Bible: Lam 2
The Prophet Speaks:
2:1 א (Alef)
Alas! 1 The Lord 2 has covered
Daughter Zion 3 with his anger. 4
He has thrown down the splendor of Israel
from heaven to earth;
he did not protect 5 his temple 6
when he displayed his anger. 7
2:2 ב (Bet)
The Lord 8 destroyed 9 mercilessly 10
all the homes of Jacob’s descendants. 11
In his anger he tore down
the fortified cities 12 of Daughter Judah.
He knocked to the ground and humiliated
the kingdom and its rulers. 13
2:3 ג (Gimel)
In fierce anger 14 he destroyed 15
the whole army 16 of Israel.
He withdrew his right hand 17
as the enemy attacked. 18
He was like a raging fire in the land of Jacob; 19
it consumed everything around it. 20
2:4 ד (Dalet)
He prepared his bow 21 like an enemy;
his right hand was ready to shoot. 22
Like a foe he killed everyone,
even our strong young men; 23
he has poured out his anger like fire
on the tent 24 of Daughter Zion.
2:5 ה (He)
The Lord, 25 like an enemy,
destroyed 26 Israel.
He destroyed 27 all her palaces;
he ruined her 28 fortified cities.
He made everyone in Daughter Judah
mourn and lament. 29
2:6 ו (Vav)
He destroyed his temple 30 as if it were a vineyard; 31
he destroyed his appointed meeting place.
The
both the festivals and the Sabbaths. 32
In his fierce anger 33 he has spurned 34
both king and priest.
2:7 ז (Zayin)
The Lord 35 rejected 36 his altar
and abhorred his temple. 37
He handed over to the enemy 38
her palace walls;
the enemy 39 shouted 40 in the
as if it were a feast day. 41
2:8 ח (Khet)
The
Daughter Zion’s wall.
He prepared to knock it down; 42
he did not withdraw his hand from destroying. 43
He made the ramparts and fortified walls lament;
together they mourned their ruin. 44
2:9 ט (Tet)
Her city gates have fallen 45 to the ground;
he smashed to bits 46 the bars that lock her gates. 47
Her king and princes were taken into exile; 48
there is no more guidance available. 49
As for her prophets,
they no longer receive 50 a vision from the
2:10 י (Yod)
The elders of Daughter Zion
sit 51 on the ground in silence. 52
They have thrown dirt on their heads;
They have dressed in sackcloth. 53
Jerusalem’s young women 54 stare down at the ground. 55
2:11 כ (Kaf)
My eyes are worn out 56 from weeping; 57
my stomach is in knots. 58
My heart 59 is poured out on the ground
due to the destruction 60 of my helpless people; 61
children and infants faint
in the town squares.
2:12 ל (Lamed)
Children 62 say to their mothers, 63
“Where are food and drink?” 64
They faint 65 like a wounded warrior
in the city squares.
They die slowly 66
in their mothers’ arms. 67
2:13 מ (Mem)
With what can I equate 68 you?
To what can I compare you, O Daughter Jerusalem?
To what can I liken you 69
so that 70 I might comfort you, O Virgin Daughter Zion?
Your wound is as deep 71 as the sea. 72
Who can heal you? 73
2:14 נ (Nun)
Your prophets saw visions for you
that were worthless lies. 74
They failed to expose your sin
so as to restore your fortunes. 75
They saw oracles for you
that were worthless 76 lies.
2:15 ס (Samek)
All who passed by on the road
clapped their hands to mock you. 77
They sneered and shook their heads
at Daughter Jerusalem.
“Ha! Is this the city they called 78
‘The perfection of beauty, 79
the source of joy of the whole earth!’?” 80
2:16 פ (Pe)
All your enemies
gloated over you. 81
They sneered and gnashed their teeth;
they said, “We have destroyed 82 her!
Ha! We have waited a long time for this day.
We have lived to see it!” 83
2:17 ע (Ayin)
The
he has fulfilled 84 his promise 85
that he threatened 86 long ago: 87
He has overthrown you without mercy 88
and has enabled the enemy to gloat over you;
he has exalted your adversaries’ power. 89
2:18 צ (Tsade)
Cry out 90 from your heart 91 to the Lord, 92
O wall of Daughter Zion! 93
Make your tears flow like a river
all day and all night long! 94
Do not rest;
do not let your tears 95 stop!
2:19 ק (Qof)
Get up! Cry out in the night 96
when the night watches start! 97
Pour out your heart 98 like water
before the face of the Lord! 99
Lift up your hands 100 to him
for your children’s lives; 101
they are fainting 102
at every street corner. 103
Jerusalem Speaks:
2:20 ר (Resh)
Look, O
Whom have you ever afflicted 105 like this?
Should women eat their offspring, 106
their healthy infants? 107
Should priest and prophet
be killed in the Lord’s 108 sanctuary?
2:21 ש (Sin/Shin)
The young boys and old men
lie dead on the ground in the streets.
My young women 109 and my young men
have fallen by the sword.
You killed them when you were angry; 110
you slaughtered them without mercy. 111
2:22 ת (Tav)
As if it were a feast day, you call 112
enemies 113 to terrify me 114 on every side. 115
On the day of the Lord’s anger
no one escaped or survived.
My enemy has finished off