1 The Anger of Yahweh Aleph How the Lord has covered the daughter of ZionWith a cloud in His anger!He has cast from heaven to earthThe beauty of Israel,And has not remembered the footstool of His feetIn the day of His anger.Beth
2 The Lord has swallowed up; He has not sparedAll the habitations of Jacob.In His wrath He has pulled downThe strongholds of the daughter of Judah;He has broughtthemdown to the ground;He has profaned the kingdom and its princes.Gimel
3 In 2:3 Lit burning hot anger He has cut in pieces 2:3 Lit Every horn All the strength of Israel;He has turned back His right handFrom before the enemy.And He has burned in Jacob like a flaming fireDevouring round about.Daleth
4 He has bent His bow like an enemy;He has set His right hand like an adversaryAnd killed all that were desirable to the eye;In the tent of the daughter of ZionHe has poured out His wrath like fire.He
5 The Lord has become like an enemy.He has swallowed up Israel;He has swallowed up all its palaces;He has brought its strongholds to ruinAnd multiplied in the daughter of JudahMourning and moaning.Vav
6 And He has violently treated His 2:6Lit booth tabernacle like a gardenbooth;He has brought His appointed 2:6Or time, cf.2:6b, 7 meeting place to ruin.Yahweh has caused to be forgottenThe appointed time and sabbath in Zion,And He has spurned king and priestIn the indignation of His anger.Zayin
7 The Lord has rejected His altar;He has abandoned His sanctuary;He has delivered into the hand of the enemyThe walls of her palaces.They have made a noise in the house of YahwehAs in the day of an appointed time.Heth
8 Yahweh 2:8 Lit thought determined to bring to ruinThe wall of the daughter of Zion.He has stretched out a line;He has not turned His hand back from swallowing up,And He has caused rampart and wall to mourn;They have languished together.Teth
9 Her gates have sunk into the ground;He has destroyed and broken her bars.Her king and her princes are among the nations;The law is no more.Also, her prophets findNo vision from Yahweh.Yodh
10 The elders of the daughter of ZionSit on the ground; they are silent.They have thrown dust up on their heads;They have girded themselves with sackcloth.The virgins of JerusalemHave bowed their heads down to the ground.Kaph
11 My eyes fail because of tears;My 2:11 Lit inward parts are in ferment inmost being is greatly disturbed;My 2:11 Lit liver heart is poured out on the earthBecause of the 2:11 Lit breaking destruction of the daughter of my people,When infants and nursing babies faintIn the open squares of the city.Lamedh
12 They say to their mothers,“Where is grain and wine?”As they faint like a wounded manIn the open squares of the city,As their life is poured outOn their mothers’ bosom.Mem
13 What shall I testify about you?To what shall I equate you,O daughter of Jerusalem?To what shall I liken you as I comfort you,O virgin daughter of Zion?For your 2:13Lit breaking destruction is as vast as the sea;Who can heal you?Nun
14 Your prophets have beheld for youWorthless and ineffectivevisions;And they have not uncovered your iniquitySo as to 2:14 Or restore return you from captivity,But they have beheld for you worthless and misleading 2:14 Lit burdens oracles.Samekh
15 All who pass along the wayClap their handsin derisionat you;They hiss and shake their headsAt the daughter of Jerusalem,“Is this the city of which they said,‘The perfection of beauty,The joy of the whole earth’?”Pe
16 All your enemiesHave opened their mouths wide against you;They hiss and gnashtheirteeth.They say, “We have swallowedherup!Surely this is the day for which we have hoped;We have foundit, we have seenit.”Ayin
17 Yahweh has done what He purposed;He has completed His wordWhich He commanded from days of old.He has pulled down without sparing,And He has caused the enemy to be glad over you;He has exalted the 2:17Lit horn might of your adversaries.Tsadhe
18 Their heart cried out to the Lord,“O wall of the daughter of Zion,Letyourtears run down like a river day and night;Give yourself no relief;Let 2:18 Lit the daughter of your eye your eyes not be still.Qoph
19 “Arise, cry aloud in the nightAt the head of the night watches;Pour out your heart like waterBefore the presence of the Lord;Lift up your hands to HimFor the life of your infantsWho are faint because of hungerAt the head of every street.”Resh
20 See, O Yahweh, and look!With whom have You dealt thus?Should women eat their 2:20 Lit fruit offspring,The infants who were 2:20 Or tenderly cared for born healthy?Should priest and prophet be killedIn the sanctuary of the Lord?Shin
21 On the ground in the streetsLie young and old;My virgins and my young menHave fallen by the sword.You have killedthemin the day of Your anger;You have slaughtered, not sparing.Tav
22 You called as in the day of an appointed timeMy terrors on every side;And there was no one who escaped or survivedIn the day of Yahweh’s anger.Those whom I 2:22Lit bore healthy, tenderly cared for gave birth to and reared,My enemy consumed them.