New International Reader's Version

Lamentations 1:9-13 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

9. Her skirts are dirty. She didn't think about how things might turn out. Her fall from power amazed everyone. And no one was there to comfort her. She said, "Lord, please pay attention to how much I'm suffering. My enemies have won the battle over me."

10. Jerusalem 's enemies took away all of its treasures. Its people saw strangers enter its temple. The Lord had commanded them not to do that.

11. All of Jerusalem's people groan as they search for bread. They trade their treasures for food just to stay alive. They say, "Lord, look at us. Think about our condition. Everyone looks down on us."

12. They also say, "All of you who are passing by, don't you care about what has happened to us? Just look at our condition. Has anyone suffered the way we have? The Lord has brought all of this on us. He has made us suffer. His anger has burned against us.

13. "He sent fire down from heaven. It went deep down into our very bones. He spread a net to catch us by the feet. He stopped us right where we were. He made our city empty. We are sick all the time.