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英文原文
We have here the first alphabet of this lamentation, twenty-two stanzas, in which the miseries of Jerusalem are bitterly bewailed and her present deplorable condition is aggravated by comparing it with her former prosperous state; all along, sin is acknowledged and complained of as the procuring cause of all these miseries; and God is appealed to for justice against their enemies and applied to for compassion towards them. The chapter is all of a piece, and the several remonstrances are interwoven; but here is, I. A complaint made to God of their calamities, and his compassionate consideration desired, La 1:1-11. II. The same complaint made to their friends, and their compassionate consideration desired, La 1:12-17. III. An appeal to God and his righteousness concerning it (La 1:18-22), in which he is justified in their affliction and is humbly solicited to justify himself in their deliverance.
1-11
The Miseries of Jerusalem; Grief for the Loss of Ordinances (588 BC)
耶路撒冷的苦難；為失去聖禮而悲哀（主前588年）
¹ 先前滿有人民的城，現在何竟獨坐！先前在列國中為大的，現在竟如寡婦！先前在諸省中為王后的，現在竟進貢！
² 她夜間痛哭，淚流滿腮；在一切所愛的人中，沒有一個安慰她的。她所有的朋友都以詭詐待她，成為她的仇敵。
³ 猶大因遭遇苦難，又因多服勞役，就含羞被擄；她住在列國中，尋不著安息；追逼她的都在狹窄之地追上她。
⁴ 錫安的路徑因無人來守節就悲傷；她的城門淒涼；她的祭司歎息；她的處女受艱難；她自己也在痛苦之中。
⁵ 她的敵人為首，她的仇敵亨通；因耶和華因她罪過眾多而使她受苦；她的孩童被敵人擄去。
⁶ 錫安城的威榮全都失去；她的首領像找不著草場的鹿，在追趕的人前無力前行。
⁷ 耶路撒冷在困苦日子可思念的一切甘甜之事，就是在百姓落在仇敵手中無人幫助的日子，敵人看見她就嗤笑她的安息日。
⁸ 耶路撒冷大大犯罪，所以被移作不潔之物；素來尊敬她的，現在都藐視她，因為他們看見她的赤露；她自己歎息，退後。
⁹ 她的污穢是在衣襟上；她不思想自己的結局；所以她令人驚奇地敗落；無人安慰她。耶和華啊，求你看顧我的苦難，因為仇敵自誇為大。
¹⁰ 敵人伸手奪取她的一切美物；她眼看外邦人進入她的聖所，而這些人是你曾吩咐不可入你會眾的。
¹¹ 她的百姓都歎息，尋求糧食；他們用美物換糧食，要救性命。耶和華啊，求你觀看，求你察看，因為我成了卑賤的。
凡是稍有與哀哭的人同哭之心的人，讀到這些經文時理應幾乎不能忍住眼淚，因為這裡的哀歌實在極其動人。
一、耶路撒冷的苦難在此被訴說為極其迫切，並因許多境況而大大加重。讓我們一一察看這些苦難。
1. 關於他們的世俗景況。（一）從前人丁興旺的城，如今人煙荒涼，La 2:1。這是以驚奇的方式說的——誰能想到竟會落到這般地步！或以探問的方式說——是甚麼使它落到這般地步？或以哀歎的方式說——哀哉！哀哉！（如Re 18:10,16,19）先前滿有人民的城，現在何竟獨坐！她從前滿了自己的百姓充滿其中，也滿了列國的百姓前來聚集，與她既有獲利的通商，也有愉快的交往；但如今她自己的百姓被擄去，外人也不再向她獻慇勤：她獨自坐著。那城最繁華之處如今不再像從前那樣是聚集之地，是智慧呼喊之處（Pr 1:20,21）；而它們被撇下無人經過，也是公義的，因為那裡智慧的呼喊無人聽從。注意，無論人增加得何等多，神都能迅速使他們減少。*她何竟如寡婦！她那從前作她丈夫、或應當作她丈夫的王，已被剪除離去；她的神已離開她，給了她休書；她被掏空了兒女，孤單愁苦如同寡婦。任何家庭、任何邦國，不要說耶路撒冷，就是巴比倫自己，都不要安然自恃，說，我坐著為王后，決不至坐著為寡婦，Isa 47:8，Re 18:7。（二）從前掌權的城，如今臣服於人。她從前在列國中為大，為一些人所厚愛，為另一些人大大敬畏，兩者都大大尊重她、順服她；有的向她進貢，有的向她納稅；所以她實在是諸省中的王后，各人的禾捆都向她的下拜；連百姓的首領也求她的恩。但如今形勢逆轉；她不僅失去了朋友、獨自坐著，而且失去了自由，坐著進貢；她先是向埃及進貢，後來向巴比倫進貢。注意，罪不僅使百姓陷入孤獨，更使他們陷入奴役。（三）從前充滿歡樂的城，如今變成憂鬱，在各樣都充滿了悲哀。耶路撒冷從前是歡喜之城，眾支派專門上那裡在耶和華面前歡樂；她曾是全地的喜樂，但如今她痛痛哭泣，她的笑聲變為哀號，她嚴肅的節期盡都廢去；她在夜間哭泣，如同真正的哀哭者在隱密中、在沉默和孤獨中哭泣一樣；在夜間，當別人安歇時，她的心思最為專注於自己的患難，憂愁那時如暴君般轄制她。先知的頭曾為她而成為如水，她的眼成為淚的泉源，那時她不加理會，如今她的頭卻如此——如水，她的眼為淚的泉源，以致她畫夜哭泣（Jer 9:1）；她的眼淚不住地流在腮上。雖然沒有甚麼比眼淚乾得更快，但新的憂愁逼出新的眼淚，以致她的腮上從不缺乏。注意，在日光之下最常見的不過是受欺壓之人的眼淚，他們雨後雲彩返回，Ec 4:1。（四）那些從前與外邦隔絕的人，如今住在列國中；*那些從前為獨特的子民，如今成了混雜的子民（La 2:3）：*猶大因遭遇苦難被擄，離開自己的地土，到了仇敵之地，在那裡居住，且似乎要長久居住在那些對神和應許之約為外人的人中間，與他們在一起，她尋不著安息，心中得不著滿足，也無定居之所，反被那些得勝驕橫的暴君隨意從一處趕到另一處。又（La 2:5）：她的孩童在敵人面前被擄去；那些本該成為下一代苗裔的被帶走了；以致那如今荒涼的地，看來仍要繼續荒涼，因無繼承人而喪失。那些住在自己百姓中間、是自由的百姓、且在自己地土上的人，若肯思想那些被迫流落異鄉之人的苦難，就必更為他們所享的恩典感恩。（五）那些從前在戰爭中常勝的，如今被打敗、被凌辱：一切逼迫她的人都在狹窄之地追上她（La 2:3）；他們得了種種有利條件對付她，以致她的百姓無可避免地落在仇敵手中，因為無路可逃（La 2:7）；他們被四面圍困，無論向哪一方設法逃奔，都發現自己處處受制。當他們盡力逃奔時也一無所成，反被追上制伏；以致各處都是她的敵人為首，她的仇敵亨通（La 2:5）；無論他們的刀劍轉向何方，都得勝。人因罪便將自己陷入如此窘境。我們若容讓那最大的仇敵和敵人管轄我們、在我們心中為首，那麼我們其餘的仇敵被容讓管轄我們，也是公義的。（六）那些從前不僅是卓越、更是尊榮的百姓——神曾將尊榮加在他們身上，他們的一切鄰舍都向他們致敬——如今被帶入藐視之中（La 2:8）：素來尊敬她的如今都藐視她；*那些從前想與她結盟的人如今不再看重；那些在她華美繁盛時巴結她的人，如今她在患難中就把她撇在一邊，*因為他們看見了她的赤露。因仇敵勝過她，他們看出她的軟弱，看出她並不如他們從前所以為的那樣強大；又因神的審判勝過她，他們看出她的邪惡，如今這些都敗露出來，到處被人談論。如今顯明了他們是怎樣藉著罪玷辱了自己：仇敵向他們自誇為大（La 2:9）；他們踐踏他們，凌辱他們，在他們眼中他們已成了卑賤的，*成了列國的尾巴，雖然從前他們是首。注意，罪是任何百姓的羞辱。（七）那些住在肥美之地的人，因缺乏必需的食物而將要滅亡，並有許多人確實滅亡了（La 2:11）：*她的百姓都歎息，*灰心絕望；他們快要昏厥；他們的心靈衰竭，所以歎息，因為他們尋求糧食，卻尋不著。他們最後被帶到那樣極限，以致這地不得糧食（Jer 52:6），在他們被擄之地也難以得著餅，La 5:6。他們用美物——他們的珠寶和圖畫，以及他們箱櫃中一切陳設，他們從前以觀賞為樂的——*換取糧食，為自己和家人買餅；他們拿美物換糧食，要救性命，*或（如旁註所載）*要使性命再回來，*當他們快要昏厥之時。他們所求的振奮之物不過是食物。*人為保命願捨棄一切，*也為餅——生命的杖——而捨棄。那些美物豐盛的人，不要因它們驕傲，也不要貪戀它們；因為時候將到，他們可能樂意將它們換取必需之物。那些有足夠食物振奮心靈的人，即使沒有美物，也當知足並感恩。
2. 我們在此看到他們在屬靈景況上的苦難記述——他們神聖權益的毀壞，這比他們屬世損失更當哀歎。（一）他們的宗教節期不再守、不再聚集了（La 2:4）：錫安的路徑悲傷；它們看來淒涼，長滿了草和荊棘。從前看見百姓在通往聖殿的大道上川流不息地往返，是一種愉快的消遣，但如今你可以在那裡站很久，也看不見有人走動；因為無人來守節；那我們嚴肅集會的城既被毀滅，節期便徹底廢止了，Isa 33:20。嚴肅的節期從前被輕忽、被褻瀆（Isa 1:11,12），如今被廢止也是公義的。但當錫安的路徑這樣悲傷時，錫安的一切兒女不能不與之一同悲傷。敬虔人看見宗教聚會被解散、被驅散，看見那些樂意參加的人被攔阻，心中十分悲痛。正如錫安的路徑悲傷，同樣錫安的城門——從前忠心敬拜者聚集之處——也*淒涼；因為無人聚於其中。從前耶和華愛錫安的城門，勝過雅各的一切住處，*但如今祂已離棄它們，被惹動從其中撤回，所以它們不能不遭遇基督離開聖殿時那樣的景況。*看哪，你們的家成為荒場，*Mt 23:38。（二）他們宗教人員完全無力履行素常的職事，完全喪膽：*她的祭司歎息，為聖殿的荒涼歎息；他們的歌聲變成了歎息；他們歎息，因為無事可做，所以也無物可得；他們歎息，如同百姓一樣（La 2:11），因缺乏糧食，因為耶和華的祭物——他們的生計——斷絕了。當祭司——耶和華的僕人——歎息時，就是該歎息的時候了。還有她的處女，從前以音樂和舞蹈點綴節期的莊重，如今受艱難且心中沉重。*錫安昌盛之日，她們的事奉被記念（Ps 68:25，其中有意女子擊鼓），所以如今她們事奉的失敗也被記念。*她的處女受艱難，所以她也在痛苦之中；就是說，錫安的一切居民都如此，他們的特徵是為嚴肅集會悲傷，且以它的羞辱為重擔，*Zep 3:18。（三）他們的宗教場所被褻瀆（La 2:10）：*外邦人進了她的聖所，進了聖殿本身，那裡除了祭司之外，以色列人無論多麼虔敬都不得進入。靠近的外人，就是為敬拜而來的，也要被治死。如今外邦人粗野地湧入，不是為敬拜，而是為搶掠。神曾吩咐外邦人不可進入會眾，也不可與猶太百姓合併（De 23:3）；如今他們卻毫無阻擋地進入聖所。*注意，對於那些真正關心神榮耀的人來說，沒有甚麼比違背神的律法、以及他們所見對聖物的藐視更令人悲痛、更當哀歎的了。仇敵在聖所中所行的惡事曾被控訴，Ps 74:3,4。（四）他們的宗教器具，以及一切用以裝飾聖殿、在敬拜神之事上使用的豐富之物，都成了仇敵的掠物（La 2:10）：*敵人伸手奪取她的一切美物，*把它們全數奪取，全數據為己有。這些美物是甚麼，我們可以從Isa 64:11得知；在那裡，論到聖殿被焚燒，又加上說：*我們一切美物都盡毀；*約櫃和祭壇，以及神與他們同在的一切其他記號，這些才是他們超乎一切的美物，如今被摔碎、被帶走。這樣，*錫安女兒的一切威榮都失去了，La 2:6。聖潔之美是錫安女兒的美；當聖殿——那聖潔華美的殿——被毀時，她的美就逝去了；那就是那美榮之杖的折斷，*是聖約憑據和印記的挪去，Zec 11:10。（五）他們的宗教日子被當作笑談（La 2:7）：*敵人看見她，就嗤笑她的安息日。他們嘲笑他們遵守七日中的一日為安息日不作世事。異教詩人尤文納里斯（Juvenal）曾譏笑他那時代的猶太人白白浪費了七分之一的時間——其實安息日若按當行的分別為聖，必比一週中其餘的日子更有益處。而猶太人聲稱他們這樣行是順服他們的神、為榮耀祂，他們的仇敵就問他們：「你們如今得了甚麼益處？你們的神在你們遭難時撇棄了你們，你們遵守祂的典章有甚麼益處？」注意，凡愛神的人，聽見祂的典章——尤其是祂的安息日——被譏誚，這是極大的痛苦。錫安稱它們為她的安息日，因為安息日是為人設立的；它們是祂的設立，卻是她的特權；臨到安息日的輕蔑，錫安的一切兒女都歸於自己，並為之放在心上；他們不會因安息日或任何其他屬神典章被譏誚，就看它們為不夠尊貴，或更不珍視它們。（六）大大加重這一切苦楚的是，她現今的景況恰與從前相反，La 2:7。如今，在困苦患難的日子，*當一切事物都陰暗淒慘時，*她追想她從前在太平日子所享有的一切美物，如今比從前充分享受時更懂得珍視。神常常藉著失去恩典使我們認識它的價值；而那些從興盛的頂峰跌入逆境的人，最難忍受逆境。這刺透了大衛的心，當他被趕離神的典章時，他記得自己從前與眾人同往神的殿，*Ps 42:4。
