Lamentations 1:21

How Lonely Lies the City! · Lamentations 1:1–22
Read Lamentations 1

Translations

Modern
People have heard my groaning, but there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that You have caused it. May You bring the day You have announced, so that they may become like me.
Traditional
They 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.
Literal
They have heard that I have sighed; there is no one giving comfort to me; all my enemies have heard my trouble; they are glad that You have done it! May You bring the day You called for, and let them become like me.
Latin
Audierunt quia ingemisco ego, et non est qui consoletur me; omnes inimici mei audierunt malum meum, lætati sunt quoniam tu fecisti: adduxisti diem consolationis, et fient similes mei.

Original

Hebrew
English
People have heard my groaning, but there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that You have caused it. May You bring the day You have announced, so that they may become like me.

Notes

the day You have announced: The poet felt encouraged by the belief that God would establish a day for fair judgment of both oppressors and victims (see Isaiah 13:6, 9; Jeremiah 46:10–12, 27–28; Amos 5:18–20; Obadiah 1:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:2–3; 2 Thessalonians 2:2).

Chapter 1 mourns the destruction and desolation of Jerusalem, recognizing that this was God’s well-deserved judgment on Israel’s sins.

Parallels

2 Kings 24:10–17

Glossary

Acrostic Lamentations, Book of Poetry, Biblical