Lamentations 1:1-11

1The city that was full of people is lonely now. The city is like the wife of a dead husband. Once she was great. She was like a queen among the other places in the country. Now she is a slave.

2She weeps in the night and there are tears on her face. Not one of her lovers comforts her. All her friends have left her. They have gone against her and they are now her enemies.

3The enemies have taken Judah's people away as slaves. The slaves have only trouble and difficult work. They now live among strangers. They have no rest, and they live far away from home. They cannot go away from those who do cruel things to them.

4Zion's streets are sad places now. Nobody comes to worship God there any longer. There is nothing to hear at the city gates. The priests are sad. Strangers are cruel to the young women. The people in Zion are very sad.

5The people's enemies rule them now. Those who hate them have plenty. The Lord has caused trouble for the people because they did so many wrong things. The enemies took the children away to work as slaves.

6Zion is not beautiful any longer. Her leaders are like animals without food. They are too weak to run from their enemies.

7Jerusalem's people are in trouble and they are away from their homes now. So they remember the good things that they had a long time ago. When their enemies came, nobody was there with them. Nobody helped them. Their enemies laughed when they destroyed Jerusalem.

8Jerusalem's people have sinned very much. That is why this city is not clean any longer. People thought that this city was the best. Now they think that it is not important. They see it as it is. Jerusalem's people make sad noises and they want to hide themselves away.

9Jerusalem seemed dirty because the people were so bad. They never thought that the end would be like this. But their enemies destroyed the city. They do not have anyone who can comfort them. God did not listen any longer when they asked for his help. ‘Lord, see our troubles. See how happy our enemies are,’ the people pray.

10The enemies have taken away all Jerusalem's valuable things. Foreign people have walked into God's holy house. But God had said that people like that must not go in there. They are not his people.

11Jerusalem's people are making sad noises. They are sad as they look for food. They sell things that they love. They use them to buy food. That way, they can keep themselves alive. ‘Lord, see what is happening. Think about me, because nobody else does,’ the people pray.