Lamentations 1 | » |
1 How lonely sits the city [That was] full of people! [How] like a widow is she, Who [was] great among the nations! The princess among the provinces Has become a slave!
2 She weeps bitterly in the night, Her tears [are] on her cheeks; Among all her lovers She has none to comfort [her.] All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; They have become her enemies.
3 Judah has gone into captivity, Under affliction and hard servitude; She dwells among the nations, She finds no rest; All her persecutors overtake her in dire straits.
4 The roads to Zion mourn Because no one comes to the set feasts. All her gates are desolate; Her priests sigh, Her virgins are afflicted, And she [is] in bitterness.
5 Her adversaries have become the master, Her enemies prosper; For the LORD has afflicted her Because of the multitude of her transgressions. Her children have gone into captivity before the enemy.
6 And from the daughter of Zion All her splendor has departed. Her princes have become like deer [That] find no pasture, That flee without strength Before the pursuer.
7 In the days of her affliction and roaming, Jerusalem remembers all her pleasant things That she had in the days of old. When her people fell into the hand of the enemy, With no one to help her, The adversaries saw her [And] mocked at her downfall.
8 Jerusalem has sinned gravely, Therefore she has become vile. All who honored her despise her Because they have seen her nakedness; Yes, she sighs and turns away.
9 Her uncleanness [is] in her skirts; She did not consider her destiny; Therefore her collapse was awesome; She had no comforter. "O LORD, behold my affliction, For [the] enemy is exalted!"
10 The adversary has spread his hand Over all her pleasant things; For she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary, Those whom You commanded Not to enter Your assembly.
11 All her people sigh, They seek bread; They have given their valuables for food to restore life. "See, O LORD, and consider, For I am scorned."
12 " [Is it] nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold and see If there is any sorrow like my sorrow, Which has been brought on me, Which the LORD has inflicted In the day of His fierce anger.
13 "From above He has sent fire into my bones, And it overpowered them; He has spread a net for my feet And turned me back; He has made me desolate [And] faint all the day.
14 "The yoke of my transgressions was bound; They were woven together by His hands, [And] thrust upon my neck. He made my strength fail; The Lord delivered me into the hands of [those whom] I am not able to withstand.
15 "The Lord has trampled underfoot all my mighty [men] in my midst; He has called an assembly against me To crush my young men; The Lord trampled [as] in a winepress The virgin daughter of Judah.
16 "For these [things] I weep; My eye, my eye overflows with water; Because the comforter, who should restore my life, Is far from me. My children are desolate Because the enemy prevailed."
17 Zion spreads out her hands, [But] no one comforts her; The LORD has commanded concerning Jacob [That] those around him [become] his adversaries; Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them.
18 " The LORD is righteous, For I rebelled against His commandment. Hear now, all peoples, And behold my sorrow; My virgins and my young men Have gone into captivity.
19 "I called for my lovers, [But] they deceived me; My priests and my elders Breathed their last in the city, While they sought food To restore their life.
20 "See, O LORD, that I [am] in distress; My soul is troubled; My heart is overturned within me, For I have been very rebellious. Outside the sword bereaves, At home [it is] like death.
21 "They have heard that I sigh, [But] no one comforts me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; They are glad that You have done [it.] Bring on the day You have announced, That they may become like me.
22 "Let all their wickedness come before You, And do to them as You have done to me For all my transgressions; For my sighs [are] many, And my heart [is] faint."
The New King James Version (NKJV)
The New King James Version (NKJV) is a modern translation of the Bible that seeks to preserve the stylistic and literary beauty of the original King James Version (KJV) while making it more accessible to contemporary readers. The project to create the NKJV began in 1975, spearheaded by Arthur Farstad and a team of over 130 scholars, theologians, and pastors. They aimed to maintain the traditional language and rhythm of the KJV while updating archaic terms and expressions to be more understandable for modern audiences. The translation was completed and published in 1982, offering a blend of reverence for the past and clarity for the present.
One of the defining features of the NKJV is its commitment to the Textus Receptus, the same Greek text underlying the New Testament of the KJV. This ensures a high degree of continuity between the two versions, making the NKJV familiar to those who have long cherished the KJV. However, the NKJV also considers findings from more recent scholarship and textual criticism, incorporating insights from the latest manuscripts and research. This approach helps to balance respect for the historical text with a recognition of the advancements in biblical studies.
The NKJV has been praised for its readability and poetic qualities, which make it suitable for both private study and public worship. Its translators worked diligently to preserve the lyrical and memorable phrasing of the KJV, which has deeply influenced English literature and religious practice. By modernizing the language without compromising the text’s inherent dignity and solemnity, the NKJV has become a popular choice among those who value both accuracy and elegance in their Bible reading.
Despite its strengths, the NKJV has faced criticism from some quarters. Critics argue that by adhering too closely to the Textus Receptus, it may not fully reflect the breadth of available manuscript evidence. Others feel that it may still be too archaic for some readers, especially those who are new to the Bible or who come from different linguistic backgrounds. Nonetheless, the NKJV remains a significant and respected translation, offering a bridge between the venerable tradition of the KJV and the needs of modern readers.