What does Lamentations Chapter 1 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The solitary city contrasts present grief with former fullness. Iniquity and deprivation accompany fire, net and yoke images. Confession and requests for enemy recompense end the lament.

Chapter breakdown

Lamentations 1 portrays the formerly populous city solitary as a widow, with mistress-of-Gentiles and tributary-princes contrasts. Night tears find no comfort among former dear ones, now enemies. Juda’s removed dwelling, bondage and unrest among nations precede mournful Sion roads, broken gates, sighing priests and afflicted virgins. Adversaries rule because of many iniquities; children are captive, beauty gone and princes like pastureless rams. Memories of desirable things accompany enemy mockery of sabbaths.

Grievous sin, shame, backward turning and filthiness on feet lead to an appeal to see affliction. Gentiles enter the forbidden sanctuary and people exchange precious things for food. Passersby are asked to see unmatched sorrow. Fire in bones, a net for feet, desolation and a neck-yoke of iniquities accompany weakened strength. Mighty men are removed and the virgin daughter of Juda is trodden in a winepress. Tears continue with the comforter distant and children desolate.

Sion stretches hands without comfort and is compared to a menstruous woman. The speaking city calls the Lord just, asks peoples to hear sorrow and names captive virgins and young men. Deceiving friends, priests and ancients seeking food, troubled bowels and heart, sword abroad and death at home precede rejoicing enemies and a day of consolation when they will be like her. A final petition requests vintage on their evil as on her sins. Political treaties, family heirlooms, bone marrow, fleeing fields, relief already found and a universal equity mechanism are not added.

The story inside

Opening: The solitary city contrasts present grief with former fullness. Development: Iniquity and deprivation accompany fire, net and yoke images. Conclusion: Confession and requests for enemy recompense end the lament.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The solitary city contrasts present grief with former fullness.
2
Iniquity and deprivation accompany fire, net and yoke images.
3
Confession and requests for enemy recompense end the lament.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 89904–89910
1:1. Aleph. How doth the city sit solitary that was full of people! how is the mistress of the Gentiles become as a widow: the princes of provinces made tributary! 1:2. Beth. Weeping, she hath wept in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: there is none to comfort her among all them that were dear to her: all her friends have despised her, and are become her enemies.
Lines 89977–89979
1:18. Sade. The Lord is just, for I have provoked his mouth to wrath: hear, I pray you, all ye people, and see my sorrow: my virgins, and my young men are gone into captivity.