1 H ow empty is the city that was once full of people! She was once great among the nations. But now she has become like a woman whose husband has died. She who was once a queen among the cities has become a servant made to work.

(Compuestas por el orden alfabético Hebreo) Alef: ¡Cómo está sentada sola la Ciudad antes populosa! La grande entre las naciones se ha vuelto como viuda, la princesa de provincias es hecha tributaria.

2 S he cries hard in the night, with tears on her face. She has no one to comfort her among all her lovers. All her friends have not been faithful to her. They have turned against her.

Bet: Amargamente llora en la noche, y sus lágrimas están en sus mejillas; no tiene quien la consuele de todos sus amadores; todos sus amigos le faltaron, se le volvieron enemigos.

3 J udah has been taken away to a strange land where she suffers much and is made to work hard as a servant. She lives among the nations, but has no rest. All those who went after her have taken her in her trouble.

Guímel: Se fue Judá en cautiverio, a causa de la aflicción y de la grandeza de servidumbre. Ella mora entre los gentiles, y no halla descanso. Todos sus perseguidores la alcanzaron entre estrechuras.

4 T he roads of Zion are filled with sorrow, because no one comes to the special suppers. All her gates are laid waste. Her religious leaders are crying in sorrow. Her pure young women are troubled, and she herself is in bitter suffering.

Dálet: Las calzadas de Sion tienen luto, porque no hay quien venga a las solemnidades; todas sus puertas están asoladas, sus sacerdotes gimen, sus vírgenes afligidas, y ella tiene amargura.

5 T hose who hate her have power over her, and all goes well for them. For the Lord has made her suffer for her many sins. Her children have been taken away in front of those who hate her.

He: Sus enemigos han sido hechos cabeza, sus aborrecedores fueron prosperados; porque el SEÑOR la afligió por la multitud de sus rebeliones; sus niños fueron en cautividad delante del enemigo.

6 T he people of Zion have lost all her great power. Her princes are like deer that find no field where they can eat. They are weak as they run away from those who are after them.

Vau: Se fue de la hija de Sion toda su hermosura; sus príncipes fueron como ciervos que no hallan pasto, y anduvieron sin fortaleza delante del perseguidor.

7 I n the days of her trouble and when she had no home, Jerusalem remembers all the things of much worth that were hers in days long ago, when her people fell into the hands of those who hated her. No one helped her. Those who hated her saw her and made fun of her when she was destroyed.

Zain: Jerusalén, cuando cayó su pueblo en mano del enemigo y no hubo quien le ayudara, entonces se acordó de los días de su aflicción, y de sus rebeliones, y de todas sus cosas deseables que tuvo desde los tiempos antiguos; la miraron los enemigos, y escarnecieron de sus sábados.

8 J erusalem sinned very much, so she is unclean. All who honored her hate her, because they have seen her put to shame. Even she herself cries in sorrow and turns away.

Chet: Pecado grave cometió Jerusalén; por lo cual ella ha sido removida; todos los que antes la honraban la han menospreciado, porque vieron su vergüenza; y ella también suspira, y es vuelta atrás.

9 S he was unclean in her clothing. She did not think about her future. She came to nothing. She had no one to comfort her. “O Lord, see my suffering, for those who hate me have won!”

Tet: Sus inmundicias están en sus faldas; no se acordó de su postrimería; por tanto, ella ha descendido sorprendentemente, no tiene consolador. Mira, oh SEÑOR, mi aflicción, porque el enemigo se ha engrandecido.

10 T hose who hate her have laid their hands on all her things of much worth. For she has seen the nations go into her holy place, those whom You said must not gather with Your people.

Yod: Extendió su mano el enemigo a todas sus cosas preciosas; y ella vio a los gentiles entrar en su santuario, de los cuales mandaste que no entraran en tu congregación.

11 A ll her people cry inside themselves as they look for bread. They have traded their things of much worth for food to have strength. “Look and see, O Lord, for I am hated.

