א (Alef)
2:1 Alas!
Daughter Zion
He has thrown down the splendor of Israel
from heaven to earth;
he did not protect
when he displayed his anger.
ב (Bet)
2:2 The Lord
all the homes of Jacob’s descendants.
In his anger he tore down
the fortified cities
He knocked to the ground and humiliated
the kingdom and its rulers.
ג (Gimel)
2:3 In fierce anger
the whole army
He withdrew his right hand
as the enemy attacked.
He was like a raging fire in the land of Jacob;
it consumed everything around it.
ד (Dalet)
2:4 He prepared his bow
his right hand was ready to shoot.
Like a foe he killed everyone,
even our strong young men;
he has poured out his anger like fire
on the tent
ה (He)
2:5 The Lord,
destroyed
He destroyed
he ruined her
He made everyone in Daughter Judah
mourn and lament.
ו (Vav)
2:6 He destroyed his temple
he destroyed his appointed meeting place.
The Lord has made those in Zion forget
both the festivals and the Sabbaths.
In his fierce anger
both king and priest.
ז (Zayin)
2:7 The Lord
and abhorred his temple.
He handed over to the enemy
her palace walls;
the enemy
as if it were a feast day.
ח (Khet)
2:8 The Lord was determined to tear down
Daughter Zion’s wall.
He prepared to knock it down;
he did not withdraw his hand from destroying.
He made the ramparts and fortified walls lament;
together they mourned their ruin.
ט (Tet)
2:9 Her city gates have fallen
he smashed to bits
Her king and princes were taken into exile;
there is no more guidance available.
As for her prophets,
they no longer receive
י (Yod)
2:10 The elders of Daughter Zion
sit
They have thrown dirt on their heads;
They have dressed in sackcloth.
Jerusalem’s young women
כ (Kaf)
2:11 My eyes are worn out
my stomach is in knots.
My heart
due to the destruction
children and infants faint
in the town squares.
ל (Lamed)
2:12 Children
“Where are food and drink?”
They faint
in the city squares.
They die slowly
in their mothers’ arms.
מ (Mem)
2:13 With what can I equate
To what can I compare you, O Daughter Jerusalem?
To what can I liken you
so that
Your wound is as deep
Who can heal you?
נ (Nun)
2:14 Your prophets saw visions for you
that were worthless lies.
They failed to expose your sin
so as to restore your fortunes.
They saw oracles for you
that were worthless
ס (Samek)
2:15 All who passed by on the road
clapped their hands to mock you.
They sneered and shook their heads
at Daughter Jerusalem.
“Ha! Is this the city they called
‘The perfection of beauty,
the source of joy of the whole earth!’?”
פ (Pe)
2:16 All your enemies
gloated over you.
They sneered and gnashed their teeth;
they said, “We have destroyed
Ha! We have waited a long time for this day.
We have lived to see it!”
ע (Ayin)
2:17 The Lord has done what he planned;
he has fulfilled
that he threatened
He has overthrown you without mercy
and has enabled the enemy to gloat over you;
he has exalted your adversaries’ power.
צ (Tsade)
2:18 Cry out
O wall of Daughter Zion!
Make your tears flow like a river
all day and all night long!
Do not rest;
do not let your tears
ק (Qof)
2:19 Get up! Cry out in the night
when the night watches start!
Pour out your heart
before the face of the Lord!
Lift up your hands
for your children’s lives;
they are fainting
at every street corner.
ר (Resh)
2:20 Look, O Lord! Consider!
Whom have you ever afflicted
Should women eat their offspring,
their healthy infants?
Should priest and prophet
be killed in the Lord’s
ש (Sin/Shin)
2:21 The young boys and old men
lie dead on the ground in the streets.
My young women
have fallen by the sword.
You killed them when you were angry;
you slaughtered them without mercy.
ת (Tav)
2:22 As if it were a feast day, you call
enemies
On the day of the Lord’s anger
no one escaped or survived.
My enemy has finished off
those healthy infants whom I bore