How can it be that she sits in isolation the city teeming with people has become like a widow? Immense among nations, noble among provinces—she has become a payer of tribute.

How does the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become like a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become a vassal!

How solitary does she sit, the city [formerly] rich in people. She has become like a widow. The great among the nations, the princess of the provinces, has become tributary.

She weeps bitterly in the night, her tear on her cheek. No one consoles her, among all her lovers. All of her friends have betrayed her, they have become her enemies.

She weeps sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she has none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they have become her enemies.

She weeps, she weeps [(two "weepings" for two Temples)] at night [(the Temple having been destroyed at night)], and her tears are on her cheeks [(with constant weeping)]. She has no consolers of all her lovers. All her lovers have betrayed her; they have become foes to her.

Yehudah was exiled because of torment and excessive toil. [Even] when she dwelt among the nations, she found no rest. All her pursuers overtook her between the barriers.

Yehuda is gone into exile because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwells among the nations, she finds no rest: all her persecutors overtook her within the straits.

Judah has gone into exile from affliction and from much servitude [(of the Kasdim.)] She sat among the nations, (but) found no rest. All of her pursuers overtook her between the straits.

The roads of Tzion grieve, for lack of festival visitors. All her gateways are in ruins, her Kohanim groan, her maidens grieve; and she is embittered.

The ways of Żiyyon do mourn, because none come to the solemn assembly: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.

The ways of Zion mourn, without the festival-pilgrims. All of her gates are desolate; her priests sigh; her virgins are afflicted; and she is bitter unto herself.

Her oppressors have become elevated, her enemies are at ease. For Adonoy has brought her grief for her excessive iniquity. Her young were taken captive before the oppressors.

Her adversaries have become the chief, her enemies prosper; for the Lord has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her infants are gone into captivity before the enemy.

Her adversaries have become the heads; her foes have prospered. For the L-rd has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions. Her young children are gone captive before the enemy.

Gone from the city of Tzion, is all her splendor her nobles have become like harts who could find no pasture, plodding powerlessly before the pursuer.

And from the daughter of Żiyyon all her splendour is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.

And there went forth from the daughter of Zion all of her splendor. Her princes have become like harts not finding pasture, and they have gone without strength before the pursuer.

Yerusholayim, remembered the days of her [ruin] [which brought her] poverty and lamenting; [and] all her treasures she had in early times. When her people fell into the hands of the oppressors and no one came to her aid, her enemies watched her, laughing derisively when she was curbed (from celebrating her holidays).

Yerushalayim remembers 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 gloated at her destruction.

Jerusalem [(i.e., the daughter of Zion in her exile)] remembered the days of [her destruction which led to] her affliction and her grieving. [She remembered] all of her precious things which she enjoyed in days of yore. When her people fell into the hand of the oppressor, with none to help her, oppressors beheld her and rejoiced at her cessations [(the cessations of her joyous festivals, New Moons, and Sabbaths)].

Jerusalem has grievously sinned, and, therefore, has become a wanderer. All those who glorified her scorn her, for they have seen her degradation. She, too, is sorrowful, and has turned backward, (humiliated and ashamed).

Yerushalayim has grievously sinned; therefore she is become loathsome: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: she herself also sighs, and turns backward.

A sin has Jerusalem sinned; she has, therefore, been made an exile. All who honored her cheapened her, for they saw her shame; she herself sighed and recoiled.

Her defilement is at her hem, she was not mindful of her end—so she plummeted astonishingly, with no one to console her. Adonoy look at my suffering, for the enemy has gone to excess.

Her filthiness was in her skirts; she took no thought of her last end; therefore she came down astonishingly: she has no comforter. O Lord, behold my affliction: for the enemy has magnified himself.

Her blood was on her skirts [i.e., she sinned openly]. She did not bethink herself of her latter end, wherefore she has fallen awesomely, with none to console her. See, O L-rd, my affliction, for the foe has grown bold.

The oppressor extended his hand over all her treasures, as she witnessed peoples entering her Sanctuary concerning whom You commanded, “Let them not enter your community.”

The adversary has spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she has seen that heathen nations invade her sanctuary, those whom Thou didst forbid to enter into Thy congregation.

The foe [(Ammon and Moav)] has stretched out his hand against all her precious things [(Torah scrolls)]. For she has seen nations entering her sanctuary, concerning whom You commanded [viz. Deuteronomy 23:4]: They may not enter the congregation [(of Israel)] unto you.

All her people are groaning, searching for bread. They have given away their treasures for food to keep their souls intact. Look, Adonoy, and take notice how I have become degraded.

All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for food to relieve the soul: see, O Lord, and consider; how abject I am become.

All her people sigh, seeking bread. They have given their precious things for food to restore their souls. See, O L-rd, and look upon it, how I have been cheapened.

