BET

¹ ALEPH How the city sits solitary, that was full of people! She has become as a widow, who was great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become a forced laborer!

GIMEL

² She weeps bitterly 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.

DALET

³ Judah has gone into exile because of affliction and harsh servitude; she dwells among the nations, she finds no rest: all her persecutors overtook her in the midst of her distress.

HEY

⁴ The roads to Zion mourn, because no one comes to the solemn assembly; all her gates are desolate, her priests groan: her virgins are afflicted, and she herself is in bitterness.

VAV

⁵ Her adversaries have become the head, her enemies prosper; for Jehovah has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her young children have gone into captivity before the adversary.

ZAYIN

⁶ All majesty has departed from the daughter of Zion: her leaders have become like deer that find no pasture, they fled exhausted before the pursuer.

HET

⁷ Jerusalem remembers in the days of her affliction and wandering all her precious things that were from the days of old: when her people fell into the hand of the adversary, and no one helped her. The adversaries saw her, they mocked at her desolations.

TET

⁸ Jerusalem has grievously sinned; therefore she has become as an unclean thing; all who honored her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yes, she groans, and turns away.

YOD

⁹ Her filthiness was in her skirts; she did not remember her latter end; therefore her fall was astonishing; she has no comforter. "Look, Jehovah, on my affliction, for the enemy has magnified himself."

KAPH

¹⁰ The adversary has spread out his hand on all her precious things: for she has seen that the nations have entered into her sanctuary, concerning whom you commanded that they should not enter into your assembly.

LAMED

¹¹ All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their precious things for food to refresh the soul. "Look, Jehovah, and see, for I am despised."

MEM

¹² Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look, and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which is brought on me, with which Jehovah has afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.

NUN

¹³ From on high he has sent fire into my bones, and it overcame them. He has spread a net for my feet, he has turned me back. He has made me desolate and faint all the day.

SAMEKH

¹⁴ My transgressions are bound into a yoke; by his hand they are fastened together, they are set upon my neck; he has made my strength to fail. The Lord has delivered me into their hands, against whom I am not able to stand.

AYIN

¹⁵ The Lord has rejected all my mighty men in my midst; he has called a solemn assembly against me to crush my young men. The Lord has trodden as in a winepress the virgin daughter of Judah.

PEY

¹⁶ For these things I weep; my eyes, my eyes flow with tears; because the comforter who should refresh my soul is far from me. My children are desolate, because the enemy has prevailed.

TZADE

¹⁷ Zion spreads forth her hands; there is none to comfort her. Jehovah has commanded concerning Jacob, that those who are around him should be his adversaries. Jerusalem is among them as an unclean thing.

QOPH

¹⁸ Jehovah is righteous, for I have rebelled against his commandment. Please listen all you people, and see my suffering. My virgins and my young men have gone into captivity.

RESH

¹⁹ I called for my lovers, but they deceived me. My priests and my elders perished in the city, while they searched for food to refresh their souls.

SHIN

²⁰ See, Jehovah, for I am in distress; my stomach churns; my heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled. Outside the sword bereaves, inside there is death.

TAV

²¹ They have heard that I groan; there is none to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that you have done it. Bring the day that you have proclaimed, so that they shall end up like me.

²² Let all their wickedness come before you. Do to them, as you have done to me for all my transgressions. For my groans are many, and my heart is faint.