Lamentations:1

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* How alone sits the city [that was ] full of people ! She has become like a widow , [once ] great among the nations , a noblewoman among the nations , [but now ] has become a tribute-payer . * She bitterly weeps 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 deceitfully with her ; they became her enemies . * Judah went into captivity because of affliction , and from great slavery . She dwells among the nations ; she finds no rest ; all her pursuers have overtaken her between the narrows . * The roads of Zion mourn without [any ] going to the appointed feasts . All her gates are deserted ; her priests sigh ; her virgins are afflicted , and she [is ] in bitterness . * Her enemies have become as chief ; her haters are at ease ; for the LORD has afflicted her for the multitude of her sins . Her children have gone , captive before the enemy . * And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty has departed . Her rulers have become like bucks : they find no pasture , and they have gone without strength before the pursuer . * [In the ] days of her affliction and her wandering Jerusalem remembered all her desirable things from previous days ; when her people fell into the hand of the foe ; and there is no ally for her . The foes saw her ; they laughed at her annihilation . * Jerusalem has grievously sinned , therefore she has been removed . All knowing her despise her because they saw her nakedness ; yea , she sighs and turns backward . * Her uncleanness [is ] in her skirts ; she did not remember her end , and has gone down astoundingly . There is no comforter for her . O LORD , behold my affliction , for the enemy has magnified [himself ]. * The enemy has spread out his hand upon all her desirable things ; for she has seen the nations enter her holy place , whom You commanded that they should not enter into Your congregation . * All her people sigh ; they seek bread . They have given their desirable things for food to relieve the soul . See , O LORD , and look on [me ], for I have become vile . * [Is it ] nothing to you , all you who pass by ? Behold and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow which is done to me , with which the LORD has afflicted [me ] in the day of His fierce anger . * From above He has sent fire into my bones and it has laid them low . He has spread a net for my feet ; He has turned me back ; He has made me amazed [and ] faint all the day . * The yoke of my transgressions is bound by His hand ; they intertwine ; they rise on my neck . He has made my strength to falter ; the LORD has delivered me into [their ] hands . I am not able to rise up . * The LORD has trampled all my mighty ones in my midst ; He has called a gathering against me to crush my young men . The LORD has trod the virgin daughter of Judah , [as ] in a winepress . * For these I weep ; my eye , my eye runs down [with ] water , because the comforter who could refresh my soul is far from me . My sons are desolated because the enemy prevails . * Zion spreads forth her hands ; none [is ] comforting to me ; the LORD has commanded concerning Jacob that his enemies [should be ] all around him ; Jerusalem has become as an impure thing among them . * The LORD [is ] righteous , for I have rebelled against His command . I beseech you , all peoples , hear and behold my sorrow . My virgins and my young men went into exile . * I called for my lovers , [but ] they deceived me ; my priests and my elders expired in the city while they sought food for them to bring back their life . * Behold , O LORD , for I [am ] in trouble ; my inward parts ferment ; my heart is turned within me , for I have grievously rebelled . On the outside the sword bereaves ; in the house [it is ] as death . * They hear that I sigh ; [there is ] none to comfort me . All my enemies have heard my evil ; they are glad that You have done [it ]. You will bring the day [that ] You have called , and they shall be like me . * Let all their wickedness come before You ; and do to them as You have done to me for all my transgressions . For my sighs [are ] many , and my heart [is ] faint .

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