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Chapter 1
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1
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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! |
2
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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. |
3
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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. |
4
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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. |
5
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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. |
6
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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. |
7
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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. |
8
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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. |
9
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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. |
10
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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. |
11
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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. |
12
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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. |
13
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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. |
14
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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. |
15
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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,
the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress. |
16
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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. |
17
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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. |
18
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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. |
19
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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. |
20
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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. |
21
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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. |
22
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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. |
