Lamentations 2

1 ALEPH. How has the Lord darkened in his wrath the daughter of Sion! he has cast down the glory of Israel from heaven to earth, and has not remembered his footstool.

١ كَيْفَ خَيَّمَ الرَّبُّ فِي غَضَبِهِ بِالظَّلامِ عَلَى ابْنَةِ صِهْيَوْنَ، وَطَرَحَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الأَرْضِ جَلالَ إِسْرَائِيلَ، وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ مَوْطِئَ قَدَمَيْهِ فِي يَوْمِ سُخْطِهِ؟

2 BETH. In the day of his wrath the Lord has overwhelmed [her] as in the sea, [and] not spared: he has brought down in his fury all the beautiful things of Jacob; he has brought down to the ground the strongholds of the daughter of Juda; he has profaned her kings and her princes.

٢ قَدْ هَدَمَ الرَّبُّ مِنْ غَيْرِ رَحْمَةٍ جَمِيعَ مَسَاكِنِ يَعْقُوبَ. قَوَّضَ بِغَضَبِهِ مَعَاقِلَ ابْنَةِ يَهُوذَا، وَأَلْحَقَ الْعَارَ بِالْمَمْلَكَةِ وَحُكَّامِهَا، إِذْ سَوَّاهَا بِالأَرْضِ.

3 GIMEL. He has broken in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he has turned back his right hand from the face of the enemy, and has kindled a flame in Jacob as a fire, and it has devoured all things round about.

٣ بَتَرَ فِي احْتِدَامِ غَضَبِهِ كُلَّ قُوَّةِ إِسْرَائِيلَ. رَدَّ يَمِينَهُ إِلَى الْوَرَاءِ أَمَامَ الأَعْدَاءِ، وَاشْتَعَلَ مِثْلَ نَارٍ مُلْتَهِبَةٍ فِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، تَلْتَهِمُ كُلَّ مَا حَوْلَهَا.

4 DALETH. He has bent his bow as an opposing enemy: he has strengthened his right hand as an adversary, and has destroyed all the desirable things of my eyes in the tabernacle of the daughter of Sion: he has poured forth his anger as fire.

٤ وَتَّرَ قَوْسَهُ كَعَدُوٍّ. نَصَبَ يَمِينَهُ كَمُبْغِضٍ. ذَبَحَ كَعَدُوٍّ كُلَّ عَزِيزٍ فِي عُيُونِنَا. وَسَكَبَ سُخْطَهُ كَنَارٍ عَلَى خَيْمَةِ ابْنَةِ صِهْيَوْنَ.

5 HE. The Lord is become as an enemy: he has overwhelmed Israel as in the sea, he has overwhelmed her palaces: he has destroyed her strongholds, and has multiplied the afflicted and humbled ones to the daughter of Juda.

٥ وَأَصْبَحَ الرَّبُّ كَعَدُوٍّ، فَقَوَّضَ إِسْرَائِيلَ، وَهَدَمَ جَمِيعَ قُصُورِهَا، وَدَمَّرَ حُصُونَهَا، وَأَكْثَرَ النَّوْحَ وَالْعَويِلَ فِي ابْنَةِ صِهْيَوْنَ.

6 VAU. And he has scattered his tabernacle as a vine, he has marred his feast: the Lord has forgotten the feast and the sabbath which he appointed in Sion, and in the fury of his wrath has vexed the king, and priest, and prince.

٦ نَقَضَ مَظَلَّتَهُ كَمَا يُنْقَضُ كُوخٌ مِنَ الأَغْصَانِ فِي حَدِيقَةٍ، وَرَدَمَ مَقَرَّ مُجْتَمَعِهِ. جَعَلَ الرَّبُّ صِهْيَوْنَ تَنْسَى مَوَاسِمَ أَعْيَادِهَا وَسُبُوتَهَا. وَنَبَذَ بِاحْتِدَامِ سُخْطِهِ الْمَلِكَ وَالْكَاهِنَ.

7 ZAIN. The Lord has rejected his altar, he has cast off his sanctuary, he has broken by the hand of the enemy the wall of her palaces; they have uttered their voice in the house of the Lord as on a feast day.

