1Ach, jak zůstalo opuštěno to město plné lidí! Jako by bylo ovdovělo to proslulé mezi národy! Bývalo kněžnou mezi zeměmi, a teď je v otroctví. 2Hořce naříká celou noc, po tvářích kanou slzy. Z jejích milenců, kolik jich bylo, ji žádný nejde utěšit. Všichni přátelé ji zradili, obrátili se proti ní! 3Juda odešel do vyhnanství ponížen krutou porobou. Přebývá mezi pohany a nemá, kde by spočinul. Všichni, kdo ho pronásledovali, ho dostihli v jeho sevření. 4Osiřelé jsou cesty na Sion, nikdo už nejde na slavnost. Jeho brány pustě zejí, jeho kněží sténají, jeho panny mají smutek – Sionu je tak hořce! 5Jeho protivníci triumfují, nepřátelé mají zdar. Hospodin totiž Jeruzalém ranil kvůli mnoha jeho nevěrám. Do zajetí šly i děti – nepřítel si je vzal! 6Dceru sionskou opustila veškerá nádhera. Její velmoži jako jeleni pastvu marně hledají; zbaveni síly prchají před svými pronásledovateli. 7Ve dnech trápení a bloudění Dcera jeruzalémská vzpomíná na všechny poklady, jež kdysi mívala. Když její lid padal rukou soka a nikdo nešel na pomoc, nepřítel se tenkrát díval a smál se nad tou záhubou. 8Dcera jeruzalémská hrozně hřešila, stala se nečistou. Každý ctitel jí teď pohrdá, když vidí její nahotu, a ona zatím sténá, hanbou zakrývá si tvář. 9Na jejích sukních špína ulpěla, nestarala se, co bude pak. Neuvěřitelný byl její pád a nikde žádná útěcha. Pohleď, Hospodine, na mé trápení – nepřítel zvítězil! 10Na vše, co jí bylo drahé, vztáhl svou ruku nepřítel. Viděla, jak do její svatyně vtrhli pohané – ti, o kterých jsi nařídil: „Do tvého shromáždění nesmějí!“ 11Všechen její lid sténá a žebrá o chleba. Své drahé dali za něco k jídlu, aby se udrželi naživu. Pohleď, Hospodine, jen se podívej, v jaké jsem hrozné potupě! 12Není to pro vás vůbec nic, všichni, kdo procházíte kolem? Jen se podívejte, pohleďte, zda je bolest podobná té, kterou trpím, kterou mě ranil Hospodin v den, kdy se rozlítil. 13On seslal oheň z výšiny do mých kostí, které zachvátil. On nastražil mým nohám síť, obrátil mě zpátky. On způsobil mé zničení, celé dny ležím v bezmoci! 14Z mých hříchů se stalo jho, jež bylo jeho rukou svázáno. Zavěsily se mi na hrdlo, to jho mě síly zbavilo! Hospodin mě vydal do rukou, před nimiž obstát nemohu. 15Hospodin pohrdl všemi hrdiny, kteří jsou v mých zdech. Vojsko proti mně shromáždil, aby rozdrtil mé mládence. Hospodin šlapal v lisu panenskou dceru Judu! 16To proto nyní pláči, z očí mi tečou slzy. Není nablízku, kdo by mě potěšil, kdo by mi život navrátil. Mé děti zůstaly opuštěny – nepřítel zvítězil. 17Sion své ruce vztahuje, chybí mu těšitel. Hospodin vzbudil proti Jákobovi všechny nepřátele z okolí; Jeruzalém je mezi nimi jako nečistý. 18Hospodin je ale v právu, vždyť jsem se vzepřela jeho příkazům. Poslyšte, všechny národy, pohleďte na mé trápení: Mé panny i mí mládenci museli jít do zajetí. 19Volala jsem své milence, ti mě však zradili. Moji kněží i mí stařešinové ve městě pomřeli, když žebrali o něco k jídlu, aby se udrželi naživu. 20Pohleď, Hospodine, na mé úzkosti, jak se mi chvějí útroby! Srdce mi buší v prsou nad mojí hroznou vzpourou. Venku meč vraždí děti, doma umírají hlady! 21Každý slyší mé sténání, nikdo mě ale netěší. Všichni mí nepřátelé slyší o mém neštěstí a jásají nad tím, co jsi dopustil. Kéž už přivedeš ten vyhlášený den, kdy je postihne to, co mě! 22Kéž už všechna jejich zloba vystoupí před tvou tvář. Proveď jim, co jsi mi učinil za všechny mé nevěry. Je příliš mého sténání, srdce mi puká bolestí!
