Lamentations

Lamentations 1:1–2

1Howa lonely lies the city,

once so full of people!

She who was great among the nations

has become a widow.

The princess of the provinces

has become a slave.

2She weeps aloud in the night,

with tears upon her cheeks.

Among all her lovers

there is no one to comfort her.

All her friends have betrayed her;

they have become her enemies.

Footnotes

  • a 1:1 This chapter is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

Read all of Lamentations 1

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Lamentations 1:1

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Howאֵיכָ֣ה׀’ê·ḵāhInterjectionH349 How?
lonelyבָדָ֗דḇā·ḏāḏNoun - masculine singularH910 isolation, separation
liesיָשְׁבָ֣הyā·šə·ḇāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularH3427 sit, remain, dwell
the cityהָעִיר֙hā·‘îrArticle; Noun - feminine singularH5892 excitement
once so fullרַבָּ֣תִיrab·bā·ṯîAdjective - feminine singular constructH7227 much, many, great
of peopleעָ֔ם‘āmNoun - masculine singularH5971 people
She who was greatרַּבָּ֣תִיrab·bå̄·ṯīAdjective - feminine singular constructH7227 much, many, great
among the nationsבַגּוֹיִ֗םḇag·gō·w·yimPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine pluralH1471 nation, people
has becomeהָיְתָ֖הhā·yə·ṯāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
a widowכְּאַלְמָנָ֑הkə·’al·mā·nāhPreposition-k; Noun - feminine singularH490 widow
The princessשָׂרָ֙תִי֙śā·rā·ṯîNoun - feminine singular constructH8282 princess, noble lady
of the provincesבַּמְּדִינ֔וֹתbam·mə·ḏî·nō·wṯPreposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine pluralH4082 province
has becomeהָיְתָ֖הhā·yə·ṯāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
a slaveלָמַֽס׃סlā·masPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singularH4522 body of forced labourers, task-workers, labour-band or gang

Lamentations 1:2

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
She weeps aloudבָּכ֨וֹbā·ḵōwVerb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteH1058 weep, bewail
in the nightבַּלַּ֗יְלָהbal·lay·lāhPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH3915 twist, night, adversity
with tearsוְדִמְעָתָהּ֙wə·ḏim·‘ā·ṯāhConjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person feminine singularH1832 tears
uponעַ֣ל‘alPrepositionH5921 height
her cheeksלֶֽחֱיָ֔הּle·ḥĕ·yāhNoun - feminine singular construct; third person feminine singularH3895 jaw, cheek
Among allמִכָּל־mik·kālPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
her loversאֹהֲבֶ֑יהָ’ō·hă·ḇe·hāVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singularH157 love
there is no oneאֵֽין־’ên-AdverbH369 nothing, nought
to comfortמְנַחֵ֖םmə·na·ḥêmVerb - Piel - Participle - masculine singularH5162 be sorry, console
Allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
her friendsרֵעֶ֙יהָ֙rê·‘e·hāNoun - masculine plural construct; third person feminine singularH7453 shouting, roar
have betrayedבָּ֣גְדוּbā·ḡə·ḏūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH898 act or deal treacherously
herבָ֔הּḇāhPreposition; third person feminine singular
they have becomeהָ֥יוּhā·yūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
herלָ֖הּlāhPreposition; third person feminine singular
enemiesלְאֹיְבִֽים׃סlə·’ō·yə·ḇîmPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH341 be hostile to

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Lamentations 1:1 Isaiah 3:26 · 1 Kings 4:21 · Revelation 18:16–17 · Ezra 4:20 · Isaiah 54:4 · Isaiah 22:2 · 2 Kings 23:35 · Zephaniah 2:15 · Lamentations 5:16

Lamentations 1:2 Psalm 6:6 · Micah 7:5 · Job 19:13–14 · Lamentations 1:19 · Jeremiah 30:14 · Jeremiah 22:20–22 · Lamentations 1:16–17 · Psalm 31:11 · Lamentations 1:9 · Ezekiel 23:22–25 · Jeremiah 4:30 · Jeremiah 9:1

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.