Lamentations 1:1, 8, 11-12

Jerusalem once was full of people, but now the city is empty. Jerusalem once was a great city among the nations, but now she is like a widow. She was like a queen of all the other cities, but now she is a slave.

Jerusalem sinned terribly, so she has become unclean. Those who honored her now hate her, because they have seen her nakedness. She groans and turns away.

All of Jerusalem’s people groan, looking for bread. They are trading their precious things for food so they can stay alive. The city says, “Look, LORD, and see. I am hated.” Jerusalem says, “You who pass by on the road don’t seem to care. Come, look at me and see: Is there any pain like mine? Is there any pain like that he has caused me? The LORD has punished me on the day of his great anger.