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Lamentations 1
1599 Geneva Bible
Lamentations 1
1599 Geneva Bible
Lamentations
1 The Prophet bewaileth the miserable estate of Jerusalem. 5 And showeth that they are plagued because of their sins. The first and second Chapter begin every verse according to the letters of the Hebrew Alphabet. The third hath three verses for every letter, and the fourth is as the first.
1 How doth [a]the city remain solitary that was full of people? she is as a widow: she that was great among the nations, [b]and princess among the provinces, is made tributary.
2 She weepeth continually in the [c]night, and her tears run down by her cheeks: among all her [d]lovers, she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt unfaithfully with her, and are her enemies.
3 Judah is carried away captive, because [e]of affliction, and because of great servitude, she dwelleth among the heathen, and findeth no rest: all her persecutors took her in the straits.
4 The ways of Zion lament, because no man cometh[f]to the solemn feasts, all her gates are desolate: her Priests sigh: her virgins are discomfited, and she is in [g]heaviness.
5 Her adversaries [h]are the chief, and her enemies prosper: for the Lord hath afflicted her, for the multitude of her transgressions, and her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.
6 And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become [i]like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.
7 Jerusalem remembered the days of her affliction, and of her rebellion, and all her pleasant things that she had in times past, when her people [j]fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversary saw her, and did mock at her [k]Sabbaths.
8 Jerusalem hath grievously sinned, therefore she is [l]in derision: all that honored her, despise her, because they have seen her filthiness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.
9 [m]Her filthiness is in her skirts: she remembered not her last end, therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter: O Lord, behold mine affliction: for the enemy [n]is proud.
10 The enemy hath stretched out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen the heathen enter into her Sanctuary, whom [o]thou didst command, that they should not enter into thy Church.
11 All her people sigh and seek their bread: they have given their pleasant things for meat to refresh the soul: see, O Lord, and consider: for I am become vile.
12 Have ye no regard, all ye that pass by this way? behold and see, if there be any [p]sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath.
13 From above hath [q]he sent fire into my bones, which prevail against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, and turned me back: he hath made me desolate, and daily in heaviness.
14 The [r]yoke of my transgressions is bound upon his hand: they are wrapped, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall: the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, neither am I able to rise up.
15 The Lord hath trodden under foot all my valiant men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to destroy my young men: the Lord hath trodden [s]the winepress upon the virgin the daughter of Judah.
16 (A)For these things I weep: mine eye, even mine eye casteth out water, because the comforter that should refresh my soul, is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.
17 Zion stretcheth out her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath appointed the enemies of Jacob round about him: Jerusalem is [t]as a menstruous woman in the midst of them.
18 The Lord is righteous: for I have rebelled against his [u]commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.
19 I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my Priests and mine Elders perished in the city, while they [v]sought their meat to refresh their souls.
20 Behold, O Lord, how I am troubled: my bowels swell: mine heart is turned within me, for I am full of heaviness: the sword spoileth abroad, as death doeth at home.
21 They have heard that I mourn, but there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble, and are glad, that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day, that thou hast pronounced, and they shall be like unto me.
22 [w]Let all their wickedness come before thee: [x]do unto them, as thou hast done unto me, for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and mine heart is heavy.
Footnotes
- Lamentations 1:1 The Prophet wondereth at the great judgment of God, seeing Jerusalem, which was so strong and so full of people, to be now destroyed and desolate.
- Lamentations 1:1 Which had chief rule over many provinces and countries.
- Lamentations 1:2 So that she taketh no rest.
- Lamentations 1:2 Meaning, the Egyptians and Assyrians, which promised help.
- Lamentations 1:3 For her cruelty toward the poor and oppression of servants, Jer. 34:11.
- Lamentations 1:4 As they used to come up with mirth and joy, Ps. 42:4.
- Lamentations 1:4 Hebrew, bitterness.
- Lamentations 1:5 That is, have rule over her, Deut. 28:41.
- Lamentations 1:6 As men pined away with sorrow and that have no courage.
- Lamentations 1:7 In her misery she considered the great benefits and commodities that she had lost.
- Lamentations 1:7 At her religion and serving of God, which was the greatest grief to the godly.
- Lamentations 1:8 Or, driven away.
- Lamentations 1:9 She is not ashamed of her sin, although it be manifest.
- Lamentations 1:9 Hebrew, hath magnified himself.
- Lamentations 1:10 God forbiddeth that the Ammonites and Moabites should enter into the Congregation of the Lord, and under them he comprehendeth all enemies, Deut. 23:3.
- Lamentations 1:12 Thus Jerusalem lamenteth moving others to pity her and to learn by her example.
- Lamentations 1:13 This declareth that we should acknowledge God to be the author of all our afflictions to the intent that we might seek unto him for remedy.
