1st person continuity

25-LAM/01.usfm

@@ -22,12 +22,14 @@
 
 \s5
 \q1
-\v 3 All of us, the people of Judah have become poor and have suffered greatly;
-\q2 most of our people have gone to other lands as slaves.
-\q1 They now live in other lands
-\q2 and have no peace.
-\q1 Our enemies captured us all;
-\q2 there was no way for us to escape.
+\v 3 The people of Judah have become poor 
+\q2 and have suffered greatly.
+\q1 Almost all of our people 
+\q2 were forced to leave our land.
+\q1 We now live in another country
+\q2 and we have no peace.
+\q1 When the people Judah were unable to defend ourselves, 
+\q2 that was when our enemies captured us.
 \b
 
 \s5
@@ -83,124 +85,124 @@
 \q1 We did not imagine how we would suffer;
 \q2 there is no one to comfort us.
 \q1 We all call out to God, "Yahweh, look at how we are suffering
-\q2 because our enemies have defeated us!
+\q2 because our enemies have defeated us!"
 \b
 
 \s5
 \q1
 \v 10 Our enemies have taken away all our treasures,
 \q2 all the valuable things that we owned.
-\q1 We have seen soldiers from other nations, men who do not worship you, Yahweh, enter our sacred temple,
-\q2 where you had said no foreigner must go."
+\q1 People who do not worship you, Yahweh, are going into our sacred temple,
+\q2 where you had said no foreigner must go into the place where your people worship you.
 \b
 
 \s5
 \q1
-\v 11 We groan in the city
-\q2 while we search for food;
-\q1 we have given our most valuable things
-\q2 to get food to eat to gain some strength.
-\q1 We say, "Yahweh, look at us;
-\q2 see how our enemies despise us!"
+\v 11 All the people in the city cry out with pain
+\q2 while they search for food.
+\q1 They have given their most valuable things
+\q2 to get food to eat to restore their strength.
+\q1 Yahweh, look at me,
+\q2 no one values my life.
 \b
 \q1
 \v 12 You people who pass by,
-\q2 you do not seem to care at all about what has happened to us.
+\q2 you do not seem to care at all about what has happened to me.
 \q1 Look around and see
-\q2 that there are no other people who are suffering as we are.
-\q1 Yahweh has caused us to suffer
-\q2 because he was extremely angry with us.
+\q2 that there are no other people who are suffering as I do.
+\q1 Yahweh has caused me to suffer
+\q2 because he was punished me on the day he was angry with us, his people.
 
 \s5
 \q1
 \v 13 It is as though he sent a fire from heaven 
-\q2 that burned in our bones;
-\q1 it is as though he has placed a trap to entangle our feet,
-\q2 and has prevented us from walking any further.
-\q1 He has abandoned us;
-\q2 we are weak and alone every day, all during the day.
+\q2 that burned in my bones;
+\q1 it is as though he has placed a trap to entangle my feet,
+\q2 and has prevented me from walking turning back to our home.
+\q1 He has abandoned me;
+\q2 I am weak and alone every day, all during the day.
 \b
 \q1
-\v 14 He turned the sins that we have committed into a heavy load for us to carry;
-\q2 it is as though he tied them around our necks.
+\v 14 He turned the sins that I have committed into a heavy load for me to carry;
+\q2 it is as though he tied them around my neck.
 \q1 Previously we were strong,
-\q2 but he has caused us to become weak.
-\q1 He has allowed our enemies to capture us,
-\q2 and we were not able to do anything to resist them.
+\q2 but he has caused me to become weak.
+\q1 He has allowed my enemies to capture me,
+\q2 and I was not able to do anything to resist them.
 \b
 
 \s5
 \q1
-\v 15 The Lord looked at our mighty soldiers,
-\q2 laughed at them, and threw them away.
+\v 15 The Lord looked at my mighty soldiers, who kept me safe.
 \q1 He summoned a great army
-\q2 to come and crush our strong young soldiers.
-\q1 It is as though the Lord has trampled on us people of Judah
+\q2 to come and crush me to defeat my strong young soldiers.
+\q1 The Lord has trampled on the people of Judah
 \q2 as people trample on grapes in a pit to make juice.
 \b
 
