אֵיכָה

Lamentations — Chapter 1

Read Lamentations Chapter 1 in Biblical Hebrew alongside the King James Version (KJV) — 22 verses. Original Hebrew text with vowel points (nikud) and full English translation.

אֵיכָ֣ה יָשְׁבָ֣ה בָדָ֗ד הָעִיר֙ רַבָּ֣תִי עָ֔ם הָיְתָ֖ה כְּאַלְמָנָ֑ה רַבָּ֣תִי בַגּוֹיִ֗ם שָׂרָ֣תִי בַּמְּדִינ֔וֹת הָיְתָ֖ה לָמַֽס׃

KJVHow doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!

How the city sits solitary, that was full of people! She has become like a widow, who was great among the nations. She who was a princess among the provinces has become a vassal.

בָּכ֨וֹ תִבְכֶּ֜ה בַּלַּ֗יְלָה וְדִמְעָתָהּ֙ עַ֣ל לֶחֱיָ֔הּ אֵֽין־לָ֥הּ מְנַחֵ֖ם מִכָּל־אֹהֲבֶ֑יהָ כָּל־רֵעֶ֙יהָ֙ בָּ֣גְדוּ בָ֔הּ הָי֥וּ לָ֖הּ לְאֹיְבִֽים׃

KJVShe weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.

She weeps bitterly in the night, her tears are on her cheeks; she has no comforter among all her lovers; all her friends have dealt treacherously with her; they have become her enemies.

גָּלְתָ֨ה יְהוּדָ֤ה מֵעֹ֙נִי֙ וּמֵרֹ֣ב עֲבֹדָ֔ה הִ֚יא יָשְׁבָ֣ה בַגּוֹיִ֔ם לֹ֥א מָצְאָ֖ה מָנ֑וֹחַ כָּל־רֹדְפֶ֥יהָ הִשִּׂיג֖וּהָ בֵּ֥ין הַמְּצָרִֽים׃

KJVJudah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.

Judah has gone into exile because of affliction and great servitude; she dwells among the nations but finds no resting place; all her pursuers overtook her in the midst of her distress.

דַּרְכֵ֤י צִיּוֹן֙ אֲבֵל֔וֹת מִבְּלִ֥י בָּאֵ֖י מוֹעֵ֑ד כָּל־שְׁעָרֶ֙יהָ֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ין כֹּהֲנֶ֖יהָ נֶאֱנָחִ֑ים בְּתוּלֹתֶ֥יהָ נּוּגּ֖וֹת וְהִ֥יא מַר־לָֽהּ׃

KJVThe ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.

The roads to Zion mourn because no one comes to the feast; all her gates are desolate; her priests groan; her virgins are afflicted, and she herself suffers bitterly.

הָי֤וּ צָרֶ֙יהָ֙ לְרֹ֔אשׁ אֹיְבֶ֖יהָ שָׁל֑וּ כִּֽי־יְהוָ֣ה הוֹגָ֔הּ עַ֖ל רֹ֣ב פְּשָׁעֶ֑יהָ עֽוֹלָלֶ֛יהָ הָלְכ֥וּ שְׁבִ֖י לִפְנֵי־צָֽר׃

KJVHer adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.

Her foes have become the head; her enemies prosper, because the LORD has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions; her children have gone away, captive before the foe.

וַיֵּצֵ֞א מִן־בַּת־צִיּ֗וֹן כָּל־הֲדָרָהּ֙ הָי֣וּ שָׂרֶ֔יהָ כְּאַיָּלִ֖ים לֹֽא־מָצְא֣וּ מִרְעֶ֑ה וַיֵּֽלְכ֣וּ בְלֹא כֹ֔חַ לִפְנֵ֖י רוֹדֵֽף׃

KJVAnd from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.

From the daughter of Zion all her splendor has departed; her princes have become like deer that find no pasture; they fled without strength before the pursuer.

זָכְרָ֣ה יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם יְמֵ֤י עָנְיָהּ֙ וּמְרוּדֶ֔יהָ כֹּ֚ל מַחֲמֻדֶ֔יהָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֖וּ מִימֵ֣י קֶ֑דֶם בִּנְפֹ֤ל עַמָּהּ֙ בְּיַד־צָ֔ר וְאֵ֣ין עוֹזֵ֔ר רָא֥וּהָ צָרִ֛ים שָׂחֲק֖וּ עַל מִשְׁבַּתֶּֽהָ׃

KJVJerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths.

