The Word Am I

The Lamentations of Jeremiah

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- Chapter 5 -

1
Remember, O Lord, what has befallen us. Consider and look kindly upon our disgrace.
2
Our inheritance has been turned over to foreigners; our houses to outsiders.
3
We have become orphans without a father; our mothers are like widows.
4
We paid for our drinking water. We acquired our wood for a price.
5
We were dragged by our necks. Being weary, no rest was given to us.
6
We have given our hand to Egypt and to the Assyrians, so that we may be satisfied with bread.
7
Our fathers have sinned, and are not. And we have carried their iniquities.
8
Servants have become rulers over us. There was no one to redeem us from their hand.
9
We obtained our bread at the risk of our lives, before the face of the sword, in the wilderness.
10
Our skin was burned, as if by an oven, before the face of the tempest of the famine.
11
They humiliated the women in Zion and the virgins in the cities of Judah.
12
The leaders were suspended by their hand. They were not ashamed before the faces of the elders.
13
They have sexually abused the adolescents, and the children were corrupted in the wood.(a)
14
The elders have ceased from the gates, the youths from the choir of the psalms.
15
The gladness of our heart has failed, our singing has been turned into mourning.
16
The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned.
17
Because of this, our heart became gloomy; for this reason, our eyes have been darkened:
18
because of mount Zion, because it was ruined. Foxes have wandered upon it.
19
But you, O Lord, shall remain for eternity, your throne from generation to generation.
20
Why would you forget us forever? Why would you forsake us for a long time?
21
Convert us, O Lord, to you, and we shall be converted. Renew our days, as from the beginning.
22
But you have utterly rejected us; you are vehemently angry against us.

Footnotes

(a)5:13 The verb ‘abusi sunt’ generally refers to any type of strongly abusive treatment (not merely harassment). And the word ‘impudice’ has a strong sexual connotation. Therefore, the phrase refers to sexual abuse.(Conte)
1
Remember, LORD, what has come on us. Look, and see our reproach.
2
Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to aliens.
3
We are orphans and fatherless. Our mothers are as widows.
4
We must pay for water to drink. Our wood is sold to us.
5
Our pursuers are on our necks. We are weary, and have no rest.
6
We have given our hands to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.
7
Our fathers sinned, and are no more. We have borne their iniquities.
8
Servants rule over us. There is no one to deliver us out of their hand.
9
We get our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness.
10
Our skin is black like an oven, because of the burning heat of famine.
11
They ravished the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah.
12
Princes were hanged up by their hands. The faces of elders were not honored.
13
The young men carry millstones. The children stumbled under loads of wood.
14
The elders have ceased from the gate, and the young men from their music.
15
The joy of our heart has ceased. Our dance is turned into mourning.
16
The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!
17
For this our heart is faint. For these things our eyes are dim:
18
for the mountain of Zion, which is desolate. The foxes walk on it.
19
You, LORD, remain forever. Your throne is from generation to generation.
20
Why do you forget us forever, and forsake us for so long a time?
21
Turn us to yourself, LORD, and we will be turned. Renew our days as of old.
22
But you have utterly rejected us. You are very angry against us.
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