Give Us a Fresh Start

1-22
“Remember, God, all we’ve been through. Study our plight, the black mark we’ve made in history.
Our precious land has been given to outsiders, our homes to strangers.
Orphans we are, not a father in sight, and our mothers no better than widows.
We have to pay to drink our won water. Even our firewood comes at a price.
We’re nothing but slaves, bullied and bowed, worn out and without any rest.
We sold ourselves to Assyria and Egypt just to get something to eat.
Our parents sinned and are no more, and now we’re paying for the wrongs they did.
Slaves rule over us; there’s no escape from their grip.
We risk our lives to gather food in the bandit-infested desert.
Our skin has turned black as an oven, dried out like old leather from the famine.
Our wives were raped in the streets in Zion, and our virgins in the cities of Judah.
They hanged our princes by their hands, dishonored our elders.
Strapping young men were put to women’s work, mere boys forced to do men’s work.
The city gate is empty of wise elders. Music from the young is heard no more.
All the joy is gone from our hearts. Our dances have turned into dirges.
The crown of glory has toppled from our head. Woe! Woe! Would that we’d never sinned!
Because of all this we’re heartsick; we can’t see through the tears.
On Mount Zion, wrecked and ruined, jackals pace and prowl.
And yet, God, you’re sovereign still, your throne intact and eternal.
So why do you keep forgetting us? Why dump us and leave us like this?
Bring us back to you, God—we’re ready to come back. Give us a fresh start.
As it is, you’re cruelly disowned us. You’ve been so very angry with us.”

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• plight 곤경
• bandit-infested 산적이 들끓는
• hang 매달다
• Strapping 건장한
• dirge 죽음이나 상실에 대한 슬픈 노래
• topple 균형을 잃고 쓰러지다
• heartsick 비통한
• pace 천천히 걸어다니다
• prowl 배회하다
• sovereign 주권자
• intact 온전한, 완전한