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 (Lam. 1:1-22)
how is she . . . widow! she that was great, &c.--English Version is according to the accents. But the members of each sentence are better balanced in antithesis, thus, "how is she that was great among the nations become as a widow! (how) she who was princess among the provinces (that is, she who ruled over the surrounding provinces from the Nile to the Euphrates,
Γέν. 15:18;
1Βασ. 4:21;
2Χρ. 9:26;
Εσδ. 4:20) become tributary!" [MAURER].
sit--on the ground; the posture of mourners (
Θρ. 2:10;
Εσδ. 9:3). The coin struck on the taking of Jerusalem by Titus, representing Judea as a female sitting solitary under a palm tree, with the inscription, Judća Capta, singularly corresponds to the image here; the language therefore must be prophetical of her state subsequent to Titus, as well as referring retrospectively to her Babylonian captivity.
2 in the night--even in the night, the period of rest and oblivion of griefs (
Ιώβ 7:3).
lovers . . . friends--the heathen states allied to Judah, and their idols. The idols whom she "loved" (
Ιερ. 2:20-
Ιερ. 2:25) could not comfort her. Her former allies would not: nay, some "treacherously" joined her enemies against her (
2Βασ. 24:2,
2Βασ. 24:7;
Ψαλ. 137:7).
3 (
Ιερ. 52:27).
because of great servitude--that is, in a state "of great servitude," endured from the Chaldeans. "Because" is made by VATABLUS indicative of the cause of her captivity; namely, her having "afflicted" and unjustly brought into "servitude" the manumitted bond-servants (
Ιερ. 34:8-
Ιερ. 34:22). MAURER explains it, "Judah has left her land (not literally 'gone into captivity') because of the yoke imposed on it by Nebuchadnezzar."
no rest-- (
Δευτ. 28:64-
Δευτ. 28:65).
overtook her between . . . straits--image from robbers, who in the East intercept travellers at the narrow passes in hilly regions.
4 feasts--the passover, pentecost (or the feast of weeks), and the feast of tabernacles.
gates--once the place of concourse.
5 the chief--rule her (
Δευτ. 28:43-
Δευτ. 28:44).
adversaries . . . prosper; for the Lord--All the foes' attempts would have failed, had not God delivered His people into their hands (
Ιερ. 30:15).
6 beauty . . . departed--her temple, throne, and priesthood.
harts that find no pasture--an animal timid and fleet, especially when seeking and not able to "find pasture."
7 remembered--rather, "remembers," now, in her afflicted state. In the days of her prosperity she did not appreciate, as she ought, the favors of God to her. Now, awakening out of her past lethargy, she feels from what high privileges she has fallen.
when her people fell, &c.--that is, after which days of prosperity "her people fell."
mock at her sabbaths--The heathen used to mock at the Jews' Sabbath, as showing their idleness, and term them Sabbatarians [MARTIAL, 4.4]. Now, said they ironically, ye may keep a continuous Sabbath. So God appointed the length of the captivity (seventy years) to be exactly that of the sum of the Sabbaths in the four hundred ninety years in which the land was denied its Sabbaths (
Λευ. 26:33-
Λευ. 26:35). MAURER translates it "ruin." But English Version better expresses the point of their "mocking," namely, their involuntary "Sabbaths," that is, the cessation of all national movements. A fourth line is added in this stanza, whereas in all the others there are but three. So in
Θρ. 2:19.
8 (
1Βασ. 8:46).
is removed--as a woman separated from the congregation of God for legal impurity, which is a type of moral impurity. So
Θρ. 1:17;
Λευ. 12:2;
Λευ. 15:19, &c.
her nakedness--They have treated her as contumeliously as courtesans from whom their clothes are stripped.
turneth backward--as modest women do from shame, that is, she is cast down from all hope of restoration [CALVIN].
9 Continuation of the image in
Θρ. 1:8. Her ignominy and misery cannot be concealed but are apparent to all, as if a woman were suffering under such a flow as to reach the end of her skirts.
remembereth not . . . last end-- (
Δευτ. 32:29;
Ησ. 47:7). She forgot how fatal must be the end of her iniquity. Or, as the words following imply: She, in despair, cannot lift herself up to lay hold of God's promises as to her "latter end" [CALVIN].
wonderfully--Hebrew, "wonders," that is, with amazing dejection.
O Lord, behold--Judah here breaks in, speaking for herself.
for the enemy hath magnified himself--What might seem ground for despair, the elated insulting of the enemy, is rather ground for good hope.
10 for--surely she hath seen, &c.
heathen . . . command . . . not enter . . . congregation--for instance, the Ammonites and Moabites (
Δευτ. 23:3;
Νεεμ. 13:1-
Νεεμ. 13:2). If the heathen, as such, were not allowed to enter the sanctuary for worship, much less were they allowed to enter in order to rob and destroy.