二、耶路撒冷的罪在此被訴說為這一切災禍的招惹緣由。無論是誰為器皿，神是這一切患難的作者；是耶和華使她受苦（La 2:5），祂是以公義的審判官身分行這事，因為*她犯了罪。*1. 她的罪在數目上是無數的。她的患難多嗎？她的罪更多。*因她罪過眾多，*耶和華才使她受苦。見Jer 30:14。當一個百姓的罪過增多時，我們不能像約伯論到自己那樣說，創傷無故加增，Job 9:17。2. 她的罪在性質上是極其可惡的（La 2:8）：耶路撒冷大大犯罪，原文是「犯了罪」（如此說），是故意地、蓄意地犯罪，犯的是眾罪中那為耶和華所恨惡的可憎之事，就是拜偶像的罪。耶路撒冷有如此多的信仰宣告，享有如此多的特權，她的罪比任何其他的都更為嚴重。她大大犯罪（La 2:8），所以（La 2:9）她令人驚奇地敗落。注意，重大的罪招致奇異的毀滅；有些作孽的人受的是奇異的刑罰，Job 31:3。這些罪可以從刑罰中清楚地讀出來。（一）他們行事極其欺壓，所以受欺壓也是公義的（La 2:3）：猶大被擄去，是因遭遇苦難和多服勞役，因為他們中間的富人欺壓窮人，使他們嚴苛服役，特別是（如亞蘭文意譯本所載）因為他們欺壓了他們的希伯來僕人，這罪被指控，Jer 34:11。欺壓是他們呼求的罪之一（Jer 6:6,7），這是大聲呼喊的罪。（二）他們使自己成為卑賤，所以被藐視也是公義的。他們全都藐視她（La 2:8），因為她的污穢在衣襟上；她的衣服上顯出她在罪的泥淖中打滾。我們若不自己玷辱自己的榮耀，無人能使之失色。（三）他們從前極其安逸，所以忽然遭遇這毀滅也是公義的（La 2:9）：她不思想自己的結局；她沒有接受那勸她思想結局的警告，不去思想她所行的邪惡道路將有何等結局，所以她令人驚奇地敗落，以可驚的方式，好叫她感受到她所不願敬畏的；所以神必使他們的災禍奇異。
三、耶路撒冷的朋友在此被訴說為虛假、怯懦、極其無情：他們都詭詐待她（La 2:2），以致實際上成了她的仇敵。欺哄她的人給她造成的煩擾不亞於毀滅她的人。在我們以下折斷的杖，對我們的損害可能不亞於打我們的杖，Eze 29:6,7。她的首領，本該保護她的，卻沒有勇氣奮力抵抗仇敵以自保；他們像鹿，一有風吹草動就逃奔，毫不抵抗；不但如此，他們像鹿因缺乏草場而餓得乏力，所以在追趕的人前*無力前行，*既無力逃跑，很快就被追上、淪為獵物。她的鄰舍不講鄰舍之情，因為，1. 無人幫助她（La 2:7）；他們或不能，或不願；不但如此，2. 她無安慰者，無人同情她，無人設法減輕她的憂傷，La 2:7,9。如同約伯的朋友，他們看見是徒然的，她的憂愁甚大；在這樣的情形中，他們都是令人愁煩的安慰者。
四、耶路撒冷的神在此因這一切事被訴求，一切都交託祂滿有憐憫的鑒察（La 2:9）：*「耶和華啊，求你看顧我的苦難，並察看此事」；又（La 2:11）：「耶和華啊，求你觀看、察看，*就此採取行動。」注意，使我們在重擔之下得安穩的唯一途徑，是先把重擔卸給神，將自己交託祂，任憑祂隨己意待我們。
英文原文
The Miseries of Jerusalem; Grief for the Loss of Ordinances (588 BC)
¹ How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!
² She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.
³ Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.
⁴ The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.
⁵ Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.
⁶ And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.
⁷ Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths.
⁸ Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.
⁹ Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.
¹⁰ The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.
¹¹ All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O LORD, and consider; for I am become vile.
Those that have any disposition to weep with those that weep, one would think, should scarcely be able to refrain from tears at the reading of these verses, so very pathetic are the lamentations here.
I. The miseries of Jerusalem are here complained of as very pressing and by many circumstances very much aggravated. Let us take a view of these miseries.
1. As to their civil state. (1.) A city that was populous is now depopulated, La 2:1. It is spoken of by way of wonder—Who would have thought that ever it should come to this! Or by way of enquiry—What is it that has brought it to this? Or by way of lamentation—Alas! alas! (as Re 18:10,16,19) how doth the city sit solitary that was full of people! She was full of her own people that replenished her, and full of the people of other nations that resorted to her, with whom she had both profitable commerce and pleasant converse; but now her own people are carried into captivity, and strangers make no court to her: she sits solitary. The chief places of the city are not now, as they used to be, place of concourse, where wisdom cried (Pr 1:20,21); and justly are they left unfrequented, because wisdom's cry there was not heard. Note, Those that are ever so much increased God can soon diminish. How has she become as a widow! Her king that was, or should have been, as a husband to her, is cut off, and gone; her God has departed from her, and has given her a bill of divorce; she is emptied of her children, is solitary and sorrowful as a widow. Let no family, no state, not Jerusalem, no, nor Babylon herself, be secure, and say, I sit as a queen, and shall never sit as a widow, Isa 47:8, Re 18:7. (2.) A city that had dominion is now in subjection. She had been great among the nations, greatly loved by some and greatly feared by others, and greatly observed and obeyed by both; some made her presents, and others paid her taxes; so that she was really princess among the provinces, and every sheaf bowed to hers; even the princes of the people entreated her favour. But now the tables are turned; she has not only lost her friends and sits solitary, but has lost her freedom too and sits tributary; she paid tribute to Egypt first and then to Babylon. Note, Sin brings a people not only into solitude, but into slavery. (3.) A city that used to be full of mirth has now become melancholy and upon all accounts full of grief. Jerusalem had been a joyous city, whither the tribes went up on purpose to rejoice before the Lord; she was the joy of the whole earth, but now she weeps sorely, her laughter is turned into mourning, her solemn feasts are all gone; she weeps in the night, as true mourners do who weep in secret, in silence and solitude; in the night, when others compose themselves to rest, her thoughts are most intent upon her troubles, and grief then plays the tyrant. What the prophet's head was for her, when she regarded it not, now her head is—as waters, and her eyes fountains of tears, so that she weeps day and night (Jer 9:1); her tears are continually on her