1 R emember, O Lord, what has come upon us; Look, and behold our reproach!

O Lord, remember what has happened to us. Look, and see our shame!

2 O ur inheritance has been turned over to aliens, And our houses to foreigners.

The land we received from You has been given over to strangers. Our homes have been given to people from other lands.

3 W e have become orphans and waifs, Our mothers are like widows.

We have lost our fathers. Our mothers are like those who have lost their husbands.

4 W e pay for the water we drink, And our wood comes at a price.

We have to pay for our drinking water, and we must buy our wood.

5 T hey pursue at our heels; We labor and have no rest.

Those who come after us are at our necks. We are tired and cannot rest.

6 W e have given our hand to the Egyptians And the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.

We have put out our hands to Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.

7 O ur fathers sinned and are no more, But we bear their iniquities.

Our fathers sinned, and are no more, and we have suffered for their sins.

8 S ervants rule over us; There is none to deliver us from their hand.

Servants rule over us. There is no one to save us from their hand.

9 W e get our bread at the risk of our lives, Because of the sword in the wilderness.

We put our lives in danger to get our bread, because of the sword in the desert.

10 O ur skin is hot as an oven, Because of the fever of famine.

Our skin has become as hot as fire because of the burning heat of hunger.

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

They have taken and sinned against the women in Zion, and the young women who have never had a man in the cities of Judah.

12 P rinces were hung up by their hands, And elders were not respected.

Rulers were hung by their hands. Leaders were not respected.

13 Y oung men ground at the millstones; Boys staggered under loads of wood.

Young men worked to grind the grain, and boys fell under loads of wood.

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

The old men have left the city gate. Young men have stopped playing their music.

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

The joy of our hearts has come to an end. Our dancing has been turned into sorrow.

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

The crown has fallen from our head. It is bad for us, for we have sinned!

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

Because of this our heart is weak. Because of these things our eyes are weak.

18 B ecause of Mount Zion which is desolate, With foxes walking about on it.

Mount Zion lies in waste, so foxes run all over it.

19 Y ou, O Lord, remain forever; Your throne from generation to generation.

O Lord, You rule forever. Your throne will last for all people-to-come.

20 W hy do You forget us forever, And forsake us for so long a time?

Why do You forget us forever? Why do You leave us alone for so long?

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

Return us to You, O Lord. Bring us back. Make our days as they were before.

22 U nless You have utterly rejected us, And are very angry with us!

Or have You turned away from us forever? Is there no end to Your anger?