1. Alas! The city once full of peoplenow sits all alone!The prominent lady among the nationshas become a widow!The princess who once ruled the provinces has become a forced laborer!ב (Bet)
2. She weeps bitterly at night;tears stream down her cheeks.She has no one to comfort heramong all her lovers.All her friends have betrayed her;they have become her enemies.ג (Gimel)
3. Judah has departed into exile under affliction and harsh oppression.She lives among the nations;she has found no resting place.All who pursued her overtook herin narrow straits. ד (Dalet)
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)
5. Her foes subjugated her;her enemies are at ease. For the Lord afflicted herbecause of her many acts of rebellion.Her children went awaycaptive before the enemy.ו (Vav)
6. All of Daughter Zion’s splendorhas departed. Her leaders became like deer;they found no pasture,so they were too exhausted to escape from the hunter.ז (Zayin)
7. Jerusalem remembers, when she became a poor homeless person,all her treasuresthat she owned in days of old.When her people fell into an enemy’s grip, none of her allies came to her rescue. Her enemies gloated over her;they sneered at her downfall.ח (Khet)
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 aloudand turns away in shame.ט (Tet)
9. Her menstrual flow has soiled her clothing;she did not consider the consequences of her sin.Her demise was astonishing,and there was no one to comfort her.She cried, “Look, O Lord, on my affliction because my enemy boasts!”י (Yod)