1 How hath the Lord{H136} covered{H5743} the daughter{H1323} of Zion{H6726} with a cloud{H5743}{(H8686)} in his anger{H639}, and cast down{H7993}{(H8689)} from heaven{H8064} unto the earth{H776} the beauty{H8597} of Israel{H3478}, and remembered{H2142}{(H8804)} not his footstool{H1916}{H7272} in the day{H3117} of his anger{H639}!

2 The Lord{H136} hath swallowed up{H1104}{(H8765)} all the habitations{H4999} of Jacob{H3290}, and hath not pitied{H2550}{(H8804)}: he hath thrown down{H2040}{(H8804)} in his wrath{H5678} the strong holds{H4013} of the daughter{H1323} of Judah{H3063}; he hath brought them down{H5060}{(H8689)} to the ground{H776}: he hath polluted{H2490}{(H8765)} the kingdom{H4467} and the princes{H8269} thereof.

3 He hath cut off{H1438}{(H8804)} in his fierce{H2750} anger{H639} all the horn{H7161} of Israel{H3478}: he hath drawn{H7725}{(H8689)} back{H268} his right hand{H3225} from before{H6440} the enemy{H341}{(H8802)}, and he burned{H1197}{(H8799)} against Jacob{H3290} like a flaming{H3852} fire{H784}, which devoureth{H398}{(H8804)} round about{H5439}.

4 He hath bent{H1869}{(H8804)} his bow{H7198} like an enemy{H341}{(H8802)}: he stood{H5324}{(H8737)} with his right hand{H3225} as an adversary{H6862}, and slew{H2026}{(H8799)} all that were pleasant{H4261} to the eye{H5869} in the tabernacle{H168} of the daughter{H1323} of Zion{H6726}: he poured out{H8210}{(H8804)} his fury{H2534} like fire{H784}.

5 The Lord{H136} was as an enemy{H341}{(H8802)}: he hath swallowed up{H1104}{(H8765)} Israel{H3478}, he hath swallowed up{H1104}{(H8765)} all her palaces{H759}: he hath destroyed{H7843}{(H8765)} his strong holds{H4013}, and hath increased{H7235}{(H8686)} in the daughter{H1323} of Judah{H3063} mourning{H8386} and lamentation{H592}.

6 And he hath violently taken away{H2554}{(H8799)} his tabernacle{H7900}, as if it were of a garden{H1588}: he hath destroyed{H7843}{(H8765)} his places of the assembly{H4150}: the LORD{H3068} hath caused the solemn feasts{H4150} and sabbaths{H7676} to be forgotten{H7911}{(H8765)} in Zion{H6726}, and hath despised{H5006}{(H8799)} in the indignation{H2195} of his anger{H639} the king{H4428} and the priest{H3548}.

7 The Lord{H136} hath cast off{H2186}{(H8804)} his altar{H4196}, he hath abhorred{H5010}{(H8765)} his sanctuary{H4720}, he hath given up{H5462}{(H8689)} into the hand{H3027} of the enemy{H341}{(H8802)} the walls{H2346} of her palaces{H759}; they have made{H5414}{(H8804)} a noise{H6963} in the house{H1004} of the LORD{H3068}, as in the day{H3117} of a solemn feast{H4150}.

8 The LORD{H3068} hath purposed{H2803}{(H8804)} to destroy{H7843}{(H8687)} the wall{H2346} of the daughter{H1323} of Zion{H6726}: he hath stretched out{H5186}{(H8804)} a line{H6957}, he hath not withdrawn{H7725}{(H8689)} his hand{H3027} from destroying{H1104}{(H8763)}: therefore he made the rampart{H2426} and the wall{H2346} to lament{H56}{(H8686)}; they languished{H535}{(H8797)} together{H3162}.

9 Her gates{H8179} are sunk{H2883}{(H8804)} into the ground{H776}; he hath destroyed{H6}{(H8765)} and broken{H7665}{(H8765)} her bars{H1280}: her king{H4428} and her princes{H8269} are among the Gentiles{H1471}: the law{H8451} is no more; her prophets{H5030} also find{H4672}{(H8804)} no vision{H2377} from the LORD{H3068}.

10 The elders{H2205} of the daughter{H1323} of Zion{H6726} sit{H3427}{(H8799)} upon the ground{H776}, and keep silence{H1826}{(H8799)}: they have cast up{H5927}{(H8689)} dust{H6083} upon their heads{H7218}; they have girded{H2296}{(H8804)} themselves with sackcloth{H8242}: the virgins{H1330} of Jerusalem{H3389} hang down{H3381}{(H8689)} their heads{H7218} to the ground{H776}.

11 Mine eyes{H5869} do fail{H3615}{(H8804)} with tears{H1832}, my bowels{H4578} are troubled{H2560}{(H8777)}, my liver{H3516} is poured{H8210}{(H8738)} upon the earth{H776}, for the destruction{H7667} of the daughter{H1323} of my people{H5971}; because the children{H5768} and the sucklings{H3243}{(H8802)} swoon{H5848}{(H8736)} in the streets{H7339} of the city{H7151}.