- Lamentations 1:14 Mine heavy sins are continually before his eyes, as he that tieth a thing to his hand for a remembrance.
- Lamentations 1:15 He hath trodden them underfoot as they tread grapes in the winepress.
- Lamentations 1:17 Which because of her pollution was separate from her husband, Lev. 15:19, and was abhorred for the time.
- Lamentations 1:18 Hebrew, mouth.
- Lamentations 1:19 That is, they died for hunger.
- Lamentations 1:22 Of desiring vengeance against the enemy, read Jer. 11:20 and 18:21.
- Lamentations 1:22 Or, gather them like grapes.
Lamentations 1
New International Version
Lamentations 1
New International Version
1 [a]How deserted(A) lies the city,
once so full of people!(B)
How like a widow(C) is she,
who once was great(D) among the nations!
She who was queen among the provinces
has now become a slave.(E)
2 Bitterly she weeps(F) at night,
tears are on her cheeks.
Among all her lovers(G)
there is no one to comfort her.
All her friends have betrayed(H) her;
they have become her enemies.(I)
3 After affliction and harsh labor,
Judah has gone into exile.(J)
She dwells among the nations;
she finds no resting place.(K)
All who pursue her have overtaken her(L)
in the midst of her distress.
4 The roads to Zion mourn,(M)
for no one comes to her appointed festivals.
All her gateways are desolate,(N)
her priests groan,
her young women grieve,
and she is in bitter anguish.(O)
5 Her foes have become her masters;
her enemies are at ease.
The Lord has brought her grief(P)
because of her many sins.(Q)
Her children have gone into exile,(R)
captive before the foe.(S)
6 All the splendor has departed
from Daughter Zion.(T)
Her princes are like deer
that find no pasture;
in weakness they have fled(U)
before the pursuer.
7 In the days of her affliction and wandering
Jerusalem remembers all the treasures
that were hers in days of old.
When her people fell into enemy hands,
there was no one to help her.(V)
Her enemies looked at her
and laughed(W) at her destruction.
8 Jerusalem has sinned(X) greatly
and so has become unclean.(Y)
All who honored her despise her,
for they have all seen her naked;(Z)
she herself groans(AA)
and turns away.
9 Her filthiness clung to her skirts;
she did not consider her future.(AB)
Her fall(AC) was astounding;
there was none to comfort(AD) her.
“Look, Lord, on my affliction,(AE)
for the enemy has triumphed.”
10 The enemy laid hands
on all her treasures;(AF)
she saw pagan nations
enter her sanctuary(AG)—
those you had forbidden(AH)
to enter your assembly.
11 All her people groan(AI)
as they search for bread;(AJ)
they barter their treasures for food
to keep themselves alive.
“Look, Lord, and consider,
for I am despised.”
12 “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?(AK)
Look around and see.
Is any suffering like my suffering(AL)
that was inflicted on me,
that the Lord brought on me
in the day of his fierce anger?(AM)
13 “From on high he sent fire,
sent it down into my bones.(AN)
He spread a net(AO) for my feet
and turned me back.
He made me desolate,(AP)
faint(AQ) all the day long.
14 “My sins have been bound into a yoke[b];(AR)
by his hands they were woven together.
They have been hung on my neck,
and the Lord has sapped my strength.
He has given me into the hands(AS)
of those I cannot withstand.
15 “The Lord has rejected
all the warriors in my midst;(AT)
he has summoned an army(AU) against me
to[c] crush my young men.(AV)
In his winepress(AW) the Lord has trampled(AX)
Virgin Daughter(AY) Judah.
16 “This is why I weep
and my eyes overflow with tears.(AZ)
No one is near to comfort(BA) me,
no one to restore my spirit.
My children are destitute
because the enemy has prevailed.”(BB)
17 Zion stretches out her hands,(BC)
but there is no one to comfort her.
The Lord has decreed for Jacob
that his neighbors become his foes;(BD)
Jerusalem has become
an unclean(BE) thing(BF) among them.
18 “The Lord is righteous,(BG)
yet I rebelled(BH) against his command.
Listen, all you peoples;
look on my suffering.(BI)
My young men and young women
have gone into exile.(BJ)
19 “I called to my allies(BK)
but they betrayed me.
My priests and my elders
perished(BL) in the city
while they searched for food
to keep themselves alive.
20 “See, Lord, how distressed(BM) I am!
I am in torment(BN) within,
and in my heart I am disturbed,(BO)
for I have been most rebellious.(BP)
Outside, the sword bereaves;
inside, there is only death.(BQ)
Footnotes
- Lamentations 1:1 This chapter is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
- Lamentations 1:14 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint He kept watch over my sins
- Lamentations 1:15 Or has set a time for me / when he will
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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