טָבְע֤וּ בָאָ֙רֶץ֙ שְׁעָרֶ֔יהָ אִבַּ֥ד וְשִׁבַּ֖ר בְּרִיחֶ֑יהָ מַלְכָּ֨הּ וְשָׂרֶ֤יהָ בַגּוֹיִם֙ אֵ֣ין תּוֹרָ֔ה גַּם־נְבִיאֶ֕יהָ לֹא־מָצְא֥וּ חָז֖וֹן מֵיְהוָֽה׃ (ס)
Her gates are sunk into the ground; He hath destroyed and broken her bars; Her king and her princes are among the nations, Instruction is no more; Yea, her prophets find No vision from the LORD.
Rashi on Lamentations
Her gates sank into the ground. The Midrash Aggadah [states], that because they [i.e., the gates] imparted honor to the Ark, as it is stated, “raise up your heads O gates,”29Tehilim 24:9. therefore no one had any power over them, and they sank into the ground. [But] our Rabbis said that they were Dovid’s handiwork, therefore, the enemies had no power over them.30Maseches Sotah 9a.
Rashi on Lamentations
Without guidance. There is no one among them to give instructions.