cheeks. Though nothing dries away sooner than a tear, yet fresh griefs extort fresh tears, so that her cheeks are never free from them. Note, There is nothing more commonly seen under the sun than the tears of the oppressed, with whom the clouds return after the rain, Ec 4:1. (4.) Those that were separated from the heathen now dwell among the heathen; those that were a peculiar people are now a mingled people (La 2:3): Judah has gone into captivity, out of her own land into the land of her enemies, and there she abides, and is likely to abide, among those that are aliens to God and the covenants of promise, with whom she finds no rest, no satisfaction of mind, nor any settlement of abode, but is continually hurried from place to place at the will of the victorious imperious tyrants. And again (La 2:5): "Her children have gone into captivity before the enemy; those that were to have been the seed of the next generation are carried off; so that the land that is now desolate is likely to be still desolate and lost for want of heirs." Those that dwell among their own people, and that are a free people, and in their own land, would be more thankful for the mercies they thereby enjoy if they would but consider the miseries of those that are forced into strange countries. (5.) Those that used in their wars to conquer are now conquered and triumphed over: All her persecutors overlook her between the straits (La 2:3); they gained all possible advantages against her, sot hat her people unavoidably fell into the hand of the enemy, for there was no way to escape (La 2:7); they were hemmed in on every side, and, which way soever they attempted to flee, they found themselves embarrassed. When they made the best of their way they could make nothing of it, but were overtaken and overcome; so that every where her adversaries are the chief and her enemies prosper (La 2:5); which way soever their sword turns they get the better. Such straits do men bring themselves into by sin. If we allow that which is our greatest adversary and enemy to have dominion over us, and to be chief in us, justly will our other enemies be suffered to have dominion over us. (6.) Those that had been not only a distinguished but a dignified people, on whom God had put honour, and to whom all their neighbours had paid respect, are now brought into contempt (La 2:8): All that honoured her before despise her; those that courted an alliance with her now value it not; those that caressed her when she was in pomp and prosperity slight her now that she is in distress, because they have seen her nakedness. By the prevalency of the enemies against her they perceive her weakness, and that she is not so strong a people as they thought she had been; and by the prevalency of God's judgments against her they perceive her wickedness, which now comes to light and is every where talked of. Now it appears how they have vilified themselves by their sins: The enemies magnify themselves against them (La 2:9); they trample upon them, and insult over them, and in their eyes they have become vile, the tail of the nations, though once they were the head. Note, Sin is the reproach of any people. (7.) Those that lived in a fruitful land were ready to perish, and many of them did perish, for want of necessary food (La 2:11): All her people sigh in despondency and despair; they are ready to faint away; their spirits fail, and therefore they sigh, for they seek bread and seek it in vain. They were brought at last to that extremity that there was no bread for the people of the land (Jer 52:6), and in their captivity they had much ado to get break, La 5:6. They have given their pleasant things, their jewels and pictures, and all the furniture of their closets and cabinets, which they used to please themselves with looking upon, they have sold these to buy bread for themselves and their families, have parted with them for meat to relieve the soul, or (as the margin is) to make the soul come again, when they were ready to faint away. They desired no other cordial than meat. All that a man has will he give for life, and for bread, which is the staff of life. Let those that abound in pleasant things not be proud of them, nor fond of them; for the time may come when they may be glad to let them go for necessary things. And let those that have competent food to relieve their soul be content with it, and thankful for it, though they have not pleasant things.
2. We have here an account of their miseries in their ecclesiastical state, the ruin of their sacred interest, which was much more to be lamented than that of their secular concerns. (1.) Their religious feasts were no more observed, no more frequented (La 2:4): The ways of Zion do mourn; they look melancholy, overgrown with grass and weeds. It used to be a pleasant diversion to see people continually passing and repassing in the highway that led to the temple, but now you may stand there long enough, and see nobody stir; for none come to the solemn feasts; a full end is put to them by the destruction of that which was the city of our solemnities, Isa 33:20. The solemn feasts had been neglected and profaned (Isa 1:11,12), and therefore justly is an end now put to them. But, when thus the ways of Zion are made to mourn, all the sons of Zion cannot but mourn with them. It is very grievous to good men to see