<p class="lamhebrew">&#1500; (<i>Lamedi>)p> <p class="poetry">To crush underfootp> <p class="poetry">all the earth&#8217;s prisoners,<n id="1" />p>

<p class="lamhebrew">&#1497; (<i>Yodi>)p> <p class="poetry">The elders of Daughter Zionp> <p class="poetry">sit<n id="1" /> on the ground in silence.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">They have thrown dirt on their heads;p> <p class="poetry">They have dressed in sackcloth.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Jerusalem&#8217;s young women<n id="4" /> stare down at the ground.<n id="5" />p>

<t /><p class="lamhebrew">&#1488; (<i>Alefi>)p> <p class="poetry">Alas!<n id="1" /> The Lord<n id="2" /> has coveredp> <p class="poetry">Daughter Zion<n id="3" /> with his anger.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">He has thrown down the splendor of Israelp> <p class="poetry">from heaven to earth;p> <p class="poetry">he did not protect<n id="5" /> his temple<n id="6" />p> <p class="poetry">when he displayed his anger.<n id="7" />p>

<p class="lamhebrew">&#1496; (<i>Teti>)p> <p class="poetry">Her city gates have fallen<n id="1" /> to the ground;p> <p class="poetry">he smashed to bits<n id="2" /> the bars that lock her gates.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Her king and princes were taken into exile;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">there is no more guidance available.<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">As for her prophets,p> <p class="poetry">they no longer receive<n id="6" /> a vision from the <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<p class="lamhebrew">&#1499; (<i>Kafi>)p> <p class="poetry">My eyes are worn out<n id="1" /> from weeping;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">my stomach is in knots.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">My heart<n id="4" /> is poured out on the groundp> <p class="poetry">due to the destruction<n id="5" /> of my helpless people;<n id="6" />p> <p class="poetry">children and infants faintp> <p class="poetry">in the town squares.p>

<p class="lamhebrew">&#1513; (<i>Sin/Shini>)p> <p class="poetry">The young boys and old menp> <p class="poetry">lie dead on the ground in the streets.p> <p class="poetry">My young women<n id="1" /> and my young menp> <p class="poetry">have fallen by the sword.p> <p class="poetry">You killed them when you were angry;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">you slaughtered them without mercy.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="lamhebrew">&#1500; (<i>Lamedi>)p> <p class="poetry">Neither the kings of the earthp> <p class="poetry">nor the people of the lands<n id="1" /> ever thought<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">that enemy or foe would enterp> <p class="poetry">the gates<n id="3" /> of Jerusalem.<n id="4" />p>

<t /><p class="lamhebrew">&#1513; (<i>Sin/Shini>)p> <p class="poetry">Rejoice and be glad for now,<n id="1" /> O people of Edom,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">who reside in the land of Uz.p> <p class="poetry">But the cup of judgment<n id="3" /> will pass<n id="4" /> to you also;p> <p class="poetry">you will get drunk and take off your clothes.p>

<p class="lamhebrew">&#1489; (<i>Beti>)p> <p class="poetry">The Lord<n id="1" /> destroyed<n id="2" /> mercilessly<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">all the homes of Jacob&#8217;s descendants.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">In his anger he tore downp> <p class="poetry">the fortified cities<n id="5" /> of Daughter Judah.p> <p class="poetry">He knocked to the ground and humiliatedp> <p class="poetry">the kingdom and its rulers.<n id="6" />p>

<p class="lamhebrew">&#1505; (<i>Sameki>)p> <p class="poetry">All who passed by on the roadp> <p class="poetry">clapped their hands to mock you.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They sneered and shook their headsp> <p class="poetry">at Daughter Jerusalem.p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Ha! Is this the city they called<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;The perfection of beauty,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">the source of joy of the whole earth!&#8217;?&#8221;<n id="4" />p>