٧ كَرِهَ الرَّبُّ مَذْبَحَهُ، وَتَبَرَّأَ مِنْ مَقْدِسِهِ، وَسَلَّمَ أَسْوَارَ قُصُورِهَا إِلَى يَدِ الأَعْدَاءِ الَّذِينَ عَلا هُتَافُهُمْ فِي بَيْتِ الرَّبِّ كَمَا كَانَ يَعْلُو هُتَافُنَا فِي الأَعْيَادِ.

8 HETH. And he has turned to destroy the wall of the daughter of Sion: he has stretched out the measuring line, he has not turned back his hand from afflicting [her]: therefore the bulwark mourned, and the wall was weakened with it.

٨ عَزَمَ الرَّبُّ أَنْ يُقَوِّضَ سُورَ ابْنَةِ صِهْيَوْنَ. مَدَّ خَيْطَ الْقِيَاسِ وَلَمْ يَرُدَّ يَدَهُ عَنْ سَحْقِهَا، فَاسْتَبْكَى الْمِتْرَسَةَ وَالسُّورَ فَسَقَطَا مَعاً.

9 TETH. Her gates are sunk into the ground: he has destroyed and broken to pieces her bars, [and] her king and her prince among the Gentiles: there is no law, nay, her prophets have seen no vision from the Lord.

٩ غَاصَتْ فِي الأَرْضِ بَوَّابَاتُهَا، دَمَّرَ وَحَطَّمَ مَزَالِيجَهَا. نَفَى مَلِكَهَا وَرُؤَسَاءَهَا بَيْنَ الأُمَمِ. زَالَتِ الشَّرِيعَةُ، وَلَمْ يَعُدْ أَنْبِيَاؤُهَا يَحْصُلُونَ عَلَى رُؤْيَا مِنْ عِنْدِ الرَّبِّ.

10 JOD. The elders of the daughter of Sion have sat upon the ground, they have kept silence: they have cast up dust upon their heads; they have girded themselves with sackcloths: they have brought down to the ground the chief virgins in Jerusalem.

١٠ يَجْلِسُ شُيُوخُ ابْنَةِ صِهْيَوْنَ عَلَى الأَرْضِ صَامِتِينَ. عَفَّرُوا بِالرَّمَادِ رُؤُوسَهُمْ، وَارْتَدَوْا الْمُسُوحَ، وَطَأْطَأَتْ عَذَارَى أُورُشَلِيمَ رُؤُوسَهُنَّ إِلَى الأَرْضِ.

11 CHAPH. Mine eyes have failed with tears, my heart is troubled, my glory is cast down to the ground, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; while the infant and suckling swoon in the streets of the city.

١١ كَلَّتْ عَيْنَايَ مِنَ الْبُكَاءِ، جَاشَتْ أَحْشَائِي وَأُرِيقَتْ كَبِدِي عَلَى الأَرْضِ حُزْناً لِدَمَارِ ابْنَةِ شَعْبِي، لأَنَّ الأَطْفَالَ وَالرُّضَّعَ غُشِيَ عَلَيْهِمْ فِي شَوَارِعِ الْمَدِينَةِ.

12 LAMED. They said to their mothers, Where is corn and wine? while they fainted like wounded men in the streets of the city, while their souls were poured out into their mother's bosom.

١٢ يَقُولُونَ لأُمَّهَاتِهِمْ بَاكِينَ: «أَيْنَ الْخُبْزُ وَالْخَمْرُ؟» ثُمَّ يُغْشَى عَلَيْهِمْ كَالْجَرْحَى فِي شَوَارِعِ الْمَدِينَةِ، حِينَ تُهْرَقُ حَيَاتُهُمْ فِي أَحْضَانِ أُمَّهَاتِهِمْ.

13 MEM. What shall I testify to you, or what shall I compare to you, O daughter of Jerusalem? who shall save and comfort you, O virgin daughter of Sion? for the cup of your destruction is enlarged: who shall heal you?

