Lamentations 1:4-5

ד (Dalet)

1:4 The roads to Zion mourn

because no one travels to the festivals.

All her city gates are deserted;

her priests groan.

Her virgins grieve;

she is in bitter anguish!

ה (He)

1:5 Her foes subjugated her;

her enemies are at ease.

For the Lord afflicted her

because of her many acts of rebellion.

Her children went away

captive before the enemy.

Lamentations 1:8

ח (Khet)

1:8 Jerusalem committed terrible sin;

therefore she became an object of scorn.

All who admired her have despised her

because they have seen her nakedness.

She groans aloud

and turns away in shame.

Lamentations 1:10

י (Yod)

1:10 An enemy grabbed

all her valuables.

Indeed she watched in horror as Gentiles

invaded her holy temple –

those whom you had commanded:

“They must not enter your assembly place.”

Lamentations 1:15

ס (Samek)

1:15 He rounded up all my mighty ones;

The Lord did this in my midst.

He summoned an assembly against me

to shatter my young men.

The Lord has stomped like grapes

the virgin daughter, Judah.

Lamentations 2:2

ב (Bet)

2:2 The Lord destroyed mercilessly

all the homes of Jacob’s descendants.

In his anger he tore down

the fortified cities of Daughter Judah.

He knocked to the ground and humiliated

the kingdom and its rulers.

Lamentations 2:8-9

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 to the ground;

he smashed to bits the bars that lock her gates.

Her king and princes were taken into exile;

there is no more guidance available.

As for her prophets,

they no longer receive a vision from the Lord.

Lamentations 2:15

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!’?”

Lamentations 2:20

Jerusalem Speaks:

ר (Resh)

2:20 Look, O Lord! Consider!

Whom have you ever afflicted like this?

Should women eat their offspring,

their healthy infants?

Should priest and prophet

be killed in the Lord’s sanctuary?