Lamentations 5:15
New International Version
Joy is gone from our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.

New Living Translation
Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.

English Standard Version
The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has been turned to mourning.

Berean Standard Bible
Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.

King James Bible
The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.

New King James Version
The joy of our heart has ceased; Our dance has turned into mourning.

New American Standard Bible
The joy of our hearts has ended; Our dancing has been turned into mourning.

NASB 1995
The joy of our hearts has ceased; Our dancing has been turned into mourning.

NASB 1977
The joy of our hearts has ceased; Our dancing has been turned into mourning.

Legacy Standard Bible
The joy of our hearts has ceased; Our dancing has been turned into mourning.

Amplified Bible
The joy of our hearts has ended; Our dancing has been turned into mourning.

Christian Standard Bible
Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.

American Standard Version
The joy of our heart is ceased; Our dance is turned into mourning.

Contemporary English Version
Our hearts are sad; instead of dancing, we mourn.

English Revised Version
The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
There is no joy left in our hearts. Our dancing has turned into mourning.

Good News Translation
Happiness has gone out of our lives; grief has taken the place of our dances.

International Standard Version
The joy of our hearts has ceased, and our dancing has turned into dirges.

NET Bible
Our hearts no longer have any joy; our dancing is turned to mourning.

New Heart English Bible
The joy of our heart has ceased; our dancing is turned into mourning.

Webster's Bible Translation
The joy of our heart hath ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.
Majority Text Translations
Majority Standard Bible
Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.

World English Bible
The joy of our heart has ceased. Our dance is turned into mourning.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
The joy of our heart has ceased, "" Our dancing has been turned to mourning.

Young's Literal Translation
Ceased hath the joy of our heart, Turned to mourning hath been our dancing.

Smith's Literal Translation
The joy of our heart ceased; our dance was turned to mourning.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The joy of our heart is ceased, our dancing is turned into mourning.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The gladness of our heart has failed, our singing has been turned into mourning.

New American Bible
The joy of our hearts has ceased, dancing has turned into mourning;

New Revised Standard Version
The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has been turned to mourning.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
The joy of our hearts has ceased. Our joy has turned into grieving
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The joy of our heart is ceased; Our dance is turned into mourning.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
The joy of our heart has ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Prayer for Restoration
14The elders have left the city gate; the young men have stopped their music. 15Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning. 16The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!…

Cross References
Isaiah 24:11
In the streets they cry out for wine. All joy turns to gloom; rejoicing is exiled from the land.

Jeremiah 7:34
I will remove from the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem the sounds of joy and gladness and the voices of the bride and bridegroom, for the land will become a wasteland.”

Jeremiah 25:10
Moreover, I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp.

Joel 1:12
The grapevine is dried up, and the fig tree is withered; the pomegranate, palm, and apple—all the trees of the orchard—are withered. Surely the joy of mankind has dried up.

Joel 1:16
Has not the food been cut off before our very eyes—joy and gladness from the house of our God?

Ezekiel 26:13
So I will silence the sound of your songs, and the music of your lyres will no longer be heard.

Psalm 137:2-4
There on the willows we hung our harps, / for there our captors requested a song; our tormentors demanded songs of joy: “Sing us a song of Zion.” / How can we sing a song of the LORD in a foreign land?

Isaiah 16:10
Joy and gladness are removed from the orchard; no one sings or shouts in the vineyards. No one tramples the grapes in the winepresses; I have put an end to the cheering.

Hosea 2:11
I will put an end to all her exultation: her feasts, New Moons, and Sabbaths—all her appointed feasts.

Amos 8:10
I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation. I will cause everyone to wear sackcloth and every head to be shaved. I will make it like a time of mourning for an only son, and its outcome like a bitter day.

Revelation 18:22
And the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will never ring out in you again. Nor will any craftsmen of any trade be found in you again, nor the sound of a millstone be heard in you again.

John 16:20
Truly, truly, I tell you, you will weep and wail while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.

Matthew 9:15
Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

Luke 6:25
Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

James 4:9
Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom.


Treasury of Scripture

The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.

our dance

Psalm 30:11
Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

Amos 6:4-7
That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; …

Amos 8:10
And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.

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Ceased Changed Dance Dancing Ended Heart Hearts Joy Mourning Sorrow Turned
Lamentations 5
1. A complaint of Zion in prayer unto God.














Joy has left our hearts;
This phrase reflects the deep sorrow and despair experienced by the people of Jerusalem following the destruction of the city and the temple by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The loss of joy signifies a profound spiritual and emotional desolation. In biblical context, joy is often associated with God's presence and blessings (Psalm 16:11). The absence of joy indicates a perceived distance from God, a theme echoed in other lamentations and psalms of distress (Psalm 137:1-4). Theologically, this can be seen as a consequence of the nation's sin and rebellion against God, as outlined in the covenant curses of Deuteronomy 28:15-68.

our dancing has turned to mourning.
Dancing in ancient Israel was a common expression of joy and celebration, often associated with religious festivals and victories (Exodus 15:20, 2 Samuel 6:14). The transformation from dancing to mourning signifies a complete reversal of fortune and a deep sense of loss. Mourning in the biblical context involved specific rituals, such as wearing sackcloth and ashes, and was a public expression of grief (Job 2:12, Esther 4:3). This phrase captures the communal aspect of lament, as the entire community shares in the sorrow. It also foreshadows the hope of future restoration, as other scriptures promise a return to joy and dancing (Jeremiah 31:13, Isaiah 61:3). In a typological sense, this transformation can be seen as a reflection of the suffering and eventual triumph of Jesus Christ, who turns mourning into joy through His resurrection (John 16:20-22).

