Targum Book of Lamentations Chapter One 1.

Jeremiah the prophet and high priest said: How has it been decreed against Jerusalem and her people that they should be condemned to banishment, and that Eikhah should be pronounced over them in mourning, just as Adam and Eve were condemned, when they were banished from the Garden of Eden, and the Lord of the World pronounced Eikhah over them in mourning? The Attribute of Justice answered, and thus said: It is on account of the extent of her sins, and the sedition and rebellion that are in her midst. Therefore she dwells alone, as a man in whose flesh is the plague of leprosy dwells alone. And the city that was full of crowds and numerous peoples has been emptied of them, and has become like a widow: and she who grew great among the nations and ruled over provinces, and they were paying taxes to her, has been brought low in turn, and gives tribute to them after [all] this. 2. When Moses the prophet sent scouts to spy out the Land, the scouts came back and put out a bad report of the Land of Israel. And that night was the ninth day of Ab, and when the people of the House of Israel heard this bad news that they received about the Land of Israel, the people lifted up their voices, and the people wept on that night. Immediately the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he decreed that they should weep on that night throughout [all] their generations for the destruction of the Temple. And when it was told by prophecy to Jeremiah the high priest that Jerusalem would be destroyed by wicked Nebuchadnezzar, if k they did not return in repentance, immediately he went up and reproved the people of the House of Israel, but they refused to receive his word. So wicked Nebuchadnezzar went up and devastated Jerusalem, and burned the Temple with fire on the ninth day of the month of Ab. And on this same night the Congregation of Israel wept bitterly, and tears ran down her cheeks. There was none to speak comfort to her heart out of all the idols after whom she loved to go. And on account of this all her friends ill-treated her; they turned into her enemies. 3. The House of Judah has gone into exile, because they oppressed orphans and widows, and because of the great servitude which they imposed upon their brothers, the Israelites, who sold themselves to them; and they did not proclaim freedom to their male and female slaves who were of the seed of Israel. And, therefore, they in turn have been given into the hand of the nations; and the Congregation of the House of Judah dwells in the midst of the nations, and she has found no respite from the harsh servitude with which they have enslaved her. And everyone who pursued her overtook her as she was hiding among the borders, and they oppressed her. 4. All the time that Jerusalem was still standing the Children of Israel refused to go up to Jerusalem to appear before the Lord three times in the year. And for the sins of Israel Jerusalem is devastated, and the ways of Zion are made to mourn, because no-one enters her at the time of the festivals. All her gates are desolate; her priests groan because the sacrifices have ceased. Her virgins lament because they have ceased to go out on the fifteenth day of Ab and on the Day of Atonement (which is on the tenth day of Tishri) to dance in the dances. Moreover she herself is very bitter of heart. 5. Her oppressors were appointed as heads over her, and her enemies were dwelling at ease, because the Lord had broken her on account of the multitude of her rebellions. Her young men have gone into captivity before an oppressor. 6. And all her glory departed from the Congregation of Zion. Her nobles were wandering around [looking] for food, like harts who wander around in the wilderness, and they did not find a place fit for their pasture. And they went in great feebleness, and they had not the vigor to flee to save themselves before a pursuer. 7. Jerusalem remembered the former days when her dwelling was in walled cities and strong unwalled towns, and her dominion and her rule [were] over all the world; [she remembered] all her precious things, which had been hers in former days. But because of her sins her people fell into the hands of wicked Nebuchadnezzar, and he oppressed them, and there was no-one to help