11 (
Ιερ. 37:21;
Ιερ. 38:9;
Ιερ. 52:6).
given . . . pleasant things for meat-- (
2Βασ. 6:25;
Ιώβ 2:4).
relieve . . . soul--literally, "to cause the soul or life to return."
for I am become vile--Her sins and consequent sorrows are made the plea in craving God's mercy. Compare the like plea in
Ψαλ. 25:11.
12 The pathetic appeal of Jerusalem, not only to her neighbors, but even to the strangers "passing by," as her sorrow is such as should excite the compassion even of those unconnected with her. She here prefigures Christ, whom the language is prophetically made to suit, more than Jerusalem. Compare Israel, that is, Messiah,
Ησ. 49:3. Compare with "pass by,"
Ματθ. 27:39;
Μάρκ. 15:29. As to Jerusalem,
Δαν. 9:12. M AURER, from the Arabic idiom, translates, "do not go off on your way," that is, stop, whoever ye are that pass by. English Version is simpler.
13 bones--a fire which not only consumes the skin and flesh, but penetrates even to my "bones" (that is, my vital powers).
prevaileth against--not as ROSENMULLER, "He (Jehovah) hath broken them"; a sense not in the Hebrew.
net-- (
Ιεζ. 12:13); image from hunting wild beasts. He has so entangled me in His judgments that I cannot escape.
turned me back--so that I cannot go forward and get free from His meshes.
14 yoke . . . is bound by his hand-- (
Δευτ. 28:48). Metaphor from husbandmen, who, after they have bound the yoke to the neck of oxen, hold the rein firmly twisted round the hand. Thus the translation will be, "in His hand." Or else, "the yoke of my transgressions" (that is, of punishment for my transgressions) is held so fast fixed on me "by" God, that there is no loosening of it; thus English Version, "by His hand."
wreathed--My sins are like the withes entwined about the neck to fasten the yoke to.
into their hands, from whom--into the hands of those, from whom, &c. MAURER translates, "before whom I am not able to stand."
15 trodden, &c.--MAURER, from Syriac root, translates, "cast away"; so
2Βασ. 23:27. But
Ψαλ. 119:118, supports English Version.
in . . . midst of me--They fell not on the battlefield, but in the heart of the city; a sign of the divine wrath.
assembly--the collected forces of Babylon; a very different "assembly" from the solemn ones which once met at Jerusalem on the great feasts. The Hebrew means, literally, such a solemn "assembly" or feast (compare
Θρ. 2:22).
trodden . . . virgin . . . in a wine-press--hath forced her blood to burst forth, as the red wine from the grapes trodden in the press (
Ησ. 63:3;
Αποκ. 14:19-
Αποκ. 14:20;
Αποκ. 19:15).
16 (
Ιερ. 13:17;
Ιερ. 14:17). Jerusalem is the speaker.
mine eye, mine eye--so
Θρ. 4:18, "our end . . . our end"; repetition for emphasis.
17 Like a woman in labor-throes (
Ιερ. 4:31).
menstruous woman--held unclean, and shunned by all; separated from her husband and from the temple (compare
Θρ. 1:8;
Λευ. 14:19, &c.).
18 The sure sign of repentance; justifying God, condemning herself (
Νεεμ. 9:33;
Ψαλ. 51:4;
Δαν. 9:7-
Δαν. 9:14).
his commandment--literally, "mouth"; His word in the mouth of the prophets.
19 lovers-- (
Θρ. 1:2;
Ιερ. 30:14).
elders--in dignity, not merely age.
sought . . . meat--Their dignity did not exempt them from having to go and seek bread (
Θρ. 1:11).
20 bowels . . . troubled-- (
Ιώβ 30:27;
Ησ. 16:11;
Ιερ. 4:19;
Ιερ. 31:20). Extreme mental distress affects the bowels and the whole internal frame.
heart . . . turned-- (
Ωσ. 11:8); is agitated or fluttered.
abroad . . . sword . . . at home . . . as death-- (
Δευτ. 32:25;
Ιεζ. 7:15). The "as" does not modify, but intensifies. "Abroad the sword bereaveth, at home as it were death itself" (personified), in the form of famine and pestilence (
2Βασ. 25:3;
Ιερ. 14:18;
Ιερ. 52:6). So
Αββ. 2:5, "as death" [MICHAELIS].
21 they are glad that thou hast done it--because they thought that therefore Judah is irretrievably ruined (
Ιερ. 40:3).
the day . . . called--(but) thou wilt bring on them the day of calamity which thou hast announced, namely, by the prophets (Jer. 50:1-46;
Ιερ. 48:27).
like . . . me--in calamities (
Ψαλ. 137:8-
Ψαλ. 137:9;
Ιερ. 51:25, &c.).
22 Such prayers against foes are lawful, if the foe be an enemy of God, and if our concern be not for our own personal feeling, but for the glory of God and the welfare of His people.
come before thee--so
Αποκ. 16:19, "Babylon came in remembrance before God" (compare
Ψαλ. 109:15).