The People of Jerusalem Pray: O LORD, reflect on what has happened to us; consider and look at our disgrace.

Our inheritance is turned over to strangers; foreigners now occupy our homes.

We have become fatherless orphans; our mothers have become widows.

We must pay money for our own water; we must buy our own wood at a steep price.

We are pursued– they are breathing down our necks; we are weary and have no rest.

We have submitted to Egypt and Assyria in order to buy food to eat.

Our forefathers sinned and are dead, but we suffer their punishment.

Slaves rule over us; there is no one to rescue us from their power.

At the risk of our lives we get our food because robbers lurk in the wilderness.

Our skin is hot as an oven due to a fever from hunger.

They raped women in Zion, virgins in the towns of Judah.

Princes were hung by their hands; elders were mistreated.

The young men perform menial labor; boys stagger from their labor.

The elders are gone from the city gate; the young men have stopped playing their music.

Our hearts no longer have any joy; our dancing is turned to mourning.

The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned!

Because of this, our hearts are sick; because of these things, we can hardly see through our tears.

For wild animals are prowling over Mount Zion, which lies desolate.

But you, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation.

Why do you keep on forgetting us? Why do you forsake us so long?

Bring us back to yourself, O LORD, so that we may return to you; renew our life as in days before,

unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.