You shrouded yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through.

You have seen the wrong done to me, O Lord; pronounce judgment on my behalf! ¹ 

¹ O Lord, reflect on ²  what has happened to us; consider ³  and look at ⁴  our disgrace.

Our skin is hot as an oven due to a fever from hunger. ¹ 

For wild animals ¹  are prowling over Mount Zion, which lies desolate.

ו (Vav) All of Daughter Zion’s ¹  splendor ²  has departed. ³  Her leaders became like deer; they found no pasture, so they were too exhausted to escape ⁴  from the hunter. ⁵ 

א (Alef) ¹ Alas! ²  Gold has lost its luster; ³  pure gold loses value. ⁴  Jewels ⁵  are scattered on every street corner. ⁶ 

ל (Lamed) Neither the kings of the earth nor the people of the lands ¹  ever thought ²  that enemy or foe would enter the gates ³  of Jerusalem. ⁴ 

א (Alef) ^{1  2} Alas! ³  The city once full of people ⁴  now sits all alone! ⁵  The prominent ⁶  lady among the nations has become a widow! ⁷  The princess ⁸  who once ruled the provinces ⁹  has become a forced laborer!

מ (Mem) He sent down fire ¹  into my bones, and it overcame ²  them. He spread out a trapper’s net ³  for my feet; he made me turn back. He has made me desolate; I am faint all day long.

ס (Samek) All who passed by on the road clapped their hands to mock you. ¹  They sneered and shook their heads at Daughter Jerusalem. “Ha! Is this the city they called ²  ‘The perfection of beauty, ³  the source of joy of the whole earth!’?” ⁴ 

I have become the laughingstock of all people, ¹  their mocking song ²  all day long. ³ 

It is good to wait patiently ¹  for deliverance from the Lord. ² 

Let him offer his cheek to the one who hits him; ¹  let him have his fill of insults.

Though he causes us ¹  grief, he then has compassion on us ²  according to the abundance of his loyal kindness. ³ 

מ (Mem) With what can I equate ¹  you? To what can I compare you, O Daughter Jerusalem? To what can I liken you ²  so that ³  I might comfort you, O Virgin Daughter Zion? Your wound is as deep ⁴  as the sea. ⁵  Who can heal you? ⁶ 

פ (Pe) The Lord himself ¹  has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. They did not honor the priests; ²  they did not show favor to the elders. ³ 

כ (Kaf) All her people groaned as they searched for a morsel of bread. ¹  They exchanged ²  their valuables ³  for ⁴  just enough food to stay alive. ⁵ “Look, O Lord! Consider ⁶  that I have become worthless!”

נ (Nun) My sins are bound around my neck like a yoke; ¹  they are fastened together by his hand. He has placed his yoke ²  on my neck; ³  he has sapped my strength. ⁴  The Lord ⁵  has handed me over ⁶  to those whom I cannot resist.

ס (Samek) People cry to them, “Turn away! You are unclean! Turn away! Turn away! Don’t touch us!” So they have fled and wander about; but the nations say, ¹  “They may not stay here any longer.”