1 O Lord, remember what has come upon us! Look down and see our reproach (our national disgrace)!

Remember, O Jehovah, what is come upon us: Behold, and see our reproach.

2 O ur inheritance has fallen over to strangers, our houses to foreigners.

Our inheritance is turned unto strangers, Our houses unto aliens.

3 W e have become orphans and fatherless; our mothers are like widows.

We are orphans and fatherless; Our mothers are as widows.

4 W e have had to pay money to drink the water that belongs to us; our wood is sold to us.

We have drunken our water for money; Our wood is sold unto us.

5 O ur pursuers are upon our necks; we are weary and are allowed no rest.

Our pursuers are upon our necks: We are weary, and have no rest.

6 W e have given the hand to the Egyptians and to the Assyrians to get food to satisfy.

We have given the hand to the Egyptians, And to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.

7 O ur fathers sinned and are no more, and we have borne their iniquities.

Our fathers sinned, and are not; And we have borne their iniquities.

8 S ervants and slaves rule over us; there is none to deliver us out of their hands.

Servants rule over us: There is none to deliver us out of their hand.

9 W e get our bread at the peril of our lives because of the sword of the wilderness.

We get our bread at the peril of our lives, Because of the sword of the wilderness.

10 O ur skin glows and is parched as from an oven because of the burning heat of famine.

Our skin is black like an oven, Because of the burning heat of famine.

11 T hey ravished the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah.

They ravished the women in Zion, The virgins in the cities of Judah.

12 T hey hung princes by their hands; the persons of elders were not respected.

Princes were hanged up by their hand: The faces of elders were not honored.

13 Y oung men carried millstones, and boys fell under wood.

The young men bare the mill; And the children stumbled under the wood.

14 T he elders have ceased from the city’s gate, the young men from their music.

The elders have ceased from the gate, The young men from their music.

15 C eased is the joy of our hearts; our dancing has turned into mourning.

The joy of our heart is ceased; Our dance is turned into mourning.

16 T he crown has fallen from our head! Woe to us, for we have sinned!

The crown is fallen from our head: Woe unto us! for we have sinned.

17 B ecause of this our hearts are faint and sick; because of these things our eyes are dim and see darkly.

For this our heart is faint; For these things our eyes are dim;

18 A s for Mount Zion, which lies desolate, the jackals prowl over it!

For the mountain of Zion, which is desolate: The foxes walk upon it.

19 B ut You, O Lord, remain and reign forever; Your throne endures from generation to generations.

Thou, O Jehovah, abidest for ever; Thy throne is from generation to generation.

20 W hy do You forget us forever? Why do You forsake us so long?

Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, And forsake us so long time?

21 T urn us to Yourself, O Lord, and we shall be turned and restored! Renew our days as of old!—

Turn thou us unto thee, O Jehovah, and we shall be turned; Renew our days as of old.

22 O r have You utterly rejected us? Or are You exceedingly angry with us ?

But thou hast utterly rejected us; Thou art very wroth against us.