religious assemblies broken up and scattered, and those restrained from them that would gladly attend them. And, as the ways of Zion mourned, so the gates of Zion, in which the faithful worshippers used to meet, are desolate; for there is none to meet in them. Time was when the Lord loved the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob, but now he has forsaken them, and is provoked to withdraw from them, and therefore it cannot but fare with them as it did with the temple when Christ quitted it. Behold, your house is left unto you desolate, Mt 23:38. (2.) Their religious persons were quite disabled from performing their wonted services, were quite dispirited: Her priests sigh for the desolations of the temple; their songs are turned into sighs; they sigh, for they have nothing to do, and therefore there is nothing to be had; they sigh, as the people (La 2:11), for want of bread, because the offerings of the Lord, which were their livelihood, failed. It is time to sigh when the priests, the Lord's ministers, sigh. Her virgins also, that used, with their music and dancing, to grace the solemnities of their feasts, are afflicted and in heaviness. Notice is taken of their service in the day of Zion's prosperity (Ps 68:25, Among them were the damsels playing with timbrels), and therefore notice is taken of the failing of it now. Her virgins are afflicted, and therefore she is in bitterness; that is, all the inhabitants of Zion are so, whose character it is that they are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, and that to them the reproach of it is a burden, Zep 3:18. (3.) Their religious places were profaned (La 2:10): The heathen entered into her sanctuary, into the temple itself, into which no Israelite was permitted to enter, though ever so reverently and devoutly, but the priests only. The stranger that comes nigh, even to worship there, shall be put to death. Thither the heathen now crowds rudely in, not to worship, but to plunder. God had commanded that the heathen should not so much as enter into the congregation, nor be incorporated with the people of the Jews (De 23:3); yet now they enter into the sanctuary without control. Note, Nothing is more grievous to those who have a true concern for the glory of God, nor is more lamented, than the violation of God's laws, and the contempt they see put upon sacred things. What the enemy did wickedly in the sanctuary was complained of, Ps 74:3,4. (4.) Their religious utensils, and all the rich things with which the temple was adorned and beautified, and which were made use of in the worship of God, were made a prey to the enemy (La 2:10): The adversary has spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things, has grasped them all, seized them all, for himself. What these pleasant things are we may learn from Isa 64:11, where, to the complaint of the burning of the temple, it is added, All our pleasant things are laid waste; the ark and the altar, and all the other tokens of God's presence with them, these were their pleasant things above any other things, and these were now broken to pieces and carried away. Thus from the daughter of Zion all her beauty has departed, La 2:6. The beauty of holiness was the beauty of the daughter of Zion; when the temple, that holy and beautiful house, was destroyed, her beauty was gone; that was the breaking of the staff of beauty, the taking away of the pledges and seals of the covenant, Zec 11:10. (5.) Their religious days were made a jest of (La 2:7): The adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths. They laughed at them for observing one day in seven as a day of rest from worldly business. Juvenal, a heathen poet, ridicules the Jews in his time for losing a seventh part of their time:—
whereas sabbaths, if they be sanctified as they ought to be, will turn to a better account than all the days of the week besides. And whereas the Jews professed that they did it in obedience to their God, and to his honour, their adversaries asked them, "What do you get by it now? What profit have you in keeping the ordinances of your God, who now deserts you in your distress?" Note, it is a very great trouble to all that love God to hear his ordinances mocked at, and particularly his sabbaths. Zion calls them her sabbaths, for the sabbath was made for men; they are his institutions, but they are her privileges; and the contempt put upon sabbaths all the sons of Zion take to themselves and lay to heart accordingly; nor will they look upon sabbaths, or any other divine ordinances, as less honourable, nor value them less, for their being mocked at. (6.) That which greatly aggravated all these grievances was that her state at present was just the reverse of what it had been formerly, La 2:7. Now, in the days of affliction and misery, when every thing was black and dismal, she remembers all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, and now knows how to value them better than formerly, when she had the full enjoyment of them. God often makes us know the worth of mercies by the want of them; and adversity is borne with the greatest difficulty by those that have fallen into it from the height of prosperity. This cut David to the heart, when he was banished from God's ordinances, that he could remember when he went with the multitude to the house of God, Ps 42:4.
