A Prayer for Restoration
Lamentations 5
This chapter is a communal prayer recounting the humiliations of foreign rule: inheritance given to strangers, children orphaned, forced labor, hunger, and princes and elders dishonored. It ends by acknowledging that the Lord's throne endures forever and asking him to turn his people back to himself and renew their days as before.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonREMEMBER, O Lord, what hath befallen us: look down and behold our reproach.
BrentonRemember, O Lord, what has happened to us: behold, and look on our reproach.
GreekΜνήσθητι Κύριε, ὅ, τι ἐγενήθη ἡμῖν· ἐπίβλεψον, καὶ ἴδε τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν ἡμῶν.
KJVRemember, O LORD, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach.
JPSRemember, O LORD, what is come upon us; Behold, and see our reproach.
2
ThomsonOur inheritance is transferred to strangers; our houses, to foreigners.
BrentonOur inheritance has been turned away to aliens, our houses to strangers:
GreekΚληρονομία ἡμῶν μετεστράθη ἀλλοτρίοις, οἱ οἶκοι ἡμῶν ξένοις.
KJVOur inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens.
JPSOur inheritance is turned unto strangers, Our houses unto aliens.
3
ThomsonWe are become orphans. Our father is no more. Our mothers are like widows.
Brentonwe are become orphans, we have no father, our mothers are as widows.
GreekὈρφανοὶ ἐγενήθημεν, οὐχ ὑπάρχει πατὴρ, μητέρες ἡμῶν ὡς αἱ χῆραι.
KJVWe are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.
JPSWe are become orphans and fatherless, Our mothers are as widows.
4
ThomsonOur water we have drunk for money. Our wood came by barter on our shoulders.
BrentonWe have drunk our water for money; our wood is sold to us for a burden on our neck:
GreekὝδωρ ἡμῶν ἐν ἀργυρίῳ ἐπίομεν, ξύλα ἡμῶν ἐν ἀλλάγματι ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον ἡμῶν·
KJVWe have drunken our water for money; our wood is sold unto us.
JPSWe have drunk our water for money; Our wood cometh to us for price.
5
ThomsonWe have been persecuted. We have laboured and have had no rest.
Brentonwe have been persecuted, we have laboured, we have had no rest.
Greekἐδιώχθημεν, ἐκοπιάσαμεν, οὐκ ἀνεπαύθημεν.
KJVOur necks are under persecution: we labour, and have no rest.
JPSTo our very necks we are pursued; We labour, and have no rest.
6
ThomsonEgypt laid a hand [on us]; Assyria, till they were satisfied.
BrentonEgypt gave the hand to us, Assur to their own satisfaction.
GreekΑἴγυπτος ἔδωκε χεῖρα, Ἀσσοὺρ εἰς πλησμονὴν αὐτῶν.
KJV—
JPSWe have given the hand to Egypt, And to Assyria, to have bread enough;
7
ThomsonOur fathers sinned; they are no more. We have borne their transgressions.
BrentonOur fathers sinned, and are not: we have borne their iniquities.
GreekΟἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν ἥμαρτον, οὐχ ὑπάρχουσιν, ἡμεῖς τὰ ἀνομήματα αὐτῶν ὑπέσχομεν.
KJVOur fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities.
JPSOur fathers have sinned, and are not; And we have borne their iniquities.
8
ThomsonSlaves have got dominion over us; there is none to deliver us out of their hand.
BrentonServants have ruled over us: there is none to ransom us out of their hand.
GreekΔοῦλοι ἐκυρίευσαν ἡμῶν, λυτρούμενος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῶν.
KJVServants have ruled over us: there is none that doth deliver us out of their hand.
JPSServants rule over us; There is none to deliver us out of their hand.
9
ThomsonAt the peril of our lives we must gather in our corn, because of the sword of the desert.
BrentonWe shall bring in our bread with danger of our lives, because of the sword of the wilderness.
GreekἘν ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἡμῶν εἰσοίσομεν ἄρτον ἡμῶν, ἀπὸ προσώπου ῥομφαίας τῆς ἐρήμου.
KJVWe gat our bread with the peril of our lives because of the sword of the wilderness.
JPSWe get our bread with the peril of our lives Because of the sword of the wilderness.
10
ThomsonOur skin is black as an oven. They are shrivelled up by storms of famine.
BrentonOur skin is blackened like an oven; they are convulsed, because of the storms of famine.
GreekΤὸ δέρμα ἡμῶν ὡς κλίβανος ἐπελιώθη, συνεσπάσθησαν ἀπὸ προσώπου καταιγίδων λιμοῦ.
KJVOur skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine.
JPSOur skin is hot like an oven Because of the burning heat of famine.
11
ThomsonOur wives are humbled in Sion; our virgins in the cities of Juda.
BrentonThey humbled the women in Sion, the virgins in the cities of Juda.
GreekΓυναῖκας ἐν Σιὼν ἐταπείνωσαν, παρθένους ἐν πόλεσιν Ἰούδα.
KJVThey ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah.
