Lamentations 1

The prophet Jeremiah begins his mournful poem by describing the utter devastation of Jerusalem after its destruction by the Babylonians. The city, once full of people, now sits solitary, like a widow weeping bitterly in the night. The city's splendor is gone, her former allies have betrayed her, and her enemies mock her fall. The city speaks, confessing her great sin and transgression, acknowledging that God has justly afflicted her for her numerous sins.