II. The sins of Jerusalem are here complained of as the procuring provoking cause of all these calamities. Whoever are the instruments, God is the author of all these troubles; it is the Lord that has afflicted her (La 2:5) and he has done it as a righteous Judge, for she has sinned. 1. Her sins are for number numberless. Are her troubles many? Her sins are many more. it is for the multitude of her transgressions that the Lord has afflicted her. See Jer 30:14. When the transgressions of a people are multiplied we cannot say, as Job does in his own case, that wounds are multiplied without cause, Job 9:17. 2. They are for nature exceedingly heinous (La 2:8): Jerusalem has grievously sinned, has sinned sin (so the word is), sinned wilfully, deliberately, has sinned that sin which of all others is the abominable things that the Lord hates, the sin of idolatry. The sins of Jerusalem, that makes such a profession and enjoys such privileges, are of all others the most grievous sins. She has sinned grievously (La 2:8), and therefore (La 2:9) she came down wonderfully. Note, Grievous sins bring wondrous ruin; there are some workers of iniquity to whom there is a strange punishment, Job 31:3. They are such sins as may plainly be read in the punishment. (1.) They have been very oppressive and therefore are justly oppressed (La 2:3): Judah has gone into captivity, and it is because of affliction and great servitude, because the rich among them afflicted the poor and made them serve with rigour, and particularly (as the Chaldee paraphrases it) because they had oppressed their Hebrew servants, which is charged upon them, Jer 34:11. Oppression was one of their crying sins (Jer 6:6,7) and it is a sin that cries aloud. (2.) They have made themselves vile, and therefore are justly vilified. They all despise her (La 2:8), for her filthiness is in her skirts; it appears upon her garments that she has rolled them in the mire of sin. None could stain our glory if we did not stain it ourselves. (3.) They have been very secure and therefore are justly surprised with this ruin (La 2:9): She remembers not her last end; she did not take the warning that was given her to consider her latter end, to consider what would be the end of such wicked courses as she took, and therefore she came down wonderfully, in an astonishing manner, that she might be made to feel what she would not fear; therefore God shall make their plagues wonderful.
III. Jerusalem's friends are here complained of as false and faint-hearted, and very unkind: They have all dealt treacherously with her (La 2:2), so that, in effect, they have become her enemies. Her deceivers have created her as much vexation as her destroyers. The staff that breaks under us may do us as great a mischief as the staff that beats us, Eze 29:6,7. Her princes, that should have protected her, have not courage enough to make head against the enemy for their own preservation; they are like harts, that, upon the first alarm, betake themselves to flight and make no resistance; nay, they are like harts that are famished for want of pasture, and therefore are gone without strength before the pursuer, and, having no strength for flight, are soon run down and made a prey of. Her neighbours are unneighbourly, for, 1. There is none to help her (La 2:7); either they could not or they would not; nay, 2. She has not comforter, none to sympathize with her, or suggest any thing to alleviate her griefs, La 2:7,9. Like Job's friends, they saw it was to no purpose, her grief was so great; and miserable comforters were they all in such a case.
IV. Jerusalem's God is here complained to concerning all these things, and all is referred to his compassionate consideration (La 2:9): "O Lord! behold my affliction, and take cognizance of it;" and (La 2:11), "See, O Lord! and consider, take order about it." Note, The only way to make ourselves easy under our burdens is to cast them upon God first, and leave it to him to do with us as seemeth him good.
12-22
God Acknowledged in Affliction; Jerusalem's Complaint (588 BC)
在苦難中承認神；耶路撒冷的哀訴（主前588年）
¹² 你們一切過路的人哪，這事你們不以為意麼？你們要觀看、要思想，有沒有像我所受的痛苦，就是耶和華在祂發烈怒的日子使我所受的。
¹³ 祂從高處使火進入我的骨頭，勝過了我；祂為我的腳設下網羅，使我退後；祂終日使我荒涼昏厥。
¹⁴ 我罪過的軛是祂的手所綁的；它們交織著，上到我的頸項；祂使我的力量跌倒；主將我交在他們手中，我不能抵抗。
¹⁵ 主踐踏了我的一切勇士；祂招聚人攻擊我，要壓碎我的少年人；主踐踏猶大處女，如在酒醡中一樣。
¹⁶ 我因這些事哭泣；我的眼，我的眼淚水下流；因那當安慰我、救我性命的，離我甚遠；我的兒女荒涼，因為仇敵得勝了。
¹⁷ 錫安伸出手來，卻無人安慰她；耶和華已經吩咐雅各的四圍成為仇敵；耶路撒冷在他們中間如不潔的婦人。
¹⁸ 耶和華是公義的；因我違背了祂的命令。萬民哪，請聽，看我的痛苦；我的處女和少年人都被擄去了。
¹⁹ 我招呼我所愛的，他們卻欺騙了我；我的祭司和長老在城中氣絕，正當他們尋求糧食、要救性命的時候。
²⁰ 耶和華啊，求你觀看，因為我在急難中；我的心腸擾亂；我的心在我裡面翻轉，因我大大悖逆。在外刀劍使人喪子，在家中如死亡。
²¹ 他們聽見我歎息，卻無人安慰我；我的一切仇敵都聽見了我的患難；他們因你所行的就歡喜。你必帶來你所宣告的日子，他們必像我一樣。
²² 願他們的惡行都呈現在你面前；你怎樣因我一切的罪過待我，求你也照樣待他們；因我的歎息甚多，我的心是昏厥的。
這裡的哀訴，按實質而言，與本章前半部分相同；但在這些經文中，先知以哀哭教會的名義，更特別地承認神在這些災禍中的作為，以及祂作為的公義。
