² Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to foreigners.
³ We have become orphans without a father. Our mothers are widows.
⁴ We pay money to drink our own water. We must buy firewood for a price.
⁵ Our pursuers are at our throat. We are exhausted. We are given no rest.
⁶ We have made a deal with Egypt and Assyria to have enough bread.
⁷ Our fathers sinned. They are no more, and we have borne their guilt.
⁸ Slaves rule over us. No one rescues us from their hand.
⁹ We get bread at the risk of our life because of the sword in the wilderness.
¹⁰ Our skin is as hot as an oven because of fever from hunger.
¹¹ Women in Zion have been violated, virgins in the cities of Judah.
¹² Officials have been hung up by their hands. The dignity of elders has not been respected.
¹³ The best young men must grind grain, and boys stumble under loads of wood. ^[2]
14 Elders are no longer seated in the city gate. The best young men no longer play music.
¹⁵ The joy of our hearts has ceased. Our dancing has turned into mourning.
¹⁶ The crown has fallen off our head. Woe to us, because we have sinned!
¹⁷ Our heart is sick over this. Over these things our eyes have grown dim—
¹⁸ over Mount Zion, which is devastated, so that jackals prowl on it.
¹⁹ You, Lord, remain forever. Your throne remains for generation after generation.
²⁰ Why do you forget us completely? Why do you abandon us for so long?
²¹ Lord, turn us back to you, and we will return. Renew our days like long ago,
²² unless you have completely rejected us and you will be angry at us without limit. ^[3]