of me;
he proclaimed a time against me
to crush my young men;
the Lord has trodden as in a winepress
the virgin daughter Judah.(O)

16 For these things I weep;
my eyes[e] flow with tears;
for a comforter is far from me,
one to revive my courage;
my children are desolate,
for the enemy has prevailed.(P)

17 Zion stretches out her hands,
but there is no one to comfort her;
the Lord has commanded against Jacob
that his neighbors should become his foes;
Jerusalem has become
a filthy thing among them.(Q)

18 The Lord is in the right,
for I have rebelled against his word;
but hear, all you peoples,
and behold my suffering;
my young women and young men
have gone into captivity.(R)

19 I called to my lovers,
but they deceived me;
my priests and elders
perished in the city
while seeking food
to revive their lives.(S)

20 Look, O Lord, at how distressed I am;
my stomach churns;
my heart is wrung within me
because I have been very rebellious.
In the street the sword bereaves;
in the house it is like death.(T)

21 They heard how I was groaning,
with no one to comfort me.
All my enemies heard of my trouble;
they are glad that you have done it.
Bring on the day that you have announced,
and let them be as I am.(U)

22 Let all their evildoing come before you,
and deal with them
as you have dealt with me
because of all my transgressions;
for my groans are many,
and my heart is faint.(V)

Footnotes

  1. 1.4Meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. 1.7Q ms: MT adds in the days of her affliction and wandering
  3. 1.12Meaning of Heb uncertain
  4. 1.14Meaning of Heb uncertain
  5. 1.16Heb my eye, my eye

Cross references

  1. 1.1 : Ezra 4.20; Isa 3.26; 54.4; Jer 40.9
  2. 1.2 : Ps 6.6; Jer 2.25; 4.30
  3. 1.3 : Deut 28.64, 65; 2 Kings 25.4, 5; Jer 13.19
  4. 1.4 : Jer 9.11; 10.22; Joel 1.8–13
  5. 1.5 : Deut 28.43, 44; Jer 30.14, 15; 39.9; 52.28
  6. 1.6 : 2 Kings 25.4, 5; Jer 13.18
  7. 1.7 : Ps 42.4; Isa 5.1–4; Jer 37.7; 48.27; Lam 4.17
  8. 1.8 : vv 4, 5, 11, 17, 20, 21, 22; 1 Kings 8.46; Jer 13.22, 26
  9. 1.9 : Deut 32.29; Isa 47.7; Jer 13.17, 18; 16.7; Ezek 24.13
  10. 1.10 : Deut 23.3; Isa 64.10, 11; Jer 51.51
  11. 1.11 : 1 Sam 30.12; Jer 38.9; 52.6
  12. 1.12 : v 18; Jer 4.8; 18.16; 30.23, 24; 48.27
  13. 1.13 : Job 19.6; 30.30; Jer 44.6; Hab 3.16
  14. 1.14 : Deut 28.48; Isa 47.6; Jer 28.13, 14; 32.3, 5; Ezek 25.4, 7
  15. 1.15 : Isa 28.18; 41.2; Jer 13.24; 18.21; Mic 7.10; Rev 14.19
  16. 1.16 : vv 2, 9; Jer 13.17; 14.17; Lam 2.18
  17. 1.17 : v 8; 2 Kings 24.2–4; Jer 4.31
  18. 1.18 : v 12; Deut 28.32, 41; 1 Sam 12.14; Jer 12.1
  19. 1.19 : Jer 14.15; 30.14; Lam 2.20
  20. 1.20 : Deut 32.25; Isa 16.11; Jer 4.19; Lam 2.11; Ezek 7.15
  21. 1.21 : Isa 14.5, 6; Jer 30.16; Lam 2.15
  22. 1.22 : Neh 4.4, 5; Ps 137.7, 8

You Might Also Like:

Lamentations 1 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 How hath she sat alone, The city abounding with people! She hath been as a widow, The mighty among nations! Princes among provinces, She hath become tributary! 2 She weepeth sore in the night, And her tear [is] on her cheeks, There is no comforter for her out of all her lovers, All her friends dea...
Read More

