זְכֹר ה' מֶה־הָיָה לָנוּ הַבִּיטָ וּרְאֵה אֶת־חֶרְפָּתֵנוּ

Remember, Lord, what befell us, our terrible troubles. Alternatively, this means: Remember our glorious past, and on the other hand, look and see our current disgrace.

נַחֲלָתֵנוּ נֶהֶפְכָה לְזָרִים בָּתֵּינוּ לְנָכְרִים

Our inheritance has been transferred to strangers, after they invaded and plundered it, our houses have been given to foreigners.

יְתוֹמִים הָיִינוּ וְאֵין אָב אִמֹּתֵינוּ כְּאַלְמָנוֹת

We have become orphans, fatherless; our mothers are like widows.

מֵימֵינוּ בְּכֶסֶף שָׁתִינוּ עֵצֵינוּ בִּמְחִיר יָבֹאוּ

When the water reservoirs were full, there was no need to pay for water; but during the siege, our water we drank for money. In better days, there was no shortage of wood that could be collected easily; now, our wood comes at a price.

עַל צַוָּארֵנוּ נִרְדָּפְנוּ יָגַעְנוּ וְלֹא הוּנַּח־לָנוּ

Up to our necks we were pursued; we are exhausted, and we have no respite.

מִצְרַיִם נָתַנּוּ יָד אַשּׁוּר לִשְׂבֹּעַ לָחֶם

We extended a hand to Egypt, to receive financial aid from them. This may be referring to Tzidkiya’s covenant with Egypt. And we went to Assyria, to be sated with bread; but help came from neither kingdom.

אֲבֹתֵינוּ חָטְאוּ וְאֵינָם וַאֲנַחְנוּ עֲוֹנֹתֵיהֶם סָבָלְנוּ

Our fathers have sinned and are no more, and we have suffered not only for our own sins, but for their iniquities as well.

עֲבָדִים מָשְׁלוּ בָנוּ פֹּרֵק אֵין מִיָּדָם

Servants rule over us. The true kingdom has fallen, and as naturally happens when the government is weak, people from the bottom of society have risen to greatness. There is none to deliver us from their hand.

בְּנַפְשֵׁנוּ נָבִיא לַחְמֵנוּ מִפְּנֵי חֶרֶב הַמִּדְבָּר

We bring our bread at the peril of our lives due to the sword of the wilderness. In order to obtain food, we must put our lives at risk by traveling through the desert, which is frequented by robbers. Alternatively: In order to survive during the war we must bring food from faraway places, even from the wilderness.

עוֹרֵנוּ כְּתַנּוּר נִכְמָרוּ מִפְּנֵי זַלְעֲפוֹת רָעָב

Our skin burns like an oven, or has shriveled as though it were baked in an oven, due to fear of famine.

נָשִׁים בְּצִיּוֹן עִנּוּ בְּתֻלֹת בְּעָרֵי יְהוּדָה

When the enemy soldiers invaded the city, they raped women in Zion, virgins in the cities of Judah.

שָׂרִים בְּיָדָם נִתְלוּ פְּנֵי זְקֵנִים לֹא נֶהְדָּרוּ

Princes were hanged by their hand. The enemies would hang the dignitaries of Jerusalem by their hands as a punishment, for show, or in order to extract information from them. The faces of elders were not shown deference. No one honored the elders.

בַּחוּרִים טְחוֹן נָשָׂאוּ וּנְעָרִים בָּעֵץ כָּשָׁלוּ

The young, strong men carried the mill; they were ordered to carry the mill on their shoulders so that this would wear them out. And the lads, who were chained, stumbled on the wood to which they were chained.

זְקֵנִים מִשַּׁעַר שָׁבָתוּ בַּחוּרִים מִנְּגִינָתָם

The elders have ceased from sitting at the city gate, as there is no longer anyone to listen to them. The young men have ceased from their music and parties.

שָׁבַת מְשׂוֹשׂ לִבֵּנוּ נֶהְפַּךְ לְאֵבֶל מְחוֹלֵנוּ

The gladness of our heart has ceased; our joyous dance has been transformed into mourning.

נָפְלָה עֲטֶרֶת רֹאשֵׁנוּ אוֹי־נָא לָנוּ כִּי חָטָאנוּ

The crown has fallen from our head; our honor is lost. Alternatively, this may refer to the crown and honor of the monarchy. Woe to us, for we have sinned.

עַל־זֶה הָיָה דָוֶה לִבֵּנוּ עַל־אֵלֶּה חָשְׁכוּ עֵינֵינוּ

For this our heart suffers; for these our eyes are dim:

עַל הַר־צִיּוֹן שֶׁשָּׁמֵם שׁוּעָלִים הִלְּכוּ־בוֹ

for Mount Zion, the Temple Mount, which is desolate; its past vitality is gone, and foxes, who commonly dwell in desolate areas, walk on it.

אַתָּה ה' לְעוֹלָם תֵּשֵׁב כִּסְאֲךָ לְדוֹר וָדוֹר

Despite the anguish, the book ends on a note of acceptance and hope: You, Lord, are enthroned forever; Your throne is secure from generation to generation. Although God’s residency in this world is the mountain of Zion, which is now desolate, His heavenly throne is independent of worldly events, and it will stand forever.

לָמָּה לָנֶצַח תִּשְׁכָּחֵנוּ תַּעַזְבֵנוּ לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים

But as for us, why do You forget us forever, forsake us for the length of our days?

הֲשִׁיבֵנוּ ה' אֵלֶיךָ וְנָשׁוּבָ חַדֵּשׁ יָמֵינוּ כְּקֶדֶם

Return us to You, Lord, and if You do so, we will return; we will return to You, willingly and actively. Renew our days as of old, like the days when You loved us and honored us.

כִּי אִם מָאֹס מְאַסְתָּנוּ קָצַפְתָּ עָלֵינוּ עַד־מְאֹד השיבנו ה' אליך ונשוב חדש ימינו כקדם

For You have despised us, or: You have indeed despised us. You have been exceedingly angry with us. We have suffered more than enough humiliation; our debt has been paid.