12 They say{H559}{(H8799)} to their mothers{H517}, Where is corn{H1715} and wine{H3196}? when they swooned{H5848}{(H8692)} as the wounded{H2491} in the streets{H7339} of the city{H5892}, when their soul{H5315} was poured out{H8210}{(H8692)} into their mothers{H517}' bosom{H2436}.

13 What thing shall I take to witness{H5749}{(H8686)}{(H8675)}{H5749}{(H8799)} for thee? what thing{H4100} shall I liken{H1819}{(H8762)} to thee, O daughter{H1323} of Jerusalem{H3389}? what shall I equal{H7737}{(H8686)} to thee, that I may comfort{H5162}{(H8762)} thee, O virgin{H1330} daughter{H1323} of Zion{H6726}? for thy breach{H7667} is great{H1419} like the sea{H3220}: who can heal{H7495}{(H8799)} thee?

14 Thy prophets{H5030} have seen{H2372}{(H8804)} vain{H7723} and foolish things{H8602} for thee: and they have not discovered{H1540}{(H8765)} thine iniquity{H5771}, to turn away{H7725}{(H8687)} thy captivity{H7622}{(H8675)}{H7622}; but have seen{H2372}{(H8799)} for thee false{H7723} burdens{H4864} and causes of banishment{H4065}.

15 All that pass{H5674}{(H8802)} by clap{H5606}{(H8804)} their hands{H3709} at thee{H1870}; they hiss{H8319}{(H8804)} and wag{H5128}{(H8686)} their head{H7218} at the daughter{H1323} of Jerusalem{H3389}, saying, Is this the city{H5892} that men call{H559}{(H8799)} The perfection{H3632} of beauty{H3308}, The joy{H4885} of the whole earth{H776}?

16 All thine enemies{H341}{(H8802)} have opened{H6475}{(H8804)} their mouth{H6310} against thee: they hiss{H8319}{(H8804)} and gnash{H2786}{(H8799)} the teeth{H8127}: they say{H559}{(H8804)}, We have swallowed her up{H1104}{(H8765)}: certainly{H389} this is the day{H3117} that we looked for{H6960}{(H8765)}; we have found{H4672}{(H8804)}, we have seen{H7200}{(H8804)} it.

17 The LORD{H3068} hath done{H6213}{(H8804)} that which he had devised{H2161}{(H8804)}; he hath fulfilled{H1214}{(H8765)} his word{H565} that he had commanded{H6680}{(H8765)} in the days{H3117} of old{H6924}: he hath thrown down{H2040}{(H8804)}, and hath not pitied{H2550}{(H8804)}: and he hath caused thine enemy{H341}{(H8802)} to rejoice{H8055}{(H8762)} over thee, he hath set up{H7311}{(H8689)} the horn{H7161} of thine adversaries{H6862}.

18 Their heart{H3820} cried{H6817}{(H8804)} unto the Lord{H136}, O wall{H2346} of the daughter{H1323} of Zion{H6726}, let tears{H1832} run down{H3381}{(H8685)} like a river{H5158} day{H3119} and night{H3915}: give{H5414}{(H8799)} thyself no rest{H6314}; let not the apple{H1323} of thine eye{H5869} cease{H1826}{(H8799)}.

19 Arise{H6965}{(H8798)}, cry out{H7442}{(H8798)} in the night{H3915}: in the beginning{H7218} of the watches{H821} pour out{H8210}{(H8798)} thine heart{H3820} like water{H4325} before{H5227} the face{H6440} of the Lord{H136}: lift up{H5375}{(H8798)} thy hands{H3709} toward him for the life{H5315} of thy young children{H5768}, that faint{H5848}{(H8803)} for hunger{H7458} in the top{H7218} of every street{H2351}.

20 Behold{H7200}{(H8798)}, O LORD{H3068}, and consider{H5027}{(H8685)} to whom thou hast done{H5953}{(H8782)} this{H3541}. Shall the women{H802} eat{H398}{(H8799)} their fruit{H6529}, and children{H5768} of a span long{H2949}? shall the priest{H3548} and the prophet{H5030} be slain{H2026}{(H8735)} in the sanctuary{H4720} of the Lord{H136}?

21 The young{H5288} and the old{H2205} lie{H7901}{(H8804)} on the ground{H776} in the streets{H2351}: my virgins{H1330} and my young men{H970} are fallen{H5307}{(H8804)} by the sword{H2719}; thou hast slain{H2026}{(H8804)} them in the day{H3117} of thine anger{H639}; thou hast killed{H2873}{(H8804)}, and not pitied{H2550}{(H8804)}.

22 Thou hast called{H7121}{(H8799)} as in a solemn{H4150} day{H3117} my terrors{H4032} round about{H5439}, so that in the day{H3117} of the LORD'S{H3068} anger{H639} none escaped{H6412} nor remained{H8300}: those that I have swaddled{H2946}{(H8765)} and brought up{H7235}{(H8765)} hath mine enemy{H341}{(H8802)} consumed{H3615}{(H8765)}.