Translations
Modern
The elders of the Daughter of Zion sit on the ground in silence. They have thrown dust on their heads and put on sackcloth. The young women of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground.
Traditional
The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground, and keep silence: they have cast up dust upon their heads; they have girded themselves with sackcloth: the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground.
Literal
They sit on the ground and are silent—the elders of the daughter of Zion; they have thrown up dust on their heads, they have girded themselves with sackcloth; they have bowed their heads to the ground, the virgins of Jerusalem.
Latin
Sederunt in terra, conticuerunt senes filiæ Sion; consperserunt cinere capita sua, accincti sunt ciliciis: abjecerunt in terram capita sua virgines Jerusalem.
Original
Hebrew
English
The elders of the Daughter of Zion sit on the ground in silence. They have thrown dust on their heads and put on sackcloth. The young women of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground.
Notes
Burlap, also known as sackcloth, was made from goat or camel hair. People often used it for grain sacks or to carry items on pack animals. Poor people wore it as clothing because it was cheap. People in mourning wore it to show their deep sorrow. Its dark color matched their mood, and its roughness matched their discomfort.
Throwing dust on their heads and clothing signaled to neighbors that a family member had died.
This chapter vividly shows the Lord acting as the one who destroys Jerusalem.
Places
Jerusalem: The capital of Israel, a holy city for three religions
Glossary
Acrostic Head Lamentations, Book of Poetry, Biblical Sackcloth
Topics
Girdles: Made of Sackcloth Sackcloth: A Symbol of Mourning Virgin: Mourn in the Temple