Lamentations 1 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

1 How sitteth alone the city (that once was so) full of people? the lady of folks is made as a widow; the princess of provinces is made under tribute. (How the city now sitteth alone, or empty, that once was so full of people! the lady of nations is made like a widow; the princess of provinces is pu...
Read More

Lamentations 1 - World English Bible (WEB)

1 How the city sits solitary, that was full of people!She has become as a widow, who was great among the nations!She who was a princess among the provinces has become a slave! 2 She weeps bitterly in the night. Her tears are on her cheeks.Among all her lovers she has no one to comfort her.All her fr...
Read More

Lamentations 1 - The Voice (VOICE)

1 [a] Aaghh! Lonely is this city that once bustled with life;Cheer is empty; like a widow, she is abandoned and oh, so lonely.She who was a princess, great among the nations, has lost everything and been forced to serve as a slave. 2 Bawling, she weeps without constraint every night, cries herself t...
Read More

Lamentations 1 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Song of Jerusalem’s Groaning1 How lonely sits the city, once so full of people! She who was once great among the nations has become like a widow. The princess among the provinces has become a forced laborer.2 Bitterly she weeps in the night, her tears are on her cheeks. Among all her lovers, there i...
Read More

Lamentations 1 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Deserted City1 How lonely sits the citythat was full of people!How like a widow has she become, she that was great among the nations!She that was a princess among the cities has become a vassal. 2 She weeps bitterly in the night, tears on her cheeks;among all her lovers she has none to comfort h...
Read More

Lamentations 1 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Deserted City1 How lonely sits the city that once was full of people!How like a widow she has become, she that was great among the nations!She that was a princess among the provinces has become a vassal. 2 She weeps bitterly in the night, with tears on her cheeks;among all her lovers she has no ...
Read More

Lamentations 1 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Deserted City1 How lonely sits the city that once was full of people!How like a widow she has become, she that was great among the nations!She that was a princess among the provinces has become subject to forced labor.(A)2 She weeps bitterly in the night, with tears on her cheeks;among all her l...
Read More

Lamentations 1 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Sorrow in Jerusalem1 Jerusalem, once so full of people, is now deserted.She who was once great among the nations now sits alone like a widow.Once the queen of all the earth, she is now a slave. 2 She sobs through the night; tears stream down her cheeks.Among all her lovers, there is no one left to c...
Read More

Lamentations 1 - New Life Version (NLV)

Jerusalem’s Sorrows1 How empty is the city that was once full of people! She was once great among the nations. But now she has become like a woman whose husband has died. She who was once a queen among the cities has become a servant made to work. 2 She cries hard in the night, with tears on her fa...
Read More

Lamentations 1 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Jerusalem in Affliction1 How lonely sits the cityThat was full of people!(A)How like a widow is she,Who was great among the nations!The (B)princess among the provincesHas become a [a]slave! 2 She (C)weeps bitterly in the (D)night,Her tears are on her cheeks;Among all her loversShe has none to comfor...
Read More

Lamentations 1 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

1 [a]How deserted lies the city, once so full of people!How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations!She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave. 2 Bitterly she weeps at night, tears are on her cheeks.Among all her lovers there is no one to comfort her.All her frien...
Read More

Lamentations 1 - New International Version (NIV)

1 [a]How deserted(A) lies the city, once so full of people!(B)How like a widow(C) is she, who once was great(D) among the nations!She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave.(E) 2 Bitterly she weeps(F) at night, tears are on her cheeks.Among all her lovers(G) there is no one to comf...
Read More

Lamentations 1 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

1 The city of Jerusalem is so empty! She used to be full of people.But now she’s like a woman whose husband has died. She used to be great among the nations.She was like a queen among the kingdoms. But now she is a slave. 2 Jerusalem weeps bitterly at night. Tears run down her cheeks. None of her fr...
Read More

Lamentations 1 - New Century Version (NCV)

Jerusalem Cries over Her Loss1 Jerusalem once was full of people, but now the city is empty.Jerusalem once was a great city among the nations, but now she[a] is like a widow.She was like a queen of all the other cities, but now she is a slave. 2 She cries loudly at night, and tears are on her cheeks...
Read More