一、受苦的教會在此誇述她的苦難，但並未誇大；她的呻吟不重於她的責打。她向一切旁觀者呼籲：*你們要觀看、要思想，有沒有像我所受的痛苦，La 2:12。這話用於耶路撒冷的憂患或許是真實的；但我們在自己遭難時，往往過於敏感地將它應用在自己身上，超過了應有的程度。因為我們對自己的重擔感受最深，又不能與之調和，就易於呼喊說： surely從來沒有憂愁像我的憂愁；*其實，若將我們的患難與別人的一同放入共同之中，然後平分，各人取一份，我們反而會說：「請把我的那份還給我吧。」
二、她在此超越了器皿，看到患難的作者，承認這一切都是祂所指引、決定、安排的：是耶和華使我受苦，祂使我受苦是因為祂向我發怒；祂不悅的深重可從我痛苦的深重來衡量；這是*在祂發烈怒的日子，La 2:12。當我們看見苦難來自神的忿怒時，就不能不作為極大的憂傷；教會在此就是如此。1. 她如發熱病的人，這熱病是神所打發的：祂從高處使火進入我的骨頭（La 2:13），一種反常的熱氣，勝過了我，以致它們如火把燒著（Ps 102:3），疼痛、消損、枯乾。2. 她如同落在網中的人，越掙扎越被纏住，這網是神所鋪設的。仇敵若不是神為我的腳設下網羅，*他們的計謀不可能成功。3. 她如在曠野中的人，道路艱難、孤單、令人疲憊：*祂使我退後，使我不能前行；使我荒涼，使我一無所恃，卻終日昏厥。4. 她如同負軛的人，不是為服役，而是為贖罪，頸項和腳跟被綁在一起（La 2:14）：我罪過的軛是祂的手所綁的。當注意，我們所負的一切軛，無不是由我們自己的罪過造成的。罪人被自己罪的繩索纏住，Pr 5:22。基督命令的軛是容易的軛（Mt 11:30），但我們自己罪過的軛是沉重的。當神把罪咎加在我們身上，把我們帶入罪所應得的內外患難時，就可以說是祂綁這軛；當良心作祂的代理人，把我們捆綁交給祂的審判時，那軛就是被祂公義的手所綁、所編織，只有祂赦免之恩的手能解開。5. 她如同落在塵土中的人，是祂踐踏了她的一切勇士，使他們無力站立，一個審判接一個審判將他們傾覆，任憑驕傲的征服者踐踏，La 2:15。不但如此，她如同在酒醡中，不僅被踐踏，更是被壓碎，在神忿怒的酒醡中被壓如葡萄，她的血如酒被榨出，是神這樣踐踏了猶大處女。6. 她在仇敵手中，是主把她交在他們手中（La 2:14）：祂使我的力量跌倒，以致我不能抵擋他們；不但不能起來反對他們，更不能從他們中間起來，那時祂就把我交在他們手中；*不但如此（La 2:15），*祂招聚人攻擊我，要壓碎我的少年人，*所招聚的是無法抵擋的；又（La 2:17）：耶和華已經吩咐雅各的四圍成為仇敵。那位曾多次為雅各命定救恩的（Ps 44:4），如今下令攻擊雅各，因為雅各違背了祂律法的命令。
三、她理當要求那些看見她苦難的人給予憐憫和同情（La 2:12）：*你們一切過路的人哪，這事你們不以為意麼？你們看著我能無動於衷麼？甚麼！你們的心如金剛石，你們的眼如大理石，不能給我一個同情的思想、目光或一滴眼淚麼？你們不也在肉身之中麼？你們鄰舍的房子著火，你們就毫不在乎麼？有人對錫安的憂愁和荒涫毫不關心；他們不為約瑟的苦難擔憂。*她何等動人地懇求他們的同情！（La 2:18）：*萬民哪，請聽，看我的痛苦；*聽我的哀訴，看我為何如此哀訴。這如同約伯的請求（Job 19:21），*我朋友啊，可憐我，可憐我！*若朋友同情我們，與我們同流眼淚，有助於減輕重擔，因為這證明我們雖在苦難中，卻未被輕視——這在苦難中往往比任何事更令人懼怕。
四、她為自己的憂傷辯護，雖然這憂傷極其深切，卻是因這些災難而發（La 2:16）：我因這些事哭泣，我在夜間哭泣（La 2:2），無人看見；我的眼，我的眼淚水下流。注意，這世界對神的百姓而言是流淚之谷。錫安的兒子往往也是錫安的哀哭者。錫安伸出手來（La 2:17），這裡是絕望而非渴望的表示；她伸出雙手，如同放棄一切。讓我們看她如何為這深切哀痛解釋。1. 她的神已從她撤回；米迦不過有金造的神像，被偷去時就喊叫說，我還有甚麼呢？你們對我說甚麼？你怎麼了？教會在此過度哀傷；因為，她說，那當安慰我、救我性命的，離我甚遠。神是那安慰者；祂從前對她如此；只有祂能賜下有效的安慰；是祂的話語說出安慰；是祂的靈將安慰說到我們心中。祂的是堅固的安慰，能救回性命，在它消逝時將之帶回，而我們自己不能將之尋回；但如今祂在不悅中離去，祂離我甚遠，從遠處觀看我。注意，當那唯一能安慰他們的神保持距離時，聖徒的靈魂昏厥，並不為奇。2. 她的兒女被奪去，且無力幫助她：她是為他們哭泣，如拉結為她的兒女哭泣，因為他們不在了，所以她不肯受安慰。她的兒女荒涼，因為仇敵得勝了；在她一切兒子中無人拉她的手（Isa 51:18）；他們不能自救，怎能救她呢？那些本是她喜樂和盼望的使女和少年人，都被擄去了，La 2:18。論到迦勒底人，說他們不憐恤少男少女，不顧女性，不顧青春年華，2Ch 36:17。3. 她的朋友使她失望；有的不願，有的不能給她任何幫助。她伸出手來，如同乞求救助，但無人安慰她（La 2:17），無人能作，無人肯作；她招呼她的所愛的，為要促動他們幫助她，稱他們為所愛的，但他們欺騙了她（La 2:19），如同夏日乾涸的溪河之於乾渴的旅人，Job 6:15。注意，我們所戀慕、寄予期望的受造之物，往往使我們受欺、失望。她的偶像是她的所愛。埃及和亞述是她的倚靠。但他們欺騙了她。那些在她興盛時向她獻慇勤的，在她逆境中卻疏遠她。那些以神為友、保守自己在祂愛中的人有福了，因為祂必不欺哄他們！4. 那些本當引導她的，卻無力為她效勞。那些祭司和長老，本該站在事務之首的，卻因饑餓而死（La 2:19）；他們氣絕，或快要斷氣，正當他們尋求糧食之時；他們為求活命的餅而乞討。當智者無餅、當祭司和長老餓死之時，那地的饑荒實在*嚴重。*祭司和長老本該作她的安慰者；但他們自己既無安慰，怎能安慰別人呢？*他們聽見我歎息，這本該催促他們來幫助我；但無人安慰我。5. 她的仇敵勝過她，凌辱她；他們已經得勝，*La 2:16。*在外刀劍使人喪子，凡遇上的都被殺戮，在內一切供應被圍困者截斷，以致在家中如死亡，*就是饑荒，與瘟疫一樣糟，或更糟——外有刀劍，內有驚恐，De 32:25。那些作為災禍器皿的仇敵極其殘忍，那些旁觀者——對以色列懷恨的以東人和亞捫人——也是如此：他們聽見我的患難，因你所行的就歡喜（La 2:21）；他們為患難本身歡喜；他們為這是神所行的而歡喜；他們看見神和祂的以色列反目，就為此高興，並對他們極其冷漠。耶路撒冷在他們中間如不潔的婦人，他們不敢觸碰，遠而避之，La 2:17。基於這一切，她的歎息甚多，為已有的憂傷，她的心是昏厥的（La 2:22），為將來的恐懼，這都不足為奇，她也不當受責備。
五、她為臨到她身上的一切稱義神，承認她的罪應受這嚴厲的管教。那重重壓著、緊緊綁著的軛，是*她罪過的軛，*La 2:14。我們被捆鎖的鎖鏈是自己打造的，我們被打是用自己的杖。當教會在此說話時似乎覺得主嚴厲，她就糾正自己，至少是解釋自己，承認（La 2:18）：*耶和華是公義的。祂如此待我們並沒有不義，我們也不能在其中指控祂有任何不公；無論人多麼不義，我們確知耶和華是公義的，並彰顯祂的公義，雖然他們違背了自己的一切律法。注意，無論我們的患難是甚麼，只要是神所加的，我們就必須承認祂在其中是公義的；*我們若不承認，就是既不認識祂，也不認識自己，2Ch 12:6。她承認神作為的公正，但承認自己的不義：我違背了祂的命令（La 2:18）；又（La 2:20）：*我大大悖逆。我們論罪不能說得太重，對自己的罪總要說得最重；要稱它為悖逆，是大大的悖逆；*對一切真心悔改的人而言，重大的罪確實如此。比她所受的苦難更沉重地壓在她心上的，正是這個：*我的心腸擾亂；*它在我裡面翻騰如翻騰的海；*我的心在我裡面翻轉，*不得安息，上下顛倒；*因我大大悖逆。*注意，為罪憂傷必須是大大的憂傷，且必須觸及靈魂。
六、她既向神的憐憫上訴，也向神的公義上訴。1. 她為自己的憂傷向神的憐憫上訴，這憂傷使她成為祂憐憫的對象（La 2:20）：*「耶和華啊，求你觀看，因為我在急難中；*察看我的處境，並照你看為合宜的為我安排救助。」注意，我們的憂愁壓在心頭，卻在神眼前敞開，這是我們的安慰。2. 她為仇敵對她所行的傷害向神的公義上訴（La 2:21,22）：*你必帶來你所宣告的日子，就是神旨意中定規、預言中宣告的日子，那時如今追逼我的仇敵必像我一樣，*如今交在我手中的那令人戰慄的杯，那時必交在他們手中。這可讀作祈求：「願所定的日子來到，」如此就繼續說：願他們的惡行都呈現在你面前，願它被記念，願它被追討；求你為他們向我一切的不義報仇（Ps 109:14,15）；求你快快成就那時候，當你為他們的罪過待他們，如同你為我的罪過待我一樣。這祈求等於是對一切與他們妥協之念頭的抗議，也是對他們滅亡的預言，贊同神在祂話語中所說的。注意，我們的禱告可以也必須與神的話語相符；神在這裡所命定的日子，我們也當呼求，不可求別的。雖然我們在愛心中當赦免仇敵，為他們禱告，但我們可以憑信心求神成就祂所說的話——就是針對祂和祂教會那些不肯悔改歸榮耀給神的仇敵的話。
英文原文
God Acknowledged in Affliction; Jerusalem's Complaint (588 BC)
¹² Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.
¹³ From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.
¹⁴ The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.
¹⁵ The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.
¹⁶ For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.
¹⁷ Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
¹⁸ The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.
¹⁹ I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.
²⁰ Behold, O LORD; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.
²¹ They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.
²² Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.
The complaints here are, for substance, the same with those in the foregoing part of the chapter; but in these verses the prophet, in the name of the lamenting church, does more particularly acknowledge the hand of god in these calamities, and the righteousness of his hand.
