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

انظُرْ يا اللهُ ما حَلَّ بِنا. تَطَلَّعْ وَانظُرْ إلَى تَعيِيرِنا.

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

الأرْضُ الَّتِي وَرِثْناها صارَتْ لِلغُرَباءِ، وَأُعطِيَتْ بُيُوتُنا لِلأجانِبِ.

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

أيتاماً صِرْنا دُونَ آباءٍ، وَكَأرامِلَ أُمَّهاتُنا.

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

بِالمالِ نَشْرَبُ ماءَنا، وَنَدفَعُ ثَمَنَ حَطَبِنا.

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

يُلاحِقُونَنا عَنْ كَثَبٍ. تَعِبْنا، وَلَمْ نَلتَقِطْ أنفاسَنا.

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

مَدَدْنا أيادِينا إلَى مِصْرَ وَأشُّورَ لِيَكُونَ لَنا طَعامٌ يَكفِينا.

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

أخطَأ آباؤُنا، وَهُمُ الآنَ مَوْتَى، وَنَحنُ نُعانِي مِنْ عَواقِبِ آثامِهِمْ.

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

العَبِيدُ يَحكُمُونَنا، وَلَيسَ مَنْ يُحَرِّرُنا مِنْ قُوَّتِهِمْ.

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

بِحَياتِنا نُخاطِرُ لِنَجلِبَ طَعامَنا، بِسَبَبِ سَيفِ المُطارِدِ.

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

اسْوَدَّتْ جُلُودُنا كَفُرْنٍ بِسَبَبِ حُمَّى المَجاعَةِ.

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

اغتَصَبَ جُنُودُ العَدُوِّ نِساءَ صِهْيَوْنَ، العَذارَى فِي مُدُنِ يَهُوذا.

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

بِأمرِهِمْ شُنِقَ الأُمَراءُ، وَلَمْ يُوَقَّرِ الشُّيُوخُ.

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

يُدِيرَ شَبابُنا المُختارُونَ حَجَرَ الرَّحَى، وَمِنَ العَمَلِ الشّاقِّ يَتَعَثَّرُ الفِتيانُ.

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

كَفَّ الشُّيُوخُ عَنِ الجُلُوسِ عِندَ البَوّابَةِ، وَكَفَّ الشُّبّانُ عَنْ عَزفِ المُوسِيقَى.

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

تَوَقَّفَتْ قُلُوبُنا عَنِ الفَرَحِ، وَتَحَوَّلَ رَقْصُنا إلَى بُكاءٍ.

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

سَقَطَ التّاجُ عَنْ رَأْسِنا. يا وَيلَنا، لِأنَّنا أخطَأْنا!

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

لِهَذا كُلِّهِ قُلُوبُنا مُكتَئِبَةٌ. وَبِسَبَبِ هَذِهِ كُلِّها، لا تَرَى رَجاءً.

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

عَلَى جَبَلِ صِهْيَوْنَ المَهجُورِ تَسرَحُ الثَّعالِبُ.

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

لَكِنَّكَ يا اللهُ إلَى الأبَدِ تَسُودُ. عَرْشُكَ يَدُومُ جِيلاً بَعْدَ جِيلٍ.

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

لِماذا تَظَلُّ تَتَجاهَلُنا؟ لِماذا تَترُكُنا هَكَذا طَوِيلاً؟

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

أرْجِعْنا إلَيْكَ يا اللهُ فَنَرْجِعَ، وَاجْعَلْ حَياتَنا كَما كانَتْ قَدِيماً.

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

أمْ لَعَلَّكَ رَفَضِتَنا رَفْضاً تامّاً؟ وَغَضِبْتَ كَثِيراً عَلَينا؟