Caf: Todo su pueblo buscó su pan suspirando; dieron por la comida todas sus cosas preciosas, para entretener la vida. Mira, oh SEÑOR, y ve que soy tornada vil.

12 I s it nothing to all you who pass this way? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow given me, which the Lord put on me in the day of His burning anger.

Lámed: ¿No os conmueve a cuantos pasáis por el camino? Mirad, y ved si hay dolor como mi dolor que me ha venido; porque el SEÑOR me ha angustiado en el día de la ira de su furor.

13 H e sent fire from on high into my bones. He has spread a net for my feet and has turned me back. He has left me destroyed, and weak all day long.

Mem: Desde lo alto envió fuego en mis huesos, el cual se enseñoreó; extendió red a mis pies, me tornó atrás, me puso asolada, y que siempre tenga dolor.

14 T he weight of my sins is put upon me. He tied them together and put them upon my neck. He has taken away my strength. The Lord has given me over to those I cannot stand against.

Nun: El yugo de mis rebeliones está ligado en su mano; entretejidas han subido sobre mi cerviz; ha hecho caer mis fuerzas; me ha entregado el Señor en manos de donde no podré levantarme.

15 T he Lord has turned away from all my strong soldiers. He has sent an army against me to crush my young men. The Lord has crushed the pure daughters of Judah like grapes are crushed to make wine.

Sámec: El Señor ha hollado todos mis fuertes en medio de mí; llamó contra mi compañía para quebrantar mis jóvenes, como lagar ha pisado el Señor a la Virgen hija de Judá.

16 T his is why I cry. Tears flow from my eyes, because a comforter is far from me who would give strength to my soul. My children are destroyed, because those who hate me have won.”

Ayin: Por esta causa yo lloro; mis ojos, mis ojos fluyen aguas; porque se alejó de mí el consolador que dé reposo a mi alma. Mis hijos son destruidos, porque el enemigo prevaleció.

17 Z ion has put out her hands, but there is no one to comfort her. The Lord has spoken against Jacob, that his neighbors should fight against him. Jerusalem has become unclean to them.

Pe: Sion extendió sus manos; no tiene consolador; el SEÑOR dio mandamiento contra Jacob, que sus enemigos lo cercaran; Jerusalén fue en abominación entre ellos.

18 “ The Lord is right and good, yet I have not wanted to obey His Word. Listen now, all you people, and see my suffering. My pure young women and young men have been taken away to a strange land.

Tsade: El SEÑOR es justo; que yo contra su boca me rebelé. Oíd ahora, todos los pueblos, y ved mi dolor; mis vírgenes y mis jóvenes fueron en cautiverio.

19 I called to my lovers, but they were not faithful to me. My religious leaders and leaders of the people died in the city, while they looked for food to get their strength back.

Cof: Di voces a mis amadores, mas ellos me han engañado. Mis sacerdotes y mis ancianos en la ciudad perecieron buscando comida para sí con que entretener su vida.

20 S ee how I suffer, O Lord. My spirit is very troubled. My heart has no rest within me, for I have not obeyed. The sword kills in the street. In the house there is only death.

Resh: Mira, oh SEÑOR, que estoy atribulada; mis entrañas rugen, mi corazón está trastornado en medio de mí; porque me rebelé desaforadamente; de fuera me desahijó la espada, de dentro aparece la muerte.

21 T hey have heard how I cry in sorrow. There is no one to comfort me. All those who hate me have heard of my trouble. They are glad for what You did. Bring the day that You have told us about, and let them become like me.

Sin: Oyeron que gemía, y no hay consolador para mí. Todos mis enemigos han oído mi mal, se alegraron porque tú lo hiciste. Trajiste el día que señalaste, mas serán como yo.

22 L et their sin come before You, and do to them what You have done to me because of all my sin. My cries are many, and my heart is weak.”

Tau: Entre delante de ti toda su maldad, y haz con ellos como hiciste conmigo por todas mis rebeliones. Porque muchos son mis suspiros, y mi corazón está dolorido.