Bacho tivkeh balaila v’dim’ata al leḥeya; ein la m’naḥem mikol ohaveha, kol re’eha bag’du hayu lah l’oy’vim.

Galta Y’huda me'oni, umerov avodah, hi yashva vagoyim, lo matsa mano-aḥ; kol rod’feha hisiguha ben hamitsarim.

Hashivenu Adonai eleḥa Lamentations 1:1–3 (KJV) How doth the city sit solitary, That was full of people!

She weepeth sore in the night, And her tears are on her cheeks; She hath none to comfort her Among all her lovers; All her friends have dealt treacherously with her, They are become her enemies.

Lamentations 1:8 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.

A live concert with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and soloist Christa Ludwig at the 1977 Berlin Festival was recorded and released as DVD.

It has since been taken up by several conductors, and recordings now include those by Leonard Slatkin (twice), James Judd, Marin Alsop, Gustavo Dudamel and Antonio Pappano.

A transcription of the "Profanation" movement exists for wind band, completed by Frank Bencriscutto.

[6] As a doctoral student, Mike Lebrias transcribed the entire symphony for wind ensemble, premiering in October of 2023.