her. Her oppressors saw her going into captivity. They mocked at her prosperity, which had departed from her. 8. Jerusalem has sinned a great sin; therefore she has become a wanderer. All the peoples, who honored her formerly, treat her with contempt, because they saw her breach. But she groans and shrinks back. 9. The uncleanness of her menstrual blood was in her skirts; she was not cleansed of it. She did not repent of her sins; she did not remember what would come upon her at the end of days. And she sank down and fell, and became a thing of wonder, and there was no-one to speak consolation to her. See, O Lord, and behold my affliction, because the enemy has magnified himself against me. 10. Wicked Nebuchadnezzar stretched out his hand, and drew the sword, and cut off all her precious things. Moreover, the Congregation of Israel began to wail, because she saw [that] foreign peoples had entered her Temple, about whom you commanded at the hand of Moses the prophet (concerning Ammon and Moab) that they are not worthy to enter your Assembly. 11. All the people of Jerusalem groan from hunger, and seek bread to eat. They have given their precious things for the sustenance of bread, in order to stay alive. See, O Lord, and behold, that I have become a glutton. 12. I adjure you, all you who pass by on the way, turn aside hither; behold and see if there is any pain like my pain, which has been inflicted upon me, wherewith the Lord has broken me in the day of the fierceness of his anger. 13. From heaven he sent fire into my fortified cities, and subdued them. He spread a net for my feet. He caused me to shrink back before my enemies. He made me desolate all the day, unclean and weak. 14. The yoke of my rebellions was heavy. By his hand they were twined together, like tendrils of the vine. They were placed upon my neck. He caused my strength to fail. The Lord gave me over into the hands of him whom I was unable to withstand. 15. The Lord subdued all my mighty ones in the midst of me. He proclaimed a time against me, to break the strength of my young men. And the nations entered by decree of the Word of the Lord, and defiled the virgins of the House of Judah, until the blood of their virginity poured forth like wine from the wine-press, when a man treads grapes, and the wine of his grapes flows. 16. Because of the infants who were dashed to pieces, and the pregnant women whose bellies were ripped open, the Congregation of Israel said: I weep, and my two eyes flow with tears like a fountain of water, because far from me is any comforter to revive and to speak words of consolation to my soul. My sons are desolate, because the enemy has prevailed over them. 17. Zion has spread out her hands in anguish, as a woman spreads [her hands] upon the birth-stool. She cries out, and there is no-one to speak words of consolation to her heart. The Lord enjoined upon the House of Jacob the commandments and the law to keep, but they transgressed against the decree of Word of the Lord. Therefore the oppressors of Jacob encircle him round about. Jerusalem has become like an unclean woman among them. 18. The Lord said by his Word to the people of the House of Israel, that those who slay with the sword should not pass through their land. King Josiah went, [and] drew the sword against Pharaoh the Lame in the Valley of Megiddosomething he had not been commanded [to do], nor had he sought instruction from before the Lord. Therefore the archers shot arrows at king Josiah, and he died there. And before his soul departed he moved his lips, and thus said: The Lord is righteous, for I have transgressed against his Word. Hear now all peoples the lament which Jeremiah pronounced over Josiah, and see my pain that has befallen me after his death: my virgins and my young men have gone into captivity. 19. Jerusalem said, when she was delivered into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar: I called to my lovers, the sons of the nations, with whom I had made a covenant that they should help me, but they deceived me, and turned round to destroy me. (These are the Romans who went up with Titus and wicked Vespasian, and built siege-works against Jerusalem.) And my priests and my

elders fainted from hunger in the midst of the city, because they sought the sustenance of food for themselves to eat, so that they might preserve their souls. 20. See, O Lord, that I am in distress. Therefore my innards are heaped up; my heart is overturned within me, because I have grievously transgressed against the decree of the Word of the Lord, and on this account, outside the sword bereaves, while inside famine slays, like the destroying angel*r who is appointed over death. 21. The nations have heard that I groan, and there is no-one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of the evil that has come upon me. They were glad that you are the Lord who has done [this]. You brought upon me the day of retribution. You summoned against me a convocation to make me desolate. Likewise you will summon [one] against them, and they shall be as desolate as I. 22. Let all their evil wherewith they have ill-treated me come up before you on the great day of judgment, and deal with them, as you have dealt with me on account of the multitude of my rebellions, because my groans are many, and my heart is faint.