Lamentations 1

The poet mourns Jerusalem sitting alone like a widow, once great among the nations but now paying tribute. Her allies have betrayed her, her people have gone into captivity, and her enemies prosper because the LORD has afflicted her for her many transgressions. Jerusalem herself cries out that there is no sorrow like her sorrow and acknowledges that the LORD is righteous, for she has rebelled against His commands.

v	King James Version	Modern English
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!	How the city sits alone — once full of people! She has become like a widow. She was great among the nations, a princess among the provinces. Now she is made to pay tribute.
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.	She weeps bitterly in the night. Tears run down her cheeks. Among all her lovers there is no one to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her. They have become her enemies.
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.	Judah has gone into exile because of her suffering and harsh slavery. She lives among the nations and finds no rest. All her pursuers caught her in a narrow place.
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.	The roads to Zion mourn, for no one comes to her appointed festivals. All her gates are empty. Her priests sigh. Her young women grieve. She is in bitter anguish.
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.	Her enemies have become rulers. Her foes prosper. For the LORD has made her suffer because of her many transgressions. Her children have gone into captivity before the enemy.
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.	All the splendor has left the daughter of Zion. Her princes are like deer that find no pasture. They flee without strength before the one who pursues them.
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.	Jerusalem, in the days of her suffering and wandering, remembers all the precious things she had in days of old. When her people fell into enemy hands and there was no one to help, her enemies looked on and mocked at her downfall.
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.	Jerusalem has sinned greatly. Therefore she has become filthy. All who honored her now despise her, for they have seen her shame. She herself sighs and turns away.
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.	Her uncleanness clung to her skirts. She gave no thought to her future. Her fall was astonishing. She had no comforter. "O LORD, look on my suffering, for the enemy has triumphed."
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.	The enemy stretched out his hand over all her treasures. She watched as nations entered her sanctuary — the nations you commanded should not enter your congregation.
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.	All her people groan as they search for bread. They trade their treasures for food to keep themselves alive. "Look, O LORD, and take note, for I have become despised."
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.	"Is it nothing to You, all who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow — the sorrow the LORD has brought on me in the day of His fierce anger."
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.	From above He sent fire into my bones and it spread through them. He spread a net for my feet and turned me back. He has left me desolate, in misery all day long.
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.	The yoke of my transgressions has been fastened by His hand. They are twisted together and laid on my neck. He has drained my strength. The LORD has handed me over to those I cannot resist.
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 daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.	The Lord has rejected all my mighty warriors. He summoned an army against me to crush my young men. The Lord has trodden the virgin daughter of Judah like grapes in a winepress.
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.	For these things I weep. My eyes overflow with tears. Any comforter who might restore me is far away. My children are desolate because the enemy has triumphed.
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.	Zion stretches out her hands, but there is no one to comfort her. The LORD has commanded that Jacob's neighbors should be his enemies. Jerusalem is as unclean in their midst.
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.	"The LORD is righteous, for I rebelled against His commands. Listen, all You peoples, and see my sorrow. My young women and my young men have gone into captivity."
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.	I called to my allies, but they deceived me. My priests and my elders perished in the city while searching for food to keep themselves alive.
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.	"Look, O LORD, for I am in distress. My stomach churns. My heart is wrung within me, for I have been very rebellious. In the streets the sword kills. At home there is death."
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.	They have heard my groaning. There is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble. They are glad that You have done it. But You will bring the day You have announced, and they will become like me.
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.	"Let all their wickedness come before You. Deal with them as You have dealt with me for all my transgressions. For my groans are many and my heart is sick."