^{1 Ref} Keep in mind, O Lord, what has come to us: take note and see our shame.

^{2 Ref} Our heritage is given up to men of strange lands, our houses to those who are not our countrymen.

^{3 Ref} We are children without fathers, our mothers are like widows.

^{4 Ref} We give money for a drink of water, we get our wood for a price.

^{5 Ref} Our attackers are on our necks: overcome with weariness, we have no rest.

^{6 Ref} We have given our hands to the Egyptians and to the Assyrians so that we might have enough bread.

^{7 Ref} Our fathers were sinners and are dead; and the weight of their evil-doing is on us.

^{8 Ref} Servants are ruling over us, and there is no one to make us free from their hands.

^{9 Ref} We put our lives in danger to get our bread, because of the sword of the waste land.

^{10 Ref} Our skin is heated like an oven because of our burning heat from need of food.

^{11 Ref} They took by force the women in Zion, the virgins in the towns of Judah.

^{12 Ref} Their hands put princes to death by hanging: the faces of old men were not honoured.

^{13 Ref} The young men were crushing the grain, and the boys were falling under the wood.

^{14 Ref} The old men are no longer seated in the doorway, and the music of the young men has come to an end.

^{15 Ref} The joy of our hearts is ended; our dancing is changed into sorrow.

^{16 Ref} The crown has been taken from our head: sorrow is ours, for we are sinners.

^{17 Ref} Because of this our hearts are feeble; for these things our eyes are dark;

^{18 Ref} Because of the mountain of Zion which is a waste; jackals go over it.

^{19 Ref} You, O Lord, are seated as King for ever; the seat of your power is eternal.

^{20 Ref} Why have we gone from your memory for ever? why have you been turned away from us for so long?

^{21 Ref} Make us come back to you, O Lord, and let us be turned; make our days new again as in the past.

^{22 Ref} But you have quite given us up; you are full of wrath against us.