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!

1 Prologus. Et factum est, postquam in captivitatem redactus est Israël, et Jerusalem deserta est, sedit Jeremias propheta flens, et planxit lamentatione hac in Jerusalem: et amaro animo suspirans et ejulans, dixit: Aleph. Quomodo sedet sola
civitas plena populo!
Facta est quasi vidua
domina gentium;
princeps provinciarum
facta est sub tributo.

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.

2 Beth. Plorans ploravit in nocte,
et lacrimæ ejus in maxillis ejus:
non est qui consoletur eam
ex omnibus caris ejus;
omnes amici ejus spreverunt eam,
et facti sunt ei inimici.

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.

3 Ghimel. Migravit Judas propter afflictionem,
et multitudinem servitutis;
habitavit inter gentes,
nec invenit requiem:
omnes persecutores ejus apprehenderunt eam
inter angustias.

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.

4 Daleth. Viæ Sion lugent, eo quod non sint
qui veniant ad solemnitatem:
omnes portæ ejus destructæ,
sacerdotes ejus gementes;
virgines ejus squalidæ,
et ipsa oppressa amaritudine.

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.

5 He. Facti sunt hostes ejus in capite;
inimici ejus locupletati sunt:
quia Dominus locutus est super eam
propter multitudinem iniquitatum ejus.
Parvuli ejus ducti sunt in captivitatem
ante faciem tribulantis.

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.

6 Vau. Et egressus est a filia Sion
omnis decor ejus;
facti sunt principes ejus velut arietes
non invenientes pascua,
et abierunt absque fortitudine
ante faciem subsequentis.

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.

7 Zain. Recordata est Jerusalem dierum afflictionis suæ,
et prævaricationis,
omnium desiderabilium suorum,
quæ habuerat a diebus antiquis,
cum caderet populus ejus in manu hostili,
et non esset auxiliator:
viderunt eam hostes,
et deriserunt sabbata ejus.

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.

8 Heth. Peccatum peccavit Jerusalem,
propterea instabilis facta est;
omnes qui glorificabant eam spreverunt illam,
quia viderunt ignominiam ejus:
ipsa autem gemens
conversa est retrorsum.

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.

9 Teth. Sordes ejus in pedibus ejus,
nec recordata est finis sui;
deposita est vehementer,
non habens consolatorem.
Vide, Domine, afflictionem meam,
quoniam erectus est inimicus.

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.

10 Jod. Manum suam misit hostis
ad omnia desiderabilia ejus,
quia vidit gentes
ingressas sanctuarium suum,
de quibus præceperas
ne intrarent in ecclesiam tuam.

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.

11 Caph. Omnis populus ejus gemens,
et quærens panem;
dederunt pretiosa quæque pro cibo
ad refocillandam animam.
Vide, Domine, et considera
quoniam facta sum vilis!

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.

12 Lamed. O vos omnes qui transitis per viam,
attendite, et videte
si est dolor sicut dolor meus!
quoniam vindemiavit me,
ut locutus est Dominus,
in die iræ furoris sui.

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.

13 Mem. De excelso misit ignem in ossibus meis,
et erudivit me:
expandit rete pedibus meis,
convertit me retrorsum;
posuit me desolatam,
tota die mœrore confectam.

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.

14 Nun. Vigilavit jugum iniquitatum mearum;
in manu ejus convolutæ sunt,
et impositæ collo meo.
Infirmata est virtus mea:
dedit me Dominus in manu
de qua non potero surgere.

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.

15 Samech. Abstulit omnes magnificos meos Dominus
de medio mei;
vocavit adversum me tempus
ut contereret electos meos.
Torcular calcavit Dominus
virgini filiæ Juda.

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.

16 Ain. Idcirco ego plorans,
et oculus meus deducens aquas,
quia longe factus est a me consolator,
convertens animam meam.
Facti sunt filii mei perditi,
quoniam invaluit inimicus.

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.

17 Phe. Expandit Sion manus suas;
non est qui consoletur eam.
Mandavit Dominus adversum Jacob
in circuitu ejus hostes ejus;
facta est Jerusalem
quasi polluta menstruis inter eos.

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.

18 Sade. Justus est Dominus,
quia os ejus ad iracundiam provocavi.
Audite, obsecro, universi populi,
et videte dolorem meum:
virgines meæ et juvenes mei abierunt
in captivitatem.

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.

19 Coph. Vocavi amicos meos,
et ipsi deceperunt me;
sacerdotes mei et senes mei
in urbe consumpti sunt,
quia quæsierunt cibum sibi
ut refocillarent animam suam.

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.

20 Res. Vide, Domine, quoniam tribulor:
conturbatus est venter meus,
subversum est cor meum in memetipsa,
quoniam amaritudine plena sum.
Foris interfecit gladius,
et domi mors similis est.

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.

21 Sin. Audierunt quia ingemisco ego,
et non est qui consoletur me;
omnes inimici mei audierunt malum meum,
lætati sunt quoniam tu fecisti:
adduxisti diem consolationis,
et fient similes mei.

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.

22 Thau. Ingrediatur omne malum eorum coram te:
et vindemia eos, sicut vindemiasti me
propter omnes iniquitates meas:
multi enim gemitus mei,
et cor meum mœrens.