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A Request for Mercy
5Remember, O Yahweh, what has become of us;
take note, and see our disgrace!
2Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,
our houses, to foreigners.
3We have become orphans, fatherless,
our mothers are like widows.
4We pay for water with money,[a]
our wood comes to us at a price.
5We are driven on our necks;
we are weary, there is no rest for us.
6We have made a deal with Egypt and Assyria
to be satisfied with food.
7Our fathers have sinned, they are no more;
we bear their iniquity.
8Slaves rule over us;
there is no one to deliver us from their hand.
9We risk our life for food[b]
because of the sword of the desert.
10Our skin is hot like an oven
because of the scorching famine.
11They raped women in Zion,
young women[c] in the cities of Judah.
12They hang princes by their hand;
they do not show respect before elders.
13Young men must carry a hand-mill
and boys stumble under the wood.
14Elders are no longer at the gate,
young men no longer play stringed instruments.
15The joy of our hearts has stopped;
our circle-dancing has changed to a mourning ceremony.
16The crown has fallen from our head;
woe to us, for we have sinned!
17Because of this, our heart has become faint,
because of these, our eyes have become dim.
18Because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate,
foxes tread on it.[d]
19You, O Yahweh, will sit forever
on your throne for generation to generation.
20Why have you forgotten us forever?
Why have you forsaken us for so long?[e]
21Restore us to you, O Yahweh, that we will be restored;
renew our days as of old.
22Unless you have utterly rejected us,
unless you are angry with us beyond measure.
Footnotes
- Lamentations 5:4 Literally “we drink our water by money”
- Lamentations 5:9 Literally “We take our food at our life”
- Lamentations 5:11 Or “virgins”
- Lamentations 5:18 Literally “foxes go on it”
- Lamentations 5:20 Literally “for long days”
Restore Us to Yourself, O Lord
5(A)Remember, O Lord, what has befallen us;
look, and see (B)our disgrace!
2(C)Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,
our homes to foreigners.
3We have become orphans, fatherless;
our mothers are like widows.
4We must pay for the water we drink;
the wood we get must be bought.
5(D)Our pursuers are at our necks;
we are weary; we are given no rest.
6We have given the hand to (E)Egypt, and to (F)Assyria,
to get bread enough.
7Our fathers sinned, and are no more;
(G)and we bear their iniquities.
8(H)Slaves rule over us;
there is none to deliver us from their hand.
9(I)We get our bread at the peril of our lives,
because of the sword in the wilderness.
10(J)Our skin is hot as an oven
with (K)the burning heat of famine.
11Women are raped in Zion,
young women in the towns of Judah.
12(L)Princes are hung up by their hands;
(M)no respect is shown to the elders.
13Young men are compelled to (N)grind at the mill,
and boys stagger (O)under loads of wood.
14(P)The old men have left the city gate,
the young men (Q)their music.
15(R)The joy of our hearts has ceased;
(S)our dancing has been turned to mourning.
16(T)The crown has fallen from our head;
woe to us, for we have sinned!
17For this (U)our heart has become sick,
for these things (V)our eyes have grown dim,
18for Mount Zion which lies desolate;
(W)jackals prowl over it.
19(X)But you, O Lord, reign forever;
your throne endures to all generations.
20(Y)Why do you forget us forever,
why do you forsake us for so many days?
21(Z)Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored!
Renew our days as of old—
22(AA)unless you have utterly rejected us,
and you remain exceedingly angry with us.
Cross references
- Lamentations 5:1 : Ps. 89:50
- Lamentations 5:1 : ch. 3:61
- Lamentations 5:2 : Ps. 79:1
- Lamentations 5:5 : [Josh. 10:24]
- Lamentations 5:6 : [Hos. 12:1]
- Lamentations 5:6 : [Hos. 12:1]
- Lamentations 5:7 : Jer. 31:29; Ezek. 18:2
- Lamentations 5:8 : [Prov. 30:21, 22]
- Lamentations 5:9 : [Jer. 6:25]
- Lamentations 5:10 : See ch. 4:8
- Lamentations 5:10 : [Deut. 32:24]
- Lamentations 5:12 : See 2 Kgs. 25:19-21
- Lamentations 5:12 : ch. 4:16
- Lamentations 5:13 : [Judg. 16:21]
- Lamentations 5:13 : [Josh. 9:27]
- Lamentations 5:14 : [See ver. 12 above]; ch. 4:16
- Lamentations 5:14 : [Isa. 24:8]
- Lamentations 5:15 : [See ver. 14 above]; [Isa. 24:8]
- Lamentations 5:15 : [Amos 8:10]
- Lamentations 5:16 : Ps. 89:39; Jer. 13:18; [ch. 1:1]
- Lamentations 5:17 : Isa. 1:5
- Lamentations 5:17 : See ch. 2:11
- Lamentations 5:18 : [Isa. 34:13]
- Lamentations 5:19 : Ps. 9:7; 102:12; 145:13
- Lamentations 5:20 : Ps. 13:1
- Lamentations 5:21 : Jer. 31:18; [Ps. 80:3, 7, 19]
- Lamentations 5:22 : Jer. 14:19
Lexham English Bible (LEB)
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English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
