¹ Aleph. How is the gold become dim, the finest colour is changed, the stones of the sanctuary are scattered in the top of every street?

² Beth. The noble sons of Sion, and they that were clothed with the best gold: how are they esteemed as earthen vessels, the work of the potter's hands?

³ Ghimel. Even the sea monsters have drawn out the breast, they have given suck to their young: the daughter of my people is cruel, like the ostrich in the desert.

⁴ Daleth. The tongue of the sucking child hath stuck to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the little ones have asked for bread, and there was none to break it unto them.

⁵ He. They that were fed delicately have died in the streets; they that were brought up in scarlet have embraced the dung.

⁶ Vau. And the iniquity of the daughter of my people is made greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, and hands took nothing in her.

⁷ Zain. Her Nazarites were whiter than snow, purer than milk, more ruddy than the old ivory, fairer than the sapphire.

⁸ Heth. Their face is now made blacker than coals, and they are not known in the streets: their skin hath stuck to their bones, it is withered, and is become like wood.

⁹ Teth. It was better with them that were slain by the sword, than with them that died with hunger: for these pined away being consumed for want of the fruits of the earth.

¹⁰ Jod. The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

¹¹ Caph. The Lord hath accomplished his wrath, he hath poured out his fierce anger: and he hath kindled a fire in Sion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof.

¹² Lamed. The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world would not have believed, that the adversary and the enemy should enter in by the gates of Jerusalem.

¹³ Mem. For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.

¹⁴ Nun. They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they were defiled with blood: and when they could not help walking in it, they held up their skirts.

¹⁵ Samech. Depart you that are defiled, they cried out to them: Depart, get ye hence, touch not: for they quarrelled, and being removed, they said among the Gentiles: He will no more dwell among them.

¹⁶ Phe. The face of the Lord hath divided them, he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, neither had they pity on the ancient.

¹⁷ Ain. While we were yet standing, our eyes failed, expecting help for us in vain, when we looked attentively towards a nation that was not able to save.

¹⁸ Sade. Our steps have slipped in the way of our streets, our end draweth near: our days are fulfilled, for our end is come.

¹⁹ Coph. Our persecutors were swifter than the eagles of the air: they pursued us upon the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

²⁰ Res. The breath of our mouth, Christ the Lord, is taken in our sins: to whom we said: Under thy shadow we shall live among the Gentiles.

²¹ Sin. Rejoice, and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Hus: to thee also shall the cup come, thou shalt be made drunk, and naked.

²² Thau. Thy iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Sion, he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he visited thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he hath discovered thy sins. The Prayer of Jeremias the Prophet.

¹ Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat the fruit of his apple trees. I am come into my garden, O my sister, my spouse, I have gathered my myrrh, with my aromatical spices: I have eaten the honeycomb with my honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends, and drink, and be inebriated, my dearly beloved.

² I sleep, and my heart watcheth; the voice of my beloved knocking: Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is full of dew, and my locks of the drops of the nights.

³ I have put off my garment, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?

⁴ My beloved put his hand through the key hole, and my bowels were moved at his touch.

⁵ I arose up to open to my beloved: my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers were full of the choicest myrrh.

⁶ I opened the bolt of my door to my beloved: but he had turned aside, and was gone. My soul melted when he spoke: I sought him, and found him not: I called, and he did not answer me.

⁷ The keepers that go about the city found me: they struck me: and wounded me: the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.

⁸ I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him that I languish with love.

⁹ What manner of one is thy beloved of the beloved, O thou most beautiful among women? what manner of one is thy beloved of the beloved, that thou hast so adjured us?

¹⁰ My beloved is white and ruddy, chosen out of thousands.

¹¹ His head is as the finest gold: his locks as branches of palm trees, black as a raven.

¹² His eyes as doves upon brooks of waters, which are washed with milk, and sit beside the plentiful streams.

¹³ His cheeks are as beds of aromatical spices set by the perfumers. His lips are as lilies dropping choice myrrb.

¹⁴ His hands are turned and as of gold, full of hyacinths. His belly as of ivory, set with sapphires.

¹⁵ His legs as pillars of marble, that are set upon bases of gold. His form as of Libanus, excellent as the cedars.

¹⁶ His throat most sweet, and he is all lovely: such is my beloved, and he is my friend, O ye daughters of Jerusalem.

¹⁷ Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou most beautiful among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside, and we will seek him with thee?