Study Desk

My dear Jerusalem, what can I say about you? What can I compare you to? What can I say you are like? How can I comfort you, city of Zion? You have been hurt much too badly for anyone to heal.

Your prophets saw visions for you, but their visions were only worthless lies. They didn't speak against your sins. They didn't try to make things better. They spoke messages for you, but they were false messages that fooled you.

All your enemies laugh at you. They whistle and grind their teeth at you. They say, "We have swallowed them up! This is the day we were hoping for. We have finally seen this happen!"

Get up throughout the night and cry for help. Let your sorrow pour out before the Lord like water. Lift up your hands in prayer to him. Ask him to let your children live. They are starving to death on every street corner.

Look at us, Lord ! Have you ever treated anyone else so badly? Is it right for women to eat their own babies, the children they have cared for? Should priests and prophets be killed in the Temple of the Lord?

Even when I cry out and ask for help, he does not listen to my prayer.

He made his bow ready. He made me the target for his arrows.

The Lord is good to those who wait for him. He is good to those who look for him.

It is good to wait quietly for the Lord to save them.

It is good for a man to wear his yoke from the time he is young.

No one alive can complain when he punishes them for their sins.

For no reason, my enemies hunted me like a bird.

Lord , you have seen my trouble. Now judge my case for me.

Give them back what they deserve, Lord . Pay them back for what they have done.

Babies are so thirsty their tongues stick to the roof of their mouths. Young children ask for bread, but no one gives them any.

It was better for those who were killed by the sword than for those who died of hunger. Those starving people were sad and hurt. They died because they got no food from the field.

Then even nice women cooked their own children. The children were food for their mothers. This happened when my people were destroyed.

We have worn out our eyes looking for help, but no help comes. We kept on looking for a nation to save us. We kept watch from our watchtower, but no nation came to us.

We have to buy the water that we drink. We have to pay for the wood that we use.

We have no more joy in our hearts. Our dancing has changed to crying for the dead.