I. The church in distress here magnifies her affliction, and yet no more than there was cause for; her groaning was not heavier than her strokes. She appeals to all spectators: See if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, La 2:12. This might perhaps be truly said of Jerusalem's griefs; but we are apt to apply it too sensibly to ourselves when we are in trouble and more than there is cause for. Because we feel most from our own burden, and cannot be persuaded to reconcile ourselves to it, we are ready to cry out, Surely never was sorrow like unto our sorrow; whereas, if our troubles were to be thrown into a common stock with those of others, and then an equal dividend made, share and share alike, rather than stand to that we should each of us say, "Pray, give me my own again."
II. She here looks beyond the instruments to the author of her troubles, and owns them all to be directed, determined, and disposed of by him: "It is the Lord that has afflicted me, and he has afflicted me because he is angry with me; the greatness of his displeasure may be measured by the greatness of my distress; it is in the day of his fierce anger," La 2:12. Afflictions cannot but be very much our griefs when we see them arising from God's wrath; so the church does here. 1. She is as one in a fever, and the fever is of God's sending: "He has sent fire into my bones (La 2:13), a preternatural heat, which prevails against them, so that they are burnt like a hearth (Ps 102:3), pained and wasted, and dried away." 2. She is as one in a net, which the more he struggles to get out of the more he is entangled in, and this net is of God's spreading. "The enemies could not have succeeded in their stratagems had not God spread a net for my feet." 3. She is as one in a wilderness, whose way is embarrassed, solitary, and tiresome: "He has turned me back, that I cannot go on, has made me desolate, that I have nothing to support me with, but am faint all the day." 4. She is as one in a yoke, not yoked for service, but for penance, tied neck and heels together (La 2:14): The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand. Observe, We never are entangled in any yoke but what is framed out of our own transgressions. The sinner is holden with the cords of his own sins, Pr 5:22. The yoke of Christ's commands is an easy yoke (Mt 11:30), but that of our own transgressions is a heavy one. God is said to bind this yoke when he charges guilt upon us, and brings us into those inward and outward troubles which our sins have deserved; when conscience, as his deputy, binds us over to his judgment, then the yoke is bound and wreathed by the hand of his justice, and nothing but the hand of his pardoning mercy will unbind it. 5. She is as one in the dirt, and he it is that has trodden under foot all her mighty men, that has disabled them to stand, and overthrown them by one judgment after another, and so left them to be trampled upon by their proud conquerors, La 2:15. Nay, she is as one in a wine-press, not only trodden down, but trodden to pieces, crushed as grapes in the wine-press of God's wrath, and her blood pressed out as wine, and it is God that has thus trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah. 6. She is in the hand of her enemies, and it is the Lord that has delivered her into their hands (La 2:14): He has made my strength to fall, so that I am not able to make head against them; nay, not only not able to rise up against them, but not able to rise up from them, and then he has delivered me into their hands; nay (La 2:15), he has called an assembly against me, to crush my young men, and such an assembly as it is in vain to think of opposing; and again (La 2:17), The Lord has commanded concerning Jacob that his adversaries should be round about him. He that has many a time commanded deliverances for Jacob (Ps 44:4) now commands an invasion against Jacob, because Jacob has disobeyed the commands of his law.
III. She justly demands a share in the pity and compassion of those that were the spectators of her misery (La 2:12): "Is it nothing to you, all you that pass by? Can you look upon me without concern? What! are your hearts as adamants and your eyes as marbles, that you cannot bestow upon me one compassionate thought, or look, or tear? Are not you also in the body? Is it nothing to you that your neighbor's house is on fire?" There are those to whom Zion's sorrows and ruins are nothing; they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. How pathetically does she beg their compassion! (La 2:18): "Hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: hear my complaints, and see what cause I have for them." This is a request like that of Job (Job 19:21), Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O you my friends! It helps to make a burden sit lighter if our friends sympathize with us, and mingle their tears with ours, for this is an evidence that, though we are in affliction, we are not in contempt, which is commonly as much dreaded in an affliction as any thing.