May this not happen to you, all who stray from the path. Notice, see if there is such agony like my agony, that has been visited upon me when Adonoy brought me to grief on the day He vented His wrath.

Is it nothing to you, all you that pass by? behold, and see if there is any pain like my pain, which is done to me, with which the Lord has afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.

May [such woe] nevermore [be inflicted upon] all who transgress the way [i.e., the ordinance of the L-rd]! Look and see if there is a pain like my pain that has been wrought unto me, which the L-rd inflicted (upon me) in the day of His wrath.

From a lofty place He hurled fire into my bones, crushing it. He spread a net for my feet, thrust me back, placed me in ruins, [so that I] suffer throughout the day.

From above he has sent fire into my bones, and it prevails against them: he has spread a net for my feet, he has turned me back: he has made me desolate and faint all the day.

From the heights He sent fire against my bones, and He has overmastered [(and broken them)]. He has spread a net for my feet. He has set me back. He has made me desolate, faint all the day.

The yoke of my iniquities is recorded in His hand. They have become interwoven, and have encumbered my neck. He has caused my strength to fail. God has placed me in the hands of those whom I cannot withstand.

The yoke of my transgressions is fastened on by his hand: they are knit together, and come up upon my neck: he has made my strength to fall, the Lord has delivered me into the hands of those against whom I am not able to rise up.

The yoke of my offenses has become spotted in His hand [i.e., each of them has become an indelible spot before Him]. They have intermixed and come up upon my neck. My strength has failed. The L-rd has delivered me into the hands of [one against whom] I cannot rise.

God has trampled all my stalwarts in my midst, He has proclaimed a gathering against me to crush my young men. [As with] a wine press, God has trodden the maidens of the province of Yehudah.

The Lord has spurned all my mighty men in the midst of me: he has called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord has trodden the virgin, the daughter of Yehuda, as in a winepress.

The L-rd has trodden down all my mighty ones in my midst. He has called out a host against me to break my young men. As a winepress did the L-rd tread the virgin daughter of Judah.

For these I weep, my eyes [lit. my eye, my eye] gush water, for remote from me is a consoler who can calm my soul. My sons are devastated, for the enemy has conquered.

For these things I weep; my eye, my eye runs down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy has prevailed.

Over these I weep. My eye, my eye, [endlessly] sheds water; for consolation is far from me, the restorer of my soul. My children are become desolate, for the foe has grown strong.

Tzion spreads her arms, there is no one to console her. Adonoy has commanded, concerning Yaakov, that his oppressors surround him. Jerusalem has become despicable among them.

Żiyyon spreads out her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord has commanded against Ya῾aqov, adversaries round about him: Yerushalayim is like a menstruous woman among them.

Zion has spread out her hands [(in agony)]; there is none to console her. The L-rd has commanded against Jacob his foes roundabout him. [(Even when they were exiled to Bavel and Ashur, Sancherev exiled their foes, Ammon and Moav, and settled them around them to harass them.)] Jerusalem has become an outcast among them.

Adonoy is just, for it is I who rejected His word. Listen here, all you nations, look at my torment; my maidens and my young men have gone into captivity.

The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against his word: hear, I pray you, all the peoples, and behold my pain: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.

Righteous is the L-rd, for I have rebelled against His word. Hear, I pray you, all the peoples, and see my pain. My virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.

I cried out to those who appeared to love me, but they deceived me. My kohanim and elders expired in the city while they searched for food for themselves, to sustain their souls.

I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and my elders perished in the city, while they sought food for themselves to relieve their souls.

I called [(those who appeared to be)] my lovers; they deceived me. My priests and my elders perished in the city while seeking bread for themselves wherewith to restore their souls.

Adonoy, see how oppressed I am? My gut has shriveled, my heart is twisting inside me, because of my rebelliousness. Outside, the sword brings bereavement, within, it is like death.

Behold, O Lord; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; my heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaves, at home it is like death.

See, O L-rd, that I am afflicted; my innards are shriveled. My heart is overturned in my midst, for I have deeply rebelled. Outside, the sword bereaved; inside [it was] like death.

They have heard how I groan, and no one consoles me; all my enemies have heard of my calamity, and rejoiced, for it is Your doing. Bring the day that You proclaimed, and let them resemble me.

They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all my 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 me.

They have heard how I sigh, but none console me. All of my foes have heard of my evil. They have rejoiced, for You have wrought (it) [i.e., You have caused them to hate me by forbidding me to intermingle with them]. Would that you brought [upon them] the day [(of destruction)] that You called out [upon me], that they be as I.

Let all their evil come before You, and do, to them, what You have done to me for all my iniquity, for I groan much, and my heart aches.

Let all their wickedness come before Thee; and do to them, as Thou hast done to me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.

Let all their evil come [(in remembrance)] before You, and do to them as You have done to me for all of my offenses; for my sighs are many and my heart is faint.