Jerusalem remembers in the days of her affliction and wandering all the precious things that were hers from days of old. When her people fell into the enemy's hand and there was none to help, the enemies saw her and laughed at her downfall.

חֵ֣טְא חָטְאָ֤ה יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ עַל־כֵּ֣ן לְנִידָ֣ה הָ֔יְתָה כָּל־מְכַבְּדֶ֖יהָ הִזִּיל֑וּהָ כִּֽי־רָא֣וּ עֶרְוָתָ֔הּ גַּם־הִ֖יא נֶאֶנְחָ֑ה וַתָּ֖שָׁב אָחֽוֹר׃

KJVJerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.

Jerusalem sinned grievously; therefore she has become filthy; all who honored her despise her, for they have seen her nakedness; even she herself groans and turns her face away.

טֻמְאָתָהּ֙ בְּשׁוּלֶ֔יהָ לֹ֥א זָכְרָ֖ה אַחֲרִיתָ֑הּ וַתֵּ֣רֶד פְּלָאִ֔ים אֵ֥ין מְנַחֵ֖ם לָ֑הּ רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֶת עָנְיִ֔י כִּ֥י הִגְדִּ֖יל אוֹיֵֽב׃

KJVHer filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.

Her uncleanness was in her skirts; she took no thought of her future; therefore her fall is terrible; she has no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction, for the enemy has triumphed!

יָד֤וֹ פָּרַשׂ֙ צָ֔ר עַ֖ל כָּל מַחֲמַדֶּ֑יהָ כִּ֣י רָאֲתָ֗ה גוֹיִם֙ בָּ֣אוּ מִקְדָּשָׁ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּ֔יתָה לֹא־יָבֹ֥אוּ בַקָּהָ֖ל לָֽךְ׃

KJVThe adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.

The enemy has stretched out his hands over all her precious things; for she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary, those whom you commanded not to enter your assembly.

כָּל עַמָּ֗הּ נֶאֱנָחִים֙ מְבַקְּשִׁ֣ים לֶ֔חֶם נָתְנ֧וּ מַחֲמַדֵּיהֶ֛ם בְּאֹ֖כֶל לְהָשִׁ֣יב נָ֑פֶשׁ רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ וְהַבִּ֔יטָה כִּ֥י הָיִ֖יתִי זוֹלֵלָֽה׃

KJVAll her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O LORD, and consider; for I am become vile.

All her people groan as they search for bread; they trade their treasures for food to revive their strength. Look, O LORD, and see, for I am despised.

ל֣וֹא אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם כָּל עֹ֖בְרֵי דָּ֑רֶךְ הַבִּ֣יטוּ וּרְא֔וּ אִם יֵשׁ מַכְאוֹב֙ כְּמַכְאֹבִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר עוֹלַ֖ל לִ֑י אֲשֶׁ֣ר הוֹגָ֔ה יְהוָ֖ה בְּי֥וֹם חֲרֽוֹן אַפּֽוֹ׃

KJVIs it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.

Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me, which the LORD inflicted on the day of his fierce anger.

מִמָּר֞וֹם שָׁלַ֤ח אֵשׁ֙ בְּעַצְמֹתַ֔י וַיִּרְדֶּ֖נָּה פָּרַ֣שׂ רֶ֔שֶׁת לְרַגְלַ֖י הֱשִׁיבַ֣נִי אָח֑וֹר נְתָנַ֥נִי שֹׁמֵמָ֖ה כָּל הַיּֽוֹם׃

KJVFrom above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.

From on high he sent fire into my bones; it overwhelmed them. He spread a net for my feet; he turned me back; he has left me stunned, faint all the day long.

נִשְׂקַ֤ד עֹל֙ פְּשָׁעַ֔י בְּיָד֖וֹ יִשְׂתָּרְג֑וּ עָל֣וּ עַל צַוָּארִ֗י הִכְשִׁ֤יל כֹּחִי֙ נְתָנַ֣נִי אֲדֹנָ֔י בִּידֵ֖י לֹא אוּכַ֥ל קֽוּם׃

KJVThe yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.

My transgressions were bound into a yoke; by his hand they were fastened together; they were set on my neck; he caused my strength to fail; the Lord gave me into the hands of those I cannot withstand.

