In verse 10 the focus switches to the invading enemy that has robbed the Temple.

The enemy has stretched out his hands over … is a figure of speech when the object is something like all her precious things. The meaning is “rob, plunder, carry off.” While some languages are able to retain a similar figure of speech, most will find it necessary to substitute a different figure or to employ a nonfigure.

All her precious things is the same expression used in verse 7, and here refers to the Temple treasures, which the Babylonians carried away (2 Kings 25.13-17). Precious things is often translated “wealth,” “objects of great value,” “rich treasures.”

Yea, she has seen the nations: yea translates the Hebrew ki, which emphasizes the fact that she, referring to the people of Jerusalem, has been a witness to these events. It may be translated into English as “indeed,” “truly.” Nations translates the Hebrew goyim and refers to all non-Israelites; it is sometimes translated as “pagans, Gentiles, those who do not worship the LORD.” See comments on verses 1 and 3.

Her sanctuary is the first use of a term for the Temple in this chapter. Her sanctuary translates the Hebrew for “her holy place.” For comments see verse 4. Translators should avoid giving the impression that entire nations were invading the Temple. The reference is to the soldiers and rulers of the pagan or Gentile nations. We may say, for example, “the soldiers of nations that did not worship the LORD.”

The final pair of half-lines in verse 10 defines further these pagan nations. Deuteronomy 23.3 says “No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation….” This prohibition has been extended by the poet to include all foreigners, just as Ezra and Nehemiah later applied this command to forbid intermarriage with all non-Israelites (see Neh 13.1-3). The word translated congregation refers to the place where the people are assembled, and so is parallel in meaning to sanctuary or “Temple.”

Translators may find it necessary or helpful to reorder the sequence of lines in verse 10, particularly in order to relate clearly the final two half-lines to the middle pair. For example, we may begin with the final unit:

The LORD had forbidden foreigners to enter the Temple,
but the people of Jerusalem saw them go in.
They went in and robbed the Temple of its treasures.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. A Handbook on Lamentations. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .