Lamentations 5 - Easy To Read Version

¹ Remember, Lord, what happened to us.\par Look and see our disgrace.\par

² Our land has been turned over to strangers.\par Our houses have been given to foreigners.\par

³ We have become orphans.\par We have no father.\par Our mothers have become like widows.\par

⁴ We have to buy the water that we drink.\par We have to pay for the wood that we use.\par

⁵ We are forced to wear a yoke {\cf2\super [33]} on\par our necks.\par We get tired, and we have no rest.\par

⁶ We made an agreement with Egypt.\par We also made an agreement with Assyria {\cf2\super [34]} \par to get enough bread.\par

⁷ Our ancestors sinned against you.\par Now they are dead.\par Now we are suffering because of their sins.\par

⁸ Slaves have become our rulers.\par No person can save us from them.\par

⁹ We risk our lives to get food.\par There are men in the desert with swords.\par

¹⁰ Our skin is hot like an oven.\par We have a high fever\par because of our hunger.\par

¹¹ The enemy raped the women of Zion. {\cf2\super [35]} \par They raped the women\par in the cities of Judah.\par

¹² The enemy hanged our princes.\par They didn’t honor our elders.\par

¹³ The enemy made our young men\par grind grain at the mill.\par Our young men stumbled\par under loads of wood.\par

¹⁴ The elders no longer sit at the gates\par of the city.\par The young men no longer make music.\par

¹⁵ We have no more joy in our hearts.\par Our dancing was changed into\par crying for the dead.\par

¹⁶ The crown has fallen from our head.\par Things have gone bad for us\par because we sinned.\par

¹⁷ Because of these things,\par our hearts have become sick,\par our eyes cannot see clearly.\par

¹⁸ Mount Zion is a wasteland.\par Foxes run around on Mount Zion.\par

¹⁹ But you rule forever, Lord.\par Your kingly chair lasts forever and ever.\par

²⁰ You seem to have forgotten us forever, Lord.\par You seem to have left us alone\par for such a long time.\par

²¹ Bring us back to you, Lord.\par We will gladly come back to you.\par Make our lives like they were before.\par

²² You were very angry at us.\par Have you completely rejected us?\par