סִלָּ֤ה כָל אַבִּירַ֙י֙ אֲדֹנָ֔י בְּקִרְבִּ֗י קָרָ֤א עָלַי֙ מוֹעֵ֔ד לִשְׁבֹּ֖ר בַּחוּרָ֑י גַּת֙ דָּרַ֣ךְ אֲדֹנָ֔י לִבְתוּלַ֖ת בַּת יְהוּדָֽה׃

KJVThe Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.

The Lord has rejected all my mighty men in my midst; he summoned an assembly against me to crush my young men; the Lord has trodden as in a winepress the virgin daughter of Judah.

עַל אֵ֗לֶּה אֲנִ֤י בוֹכִיָּה֙ עֵינִ֣י עֵינִ֔י יֹ֣רְדָ֔ה מַ֔יִם כִּ֥י רָחַ֛ק מִמֶּ֖נִּי מְנַחֵ֑ם מֵשִׁ֣יב נַפְשִׁ֔י הָי֣וּ בָנַ֔י שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֖ים כִּ֥י גָבַ֖ר אוֹיֵֽב׃

KJVFor these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.

For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears; for a comforter is far from me, one to revive my spirit; my children are desolate, for the enemy has prevailed.

פֵּרְשָׂ֤ה צִיּוֹן֙ בְּיָדֶ֔יהָ אֵ֥ין מְנַחֵ֖ם לָ֑הּ צִוָּ֨ה יְהוָ֜ה לְיַעֲקֹ֗ב סְבִיבָ֤יו צָרָיו֙ הָֽיְתָ֣ה יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם לְנִדָּ֖ה בֵּינֵיהֶֽם׃

KJVZion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.

Zion stretches out her hands, but there is none to comfort her; the LORD has commanded against Jacob that his neighbors should be his foes; Jerusalem has become a filthy thing among them.

צַדִּיק֙ הוּא֙ יְהוָ֔ה כִּ֥י פִ֖יהוּ מָרִ֑יתִי שִׁמְעוּ נָ֤א כָל עַמִּים֙ וּרְא֣וּ מַכְאֹבִ֔י בְּתוּלֹתַ֥י וּבַחוּרַ֖י הָלְכ֥וּ בַשֶּֽׁבִי׃

KJVThe LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.

The LORD is righteous, for I have rebelled against his word; hear, all peoples, and see my suffering; my virgins and my young men have gone into captivity.

קָרָ֤אתִי לַמְאַהֲבַי֙ הֵ֣מָּה רִמּ֔וּנִי כֹּהֲנַ֥י וּזְקֵנַ֖י בָּעִ֣יר גָּוָ֑עוּ כִּ֥י בִקְשׁ֤וּ אֹ֙כֶל֙ לָהֶ֔ם וְיָשִׁ֖יבוּ אֶת נַפְשָֽׁם׃

KJVI called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.

I called to my lovers, but they deceived me; my priests and elders perished in the city while they sought food to revive their strength.

רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ כִּי צַר לִ֔י מֵעַ֖י חֳמַרְמָ֑רוּ נֶהְפַּ֤ךְ לִבִּי֙ בְּקִרְבִּ֔י כִּ֥י מָר֖וֹ מָרִ֑יתִי מִחוּץ֙ שִׁכְּלָה חֶ֔רֶב בַּבַּ֖יִת כַּמָּֽוֶת׃

KJVBehold, O LORD; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.

Look, O LORD, for I am in distress; my stomach churns; my heart is wrung within me, because I have been very rebellious. In the street the sword bereaves; in the house it is like death.

שָׁמְע֣וּ כִּ֣י נֶאֱנָחָ֣ה אָ֔נִי אֵ֥ין מְנַחֵ֖ם לִ֑י כָּל אֹיְבַי֙ שָׁמְע֣וּ רָעָתִ֔י שָׂשׂ֕וּ כִּ֥י אַתָּ֖ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ הֵבֵ֣אתָ י֔וֹם קָרָ֖אתָ וְיִֽהְי֥וּ כָמֽוֹנִי׃

KJVThey have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.

They heard my groaning, yet there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that you have done it. Bring on the day you have announced, and let them be like me.

תָּבֹ֤א כָל רָעָתָם֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְעוֹלֵ֣ל לָ֔הֶם כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עוֹלַ֖לְתָּ לִ֑י עַ֖ל כָּל פְּשָׁעָ֑י כִּ֚י רַבּ֣וֹת אַנְחֹתַ֔י וְלִבִּ֖י דַּוָּֽי׃

KJVLet all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.

Let all their wickedness come before you, and deal with them as you have dealt with me for all my transgressions; for my groans are many, and my heart is faint.