 \s5
 \q1
-\v 16 We weep because of all those things;
-\q2 our eyes are filled with tears.
-\q1 There is no one to comfort us;
-\q2 those who could encourage us are far away.
-\q1 Our enemies have conquered us,
-\q2 so our children have nothing good to hope for.
+\v 16 I weep because of all these things.
+\q2 My eyes are filled with tears.
+\q1 There is no one to comfort me.
+\q2 The one who comforts me is far away from me.
+\q1 My children have no hope
+\q2 because the enemy has taken us all captive.
 \b
 \q1
-\v 17 We people of Jerusalem reach out our hands to get help,
-\q2 but there is no one to comfort us.
-\q1 Yahweh has decided concerning us descendants of Jacob
-\q2 that the people in nearby nations will become our enemies;
-\q1 so they consider that
+\v 17 The people who lived in Zion (the city of Jerusalem)
+\q2 have no one to give them comfort. 
+\q1 Yahweh has give the order that the people in nearby nations 
+\q2 will become the enemies of the descendants of our father Jacob (who are also called the Israelites).
 \q2 Jerusalem has become disgusting to them.
 \b
 
 \s5
 \q1
-\v 18 But what Yahweh has done to us is fair,
-\q2 because we have refused to obey what he told us to do.
-\q1 You people everywhere, listen to us;
-\q2 look and see that we are suffering greatly.
-\q1 We had many sons and daughters,
-\q2 but our enemies took them all and made them go to far off lands.
+\v 18 But what Yahweh has done to me is fair,
+\q2 for I had refused to obey what he told me to do.
+\q1 You people everywhere, listen to me!
+\q2 Look and see that that I am suffering greatly.
+\q1 My young daughters and brave sons 
+\q2 have been taken away to far off lands.
 \b
 \q1
-\v 19 We pleaded with our allies, in whom we trusted, to help us,
-\q2 but they all refused, like men refuse to help a prostitute they slept with.
-\q1 Our priests and our leaders
-\q2 have died from hunger in the city
-\q1 while they were searching for food
-\q2 to eat to remain alive.
+\v 19 I pleaded with our allies, in whom we trusted, to help,
+\q2 but they all refused, 
+\q2 they told lies and did not keep their promises.
+\q1 My priests and my leaders
+\q2 died with the walls of the city
+\q1 while they searched for food to eat.
 \b
 
 \s5
 \q1
-\v 20 Yahweh, see that we are suffering very much.
-\q2 It is as though our inner organs are on fire.
-\q1 We are sad in our inner beings 
-\q2 because we have rebelled against you.
+\v 20 Yahweh, see that I am suffering very much!
+\q2 Inside of my body I am in great distress.
+\q1 I am sad in the center of my being,
+\q2 because I have rebelled against you
+\q2 and have caused you great sadness!
 \q1 Our enemies kill people in the streets with their swords;
-\q2 at home it is like sheol, the world of the dead.
+\q2 and that makes our homes the places where the dead are kept. 
 \b
 
 \s5
 \q1
-\v 21 People heard us while we groaned,
-\q2 but no one came to comfort us.
-\q1 All our enemies know what happened to us;
-\q2 they were all happy to hear about it.
+\v 21 Here my groaning!
+\q2 but no one came to comfort me.
+\q1 All our enemies know what happened to me;
+\q2 they were all happy to hear 
+\q2 about what Yahweh has done to his people.
 \q1 Please do soon what you have promised,
 \q2 when our enemies will suffer like we have suffered!
 \b
 \q1
-\v 22 Yahweh, consent to look at all the evil deeds 
-\q2 that they have committed.
-\q1 Punish them as you have punished us
-\q2 for all the sins that we committed.
-\q1 We say this to you because we suffer and groan very much,
-\q2 and we faint in our inner beings.
+\v 22 Yahweh, let those evils deeds come near to you
+\q2 so you may see them all!
+\q1 Punish them as you have punished me
+\q2 for all my sins!
+\q1 I suffer and groan very much,
+\q2 and I faint within my inner self.
 
 
 

25-LAM/02.usfm

@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 \s5
 \c 2
-
 \p
 \q1
 \v 1 The Lord was extremely angry with us;
@@ -199,7 +198,7 @@
 \q2 without pitying them at all.
 \b
 \q1
-\v 22 You summoned our enemies to attack us from every direction,
+\v 22 You summoned my enemies to attack from every direction,
 \q2 as though you were calling them to come to a feast.
 \q1 At that time you showed that you were very angry,
 \q2 and no one escaped.

25-LAM/03.usfm

@@ -90,10 +90,10 @@
 \q2 He never stops acting kindly toward us.
 \q1
 \v 23 Every morning he acts mercifully toward us again.
-\q2 He is the one whom we can always trust in.
+\q2 He is the one in whom we can always trust.
 \q1
-\v 24 So I sincerely say to myself, "Yahweh gives me what I need;
-\q2 I will confidently wait for him to do good things for me."
+\v 24 So I sincerely say to myself, "Yahweh gives me what I need!"
+\q2 Because I believe this, I will confidently wait for him to do good things for me.
 \b
 
 \s5