'How Lonely Sits My City Ninevah'

by Dominic Younan

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How lonely sits my city Nineveh

That was once full of my people

You who was once the princess of the people

Have now become a slave

They all pass by

For they loathe her in their hearts

She is stricken

She is desolate Is there any sorrow like my sorrow?

My eyes are red

My heart is pierced with grief

My cup has spilled unto the ground

Our blood has been spilt for your name

My heart cries out to you, why have you forsaken us?

We, who took your word and spread it to foreign lands

You, who we left everything for to embrace your Holy Name

Our people are massacred

Our men have been shot unarmed

Our women have been abducted

Their wombs have been slashed

Our young girls have been raped, and

March naked in front of our oppressors for their amusement

Our children have been tramped

Our priests have been beheaded

Our Holy books have been used to burn the bodies of the massacred

Because of this, the joy of our heart has ceased

Our dancing has turned into mourning

The crown has fallen from our heads, and

The spear has disappeared from our mighty arm

My eyes overflow with tears for the destruction of the daughter of our people

I am down in the lowest pit

We are forgotten

We are neglected

We have wounds without cause

I ask you all, Wake up!

Cry out in the night, pour out your heart

Beseech of the mighty one to save

Lift your arms up towards Heaven

Please do not forget us

Remember what has come upon us

For we are as old as the land itself

Our land has been turned over Look, behold our shame

Our inheritance has been turned over to our oppressors

We have become like orphans and widows within our own land

But, I will wait! I will seek!

Through His mercies we are not consumed

His compassion does not fail us

They are a new every morning

You are faithful, you are my portion

For my hope is in you

Not in our strength, or our might

We will hold onto your promise

"Blessed be Assyria

The work of my Hands"