IV. She justifies her own grief, though it was very extreme, for these calamities (La 2:16): "For these things I weep, I weep in the night (La 2:2), when none sees; my eye, my eye, runs down with water." Note, This world is a vale of tears to the people of God. Zion's sons are often Zion's mourners. Zion spreads forth her hands (La 2:17), which is here an expression rather of despair than of desire; she flings out her hands as giving up all for gone. Let us see how she accounts for this passionate grief. 1. Her God has withdrawn from her; and Micah, that had but gods of gold, when they were stolen from him cried out, What have I more? And what is it that you say unto me? What aileth thee? The church here grieves excessively; for, says she, the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me. God is the comforter; he used to be so to her; he only can administer effectual comforts; it is his word that speaks them; it is his Spirit that speaks them to us. His are strong consolations, able to relieve the soul, to bring it back when it is gone, and we cannot of ourselves fetch it again; but now he has departed in displeasure, he is far from me, and beholds me afar off. Note, It is no marvel that the souls of the saints faint away, when God, who is the only Comforter that can relieve them, keeps at a distance. 2. Her children are removed from her, and are in no capacity to help her: it is for them that she weeps, as Rachel for hers, because they were not, and therefore she refuses to be comforted. Her children were desolate, because the enemy prevailed against them; there is none of all her sons to take her by the hand (Isa 51:18); they cannot help themselves, and how should they help her? Both the damsels and the youths, that were her joy and hope, have gone into captivity, La 2:18. It is said of the Chaldeans that they had no compassion upon young men nor maidens, not on the fair sex, not on the blooming age, 2Ch 36:17. 3. Her friends failed her; some would not and others could not give her any relief. She spread forth her hands, as begging relief, but there is none to comfort her (La 2:17), none that can do it, none that cares to do it; she called for her lovers, and, to engage them to help her, called them her lovers, but they deceived her (La 2:19), they proved like the brooks in summer to the thirsty traveller, Job 6:15. Note, Those creatures that we set our hearts upon and raise our expectations from we are commonly deceived and disappointed in. Her idols were her lovers. Egypt and Assyria were her confidants. But they deceived her. Those that made court to her in her prosperity were shy of her, and strange to her, in her adversity. Happy are those that have made God their friend and keep themselves in his love, for he will not deceive them! 4. Those whose office it was to guide her were disabled from doing her any service. The priests and the elders, that should have appeared at the head of affairs, died for hunger (La 2:19); they gave up the ghost, or were ready to expire, while they sought their meat; they went a begging for bread to keep them alive. The famine is sore indeed in the land when there is no bread to the wise, when priests and elders are starved. The priests and elders should have been her comforters; but how should they comfort others when they themselves were comfortless? "They have heard that I sigh, which should have summoned them to my assistance; but there is none to comfort me. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me." 5. Her enemies were too hard for her, and they insulted over her; they have prevailed, La 2:16. Abroad the sword bereaves and slays all that comes in its way, and at home all provisions are cut off by the besiegers, so that there is as death, that is, famine, which is as bad as the pestilence, or worse—the sword without and terror within, De 32:25. And as the enemies, that were the instruments of the calamity, were very barbarous, so were those that were the standers by, the Edomites and Ammonites, that bore ill will to Israel: They have heard of my trouble, and are glad that thou hast done it (La 2:21); they rejoice in the trouble itself; they rejoice that it is God's doing; it pleases them to find that God and his Israel have fallen out, and they act accordingly with a great deal of strangeness towards them. Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them, that they are afraid of touching and are shy of, La 2:17. Upon all these accounts it cannot be wondered at, nor can she be blamed, that her sighs are many, in grieving for what is, and that her heart is faint (La 2:22) in fear of what is yet further likely to be.
V. She justifies God in all that is brought upon her, acknowledging that her sins had deserved these severe chastenings. The yoke that lies so heavily, and binds so hard, is the yoke of her transgressions, La 2:14. The fetters we are held in are of our own making, and it is with our own rod that we are beaten. When the church had spoken here as if she thought the Lord severe she does well to correct herself, at least to explain herself, but acknowledging (La 2:18), The Lord is righteous. He does us no wrong in dealing thus with us, nor can we charge him with any injustice in it; how unrighteous soever men are, we are sure that the Lord is righteous, and manifests his justice, though they contradict all the laws of theirs. Note, Whatever our troubles are, which God is pleased to inflict upon us, we must own that therein he is righteous; we understand neither him nor ourselves if we do not own it, 2Ch 12:6. She owns the equity of God's actions, but owning the iniquity of her own: I have rebelled against his commandments (La 2:18); and again (La 2:20), I have grievously rebelled. We cannot speak ill enough of sin, and we must always speak worst of our own sin, must call it rebellion, grievous rebellion; and very grievous sins is to all true penitents. It is this that lies more heavily upon her than the afflictions she was under: "My bowels are troubled; they work within me as the troubled sea; my heart is turned within me, is restless, is turned upside down; for I have grievously rebelled." Note, Sorrow for our sin must be great sorrow and must affect the soul.
VI. She appeals both to the mercy and to the justice of God in her present case. 1. She appeals to the mercy of God concerning her own sorrows, which had made her the proper object of his compassion (La 2:20): "Behold, O Lord! for I am in distress; take cognizance of my case, and take such order for my relief as thou pleasest." Note, It is matter of comfort to us that the troubles which oppress our spirits are open before God's eye. 2. She appeals to the justice of God concerning the injuries that her enemies did her (La 2:21,22): "Thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, the day that is fixed in the counsels of God and published in the prophecies, when my enemies, that now prosecute me, shall be made like unto me, when the cup of trembling, now put into my hands, shall be put into theirs." It may be read as a prayer, "Let the day appointed come," and so it goes on, "Let their wickedness come before thee, let it come to be remembered, let it come to be reckoned for; take vengeance on them for all the wrongs they have done to me (Ps 109:14,15); hasten the time when thou wilt do to them for their transgressions as thou hast done to me for mine." This prayer amounts to a protestation against all thoughts of a coalition with them, and to a prediction of their ruin, subscribing to that which God had in his word spoken of it. Note, Our prayers may and must agree with God's word; and what day God has here called we are to call for, and no other. And though we are bound in charity to forgive our enemies, and to pray for them, yet we may in faith pray for the accomplishment of that which God has spoken against his and his church's enemies, that will not repent to give him glory.
我們在此看見這首哀歌的第一個字母詩，共二十二節，在其中耶路撒冷的苦難被痛苦地哀歎，她現今可悲的景況因與往日繁盛的光景相比較而更顯淒慘；自始至終，罪被承認並被指為招致這一切災禍的緣由；同時也向神呼籲，求祂向仇敵施行公義，並向祂祈求對百姓的憐憫。本章渾然一體，各項申訴彼此交織；但其中包含：一、向神訴說他們的災難，並求祂以憐憫顧念，La 1:1-11。二、向朋友們訴說同樣的災難，並求他們以憐憫顧念，La 1:12-17。三、向神和祂的公義上訴此事（La 1:18-22），在其中祂在百姓的苦難中得著稱義，並被謙卑地懇求在他們的拯救中彰顯祂自己的公義。