I,i

[God warned us that He would pu]nish all our iniquities, but because [we] did not listen to [the war]ningl that all these things would befall us, now is there naught we can do.² By the evil of [our deeds³ we have cancelled) His covenant (with us) .4

Woe unto us!

5 [Our temple] has gone up in flames;⁵ the [shrine] which was our pride⁸ has been turned into [rubble]; no more is there within it the sweet savor of sacrifices.

[Men have come trampling] in [their sandals]⁷ the courts of our sanctuary.

[All the sacred] ve[ssels] have been [carried away] (?).⁸

Jerusalem, which was once a [joyous] city, is made over to wild beasts,⁹ with no one to [rescue her].¹⁰ [Deserted] are her squares,

10 her mansions all [abandoned], [her highways] desolate, with never a pilgrim upon them.¹¹

All the cities of [Judah have been laid waste;¹² the land of) our heritage has become like a wilderness, an un[inhabited] tract.¹⁸ No sound of merriment is heard anymore within it, [No one] seeks [our welfare,¹⁴ nor is there] any man [who has carried the lo]ad of our pain;¹⁵ and (all the while) our foes [have been lolling at ease].¹⁶

15 Our transgressions [are past all counting], and our sins [have denounced us).¹⁷

I,ii

Woe unto us!

God's anger flared [against us],¹⁸ and we shared the defilement of the dead,¹⁹ Is[rael became) like a wife grown loathsome, [Our mothers showed no pity] for their babes; Our womenfolk were turned into harpies,²⁰

5 [shorn of all the charm of] their youth.²¹ Our sons were undone;²² [numbed] by winter's cold, our daughters, instead of dwelling [secure] in [their fathers'] homes, [hugged] the dunghills²³ with wizened hands; when they begged for water, no one pou[red it for them].  They that were worth their weight in gold

10 [were deemed but] worthiess [shards],²⁴ reared though they were in purple,²⁵ decked in fine gold, garbed in [linen] and lawn, man[tied] in blue and brocade.²⁶ The (once) tender maidens of Zion [became ….. ].
 

II

[Ah, how she sits] alone, [the city once full of people!]²⁷

5 Once the princess of all nati[ons],²⁸ now is she desolate, like a woman abandoned! all her daughters too like a woman abandoned, like a woman cast down and cast off.²⁹

Her mansions all and [her] wal[ls], (empty of all life,) are become like a barren wife,⁸⁰ and all [her] roads like one left destitute.³¹

Her…….are like a woman in bitter grief,⁸² and all her daughters like those who mourn their mates; …...her [matrons] are like (mothers) bereaved of an only child.³³

Bitterly Jeru[salem] weeps, [and her tears run] down her cheeks;⁸⁴ on account of her sons [ ]

10 she [has been wa]il[ing] and moaning.⁸⁵