1 ¶ Remember, O LORD, what is come upon us; look, and behold our reproach.

Remember, O Lord, what has come upon us; Look, and behold our reproach!

2 O ur inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens.

Our inheritance has been turned over to aliens, And our houses to foreigners.

3 W e are orphans without father; our mothers are as widows.

We have become orphans and waifs, Our mothers are like widows.

4 W e have drunk our water for money; our wood is sold unto us.

We pay for the water we drink, And our wood comes at a price.

5 O ur necks are under persecution; we are become tired and have no rest.

They pursue at our heels; We labor and have no rest.

6 W e have given the hand to the Egyptians and to the Assyrians to be satisfied with bread.

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

7 O ur fathers have sinned and are dead; and we have borne their chastisements.

Our fathers sinned and are no more, But we bear their iniquities.

8 S laves have ruled over us: there was no one to deliver us out of their hand.

Servants rule over us; There is none to deliver us from their hand.

9 W e got our bread with the peril of our lives because of the sword of the wilderness.

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

10 O ur skin became black like an oven because of the terrible famine.

Our skin is hot as an oven, Because of the fever of famine.

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

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

12 P rinces were hanged up by their hand; the countenance of the elders was not honoured.

Princes were hung up by their hands, And elders were not respected.

13 T hey took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood.

Young men ground at the millstones; Boys staggered under loads of wood.

14 T he elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their music.

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

15 T he joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.

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

16 T he crown is fallen from our head; woe now unto us, for we have sinned!

The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!

17 ¶ For this our heart is saddened; for these things our eyes are become dim.

Because of this our heart is faint; Because of these things our eyes grow dim;

18 B ecause of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.

Because of Mount Zion which is desolate, With foxes walking about on it.

19 T hou, O LORD, shall remain for ever; thy throne from generation to generation.

You, O Lord, remain forever; Your throne from generation to generation.

20 W hy should thou forget us for ever and forsake us for such a long time?

Why do You forget us forever, And forsake us for so long a time?

21 T urn us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as at the beginning.

Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old,

22 F or in stepping back thou hast rejected us; thou hast become very angry against us.

Unless You have utterly rejected us, And are very angry with us!