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
- Traditionally attributed as the author of Lamentations, Jeremiah is known as the "weeping prophet." He laments the destruction of Jerusalem and the suffering of his people.

2. Jerusalem
- The city that has been destroyed by the Babylonians, leading to the deep sorrow and mourning expressed in Lamentations.

3. Babylonian Exile
- The event during which the Israelites were taken captive by the Babylonians, resulting in the loss of their homeland and the joy that once filled their lives.

4. The Israelites
- The people of God who are experiencing the consequences of their disobedience and are now in a state of mourning and lament.

5. The Temple
- The center of worship in Jerusalem, which was destroyed, symbolizing the loss of spiritual and communal joy for the Israelites.
Teaching Points
The Reality of Suffering
Suffering and loss are real and can lead to deep sorrow, as seen in the lament of the Israelites. Acknowledging our pain is the first step toward healing.

The Consequences of Disobedience
The Israelites' mourning is a direct result of their disobedience to God. This serves as a reminder of the importance of living in obedience to God's commands.

Hope in God's Restoration
While the current state is one of mourning, the Bible consistently points to God's ability to restore joy. Trust in God's promises for future restoration.

The Role of Lament in Faith
Lament is a valid expression of faith, allowing believers to bring their sorrows before God. It is a form of worship that acknowledges God's sovereignty even in pain.

Community in Mourning
The communal aspect of Israel's mourning highlights the importance of supporting one another in times of sorrow. We are called to bear each other's burdens.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Lamentations 5:15?

2. How can we restore joy when "dancing has turned to mourning" in our lives?

3. What causes "the joy of our hearts to cease" in Lamentations 5:15?

4. How does Lamentations 5:15 connect to the theme of repentance in Scripture?

5. What practical steps can we take to regain joy after spiritual decline?

6. How can Lamentations 5:15 guide us in times of personal or communal sorrow?

7. How does Lamentations 5:15 reflect the historical context of Jerusalem's fall?

8. What is the significance of joy ceasing in Lamentations 5:15?

9. How does Lamentations 5:15 challenge our understanding of divine justice?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Lamentations 5?

11. What is the Bible's perspective on music?

12. How can we find joy and unity in Christ?

13. Psalm 30:11-12: If mourning is truly turned to dancing, why do faithful believers throughout history often remain in prolonged suffering?

14. How does music praise God in the Bible?
What Does Lamentations 5:15 Mean
Joy has left our hearts

Lamentations pictures a nation whose inner life has been drained. After Jerusalem’s fall, the people confess, “Joy has left our hearts”.

• The statement is literal: covenant disobedience invited God’s righteous judgment, and the resulting exile robbed them of gladness (Deuteronomy 28:47–48).

• The line traces the loss back to the heart— the control center of thoughts, desires, and spiritual vitality (Proverbs 4:23). When the heart is emptied of joy, everything else follows.

• Other prophets warned that God would “banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness” (Jeremiah 25:10), and Isaiah foresaw “joy is gone from our hearts” amid devastation (Isaiah 24:11).

• By contrast, God promises restoration that begins in the same place: “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation” (Psalm 51:12), and Jesus assures His disciples, “no one will take your joy from you” (John 16:22).


Our dancing has turned to mourning

The inner loss now shows outwardly: what once was celebration has become grief.

• Dancing in Scripture often marks covenant blessing and festive worship (Psalm 30:11; Jeremiah 31:13). Its disappearance signals the depth of judgment.

• Public worship at the temple had ceased; “the roads to Zion mourn” (Lamentations 1:4). Without God’s presence, even cultural expressions of joy are silenced.

• The line is honest about sorrow. Ecclesiastes 3:4 reminds us there is “a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” In season of discipline, mourning is appropriate—as a step toward repentance (James 4:9–10).

• Yet hope remains. The same God who removed dancing promises to restore it: “You will again be adorned with tambourines and go out in the dances of the joyful” (Jeremiah 31:4).


summary

Verse 15 captures Judah’s reality after judgment: joyless hearts and silenced celebration. It underlines that sin’s consequences touch both the inner person and the community’s shared life. Still, the verse sits inside a book that ends with a plea for renewal (Lamentations 5:21). God disciplines to reclaim His people, and the absence of joy becomes an invitation to seek restoration in Him—the only One who can turn mourning back into dancing.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Joy
מְשׂ֣וֹשׂ (mə·śō·wś)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4885: Exultation, rejoicing

has left
שָׁבַת֙ (šā·ḇaṯ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7673: To repose, desist from exertion

our hearts;
לִבֵּ֔נוּ (lib·bê·nū)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre

our dancing
מְחֹלֵֽנוּ׃ (mə·ḥō·lê·nū)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 4234: A, dance

has turned
נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ (neh·paḵ)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2015: To turn about, over, to change, overturn, return, pervert

to mourning.
לְאֵ֖בֶל (lə·’ê·ḇel)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 60: Lamentation


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OT Prophets: Lamentations 5:15 The joy of our heart is ceased (Lam. La Lm)
Lamentations 5:14
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