JPSThey have ravished the women in Zion, The maidens in the cities of Judah.
12
ThomsonOur chiefs were hanged up by their hands; our elders were held in no esteem.
BrentonPrinces were hanged up by their hands: the elders were not honoured.
GreekἌρχοντες ἐν χερσὶν αὐτῶν ἐκρεμάσθησαν, πρεσβύτεροι οὐκ ἐδοξάσθησαν.
KJVPrinces are hanged up by their hand: the faces of elders were not honoured.
JPSPrinces are hanged up by their hand; The faces of elders are not honoured.
13
ThomsonOur warriors took up a lamentation; and our youths fainted under a club.
BrentonThe chosen men lifted up the voice in weeping, and the youths fainted under the wood.
GreekἘκλεκτοὶ κλαυθμὸν ἀνέλαβον, καὶ νεανίσκοι ἐν ξύλῳ ἠσθένησαν.
KJVThey took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood.
JPSThe young men have borne the mill, And the children have stumbled under the wood.
14
ThomsonOur elders have ceased to attend at the gates, and our chosen men have ceased from their songs.
BrentonAnd the elders ceased from the gate, the chosen men ceased from their music.
GreekΚαὶ πρεσβύται ἀπὸ πύλης κατέπαυσαν, ἐκλεκτοὶ ἐκ ψαλμῶν αὐτῶν κατέπαυσαν.
KJVThe elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musick.
JPSThe elders have ceased from the gate, The young men from their music.
15
ThomsonThe joy of our heart is at an end; our dance is turned into mourning.
BrentonThe joy of our heart has ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.
GreekΚατέλυσε χαρὰ καρδίας ἡμῶν, ἐστράφη εἰς πένθος ὁ χορὸς ἡμῶν·
KJVThe joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.
JPSThe joy of our heart is ceased; Our dance is turned into mourning.
16
ThomsonOur crown is fallen from our head; alas for us! for we have sinned.
BrentonThe crown has fallen from our head: yea, woe to us! for we have sinned.
GreekἜπεσεν ὁ στέφανος ἡμῶν τῆς κεφαλῆς· οὐαὶ δὲ ἡμῖν, ὅτι ἡμάρτομεν.
KJVThe crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned!
JPSThe crown is fallen from our head; Woe unto us! for we have sinned.
17
ThomsonBecause of this, grief is come upon us—our heart is full of sorrow: because of this, our eyes are dim.
BrentonFor this has grief come; our heart is sorrowful: for this our eyes are darkened.
GreekΠερὶ τούτου ἐγενήθη ὀδύνη, ὀδυνηρὰ ἡ καρδία ἡμῶν, περὶ τούτου ἐσκότασαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν.
KJVFor this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes are dim.
JPSFor this our heart is faint, For these things our eyes are dim;
18
ThomsonOn mount Sion, because it is desolate, foxes have walked about.
BrentonOver the mountain of Sion, because it is made desolate, foxes have walked therein.
GreekἘπʼ ὄρος Σιὼν, ὅτι ἠφανίσθη, ἀλώπεκες διῆλθον ἐν αὐτῇ.
KJVBecause of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.
JPSFor the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, The foxes walk upon it.
19
Thomson—
BrentonBut thou, O Lord, shalt dwell for ever; thy throne shall endure to generation and generation.
GreekΣὺ δὲ Κύριε εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα κατοικήσεις, ὁ θρόνος σου εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν.
KJVThou, O LORD, remainest for ever; thy throne from generation to generation.
JPSThou, O LORD, art enthroned for ever, Thy throne is from generation to generation.
20
ThomsonWhy wilt Thou utterly forget us? Wilt Thou leave us for length of days?
BrentonWherefore wilt thou utterly forget us, and abandon us a long time?
GreekἹνατί εἰς νῖκος ἐπιλήσῃ ἡμῶν, καταλείψεις ἡμᾶς εἰς μακρότητα ἡμερῶν;
KJVWherefore dost thou forget us for ever, and forsake us so long time?
JPSWherefore dost Thou forget us for ever, And forsake us so long time?
21
ThomsonTurn us to Thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned and renew our days as heretofore.
BrentonTurn us, O Lord, to thee, and we shall be turned; and renew our days as before.
GreekἘπίστρεψον ἡμᾶς Κύριε πρὸς σὲ, καὶ ἐπιστραφησόμεθα· καὶ ἀνακαίνισον ἡμέρας ἡμῶν καθὼς ἔμπροσθεν.
KJVTurn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.
JPSTurn Thou us unto Thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; Renew our days as of old.
22
ThomsonBecause Thou wast cast off, Thou hast cast us off; Thou hast been provoked against us to a high degree.
BrentonFor thou hast indeed rejected us; thou hast been very wroth against us.
GreekὍτι ἀπωθούμενος ἀπώσω ἡμᾶς, ὠργίσθης ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς ἕως σθόδρα.
KJVBut thou hast utterly rejected us; thou art very wroth against us.
JPSThou canst not have utterly rejected us, And be exceeding wroth against us![Turn us unto Thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned; Renew our days as of old.]