Lamentations 1:4 (DBY)

Passage

The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn assembly: all her gates are desolate; her priests sigh, her virgins are in grief; and as for her, she is in bitterness.

Nearby Context

Lamentations 1:2 She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; among all her lovers she hath no comforter; all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.

Lamentations 1:3 Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude; she dwelleth among the nations, she findeth no rest: all her pursuers have overtaken her within the straits.

Lamentations 1:4 The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn assembly: all her gates are desolate; her priests sigh, her virgins are in grief; and as for her, she is in bitterness.

Lamentations 1:5 Her adversaries have become the head, her enemies prosper; for Jehovah hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the adversary.

Lamentations 1:6 And from the daughter of Zion all her splendour is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture; and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "ways", "zion", "mourn", "none", "come", "solemn", "assembly", and "gates". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "ways" and "zion", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "Judah is gone into captivity because of..." into verse 5's "Her adversaries have become the head her...", so "ways" and "zion" belong inside that flow. In Lamentations context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "ways" and "zion" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.