١٣ بِمَاذَا أُنْذِرُكِ وَبِأَيِّ شَيْءٍ أُشَبِّهُكِ يَا ابْنَةَ أُورُشَلِيمَ؟ بِمَاذَا أُقَارِنُكِ فَأُعَزِّيَكِ أَيَّتُهَا الْعَذْرَاءُ ابْنَةُ صِهْيَوْنَ؟ إِنَّ خَرَابَكِ عَظِيمٌ كَالْبَحْرِ، فَمَنْ ذَا يُبْرِئُكِ؟

14 NUN. Your prophets have seen for you vanities and folly: and they have not discovered your iniquity, to turn back your captivity; but they have seen for you vain burdens, and worthless visions.

١٤ رَأَى لَكِ أَنْبِيَاؤُكِ رُؤىً بَاطِلَةً خَادِعَةً. لَمْ يَفْضَحُوا إِثْمَكِ لِيَرُدُّوا سَبْيَكِ. إِنَّمَا رَأَوْا لَكِ وَحْياً كَاذِباً مُضِلاً.

15 SAMECH. All that go by the way have clapped their hands at you; they have hissed and shaken their head at the daughter of Jerusalem. Is this the city, they say, the crown of joy of all the earth?

١٥ كُلُّ عَابِرِي السَّبِيلِ صَفَّقُوا عَلَيْكِ بِالأَيَادِي فَرَحاً. صَفَرُوا وَهَزُّوا رُؤُوسَهُمْ عَلَى ابْنَةِ أُورُشَلِيمَ وَتَسَاءَلُوا: أَهَذِهِ هِيَ الْمَدِينَةُ الَّتِي تُدْعَى كَامِلَةَ الْجَمَالِ وَبَهْجَةَ الأَرْضِ بِأَسْرِهَا؟

16 AIN. All your enemies have opened their mouth against you: they have hissed and gnashed their teeth, and said, We have swallowed her up: moreover this is the day which we looked for; we have found it, we have seen it.

١٦ قَدْ فَتَحَ جَمِيعُ أَعْدَائِكِ أَفْوَاهَهُمْ. يُصَفِّرُونَ وَيُحَرِّقُونَ الأَسْنَانَ. يَهْتِفُونَ: قَدِ ابْتَلَعْنَاهَا. هَذَا هُوَ الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي طَالَ انْتِظَارُنَا لَهُ. قَدْ عِشْنَا وَشَهِدْنَاهُ!

17 PHE. The Lord has done that which he purposed; he has accomplished his word, [even] the things which he commanded from the ancient days: he has thrown down, and has not spared: and he has caused the enemy to rejoice over you, he has exalted the horn of him that afflicted you.

١٧ نَفَّذَ الرَّبُّ قَضَاءَهُ، وَحَقَّقَ وَعِيدَهُ الَّذِي حَكَمَ بِهِ مُنْذُ الْحِقَبِ السَّالِفَةِ. هَدَمَ وَلَمْ يَرْأَفْ، فَأَشْمَتَ بِكِ الْخَصْمَ، وَعَظَّمَ قُوَّةَ عَدُوِّكِ.

18 TSADE. Their heart cried to the Lord, You walls of Sion, pour down tears like torrents day and night: give yourself no rest; let not the apple of your eyes cease.

١٨ اسْتَغَاثَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ بِالرَّبِّ. لِتَجْرِ الدُّمُوعُ، يَا أَسْوَارَ ابْنَةِ صِهْيَوْنَ، كَالنَّهْرِ لَيْلاً وَنَهَاراً. لَا تَسْتَكِينِي وَلا تَكُفَّ عَيْنَاكِ عَنِ الْبُكَاءِ.

19 KOPH. Arise, rejoice in the night at the beginning of your watch: pour out your heart as water before the face of the Lord; lift up your hands to him for the life of your infants, who faint for hunger at the top of all the streets.

١٩ قُومِي وَانْتَحِبِي فِي الرُّبْعِ الأَوَّلِ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ. اسْكُبِي كَالْمَاءِ قَلْبَكِ فِي مَحْضَرِ الرَّبِّ. ارْفَعِي إِلَيْهِ يَدَيْكِ مِنْ أَجْلِ نُفُوسِ أَطْفَالِكِ الْمَغْشِيِّ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ الْجُوعِ عِنْدَ نَاصِيَةِ كُلِّ شَارِعٍ.

20 RHECHS. Behold, O Lord, and see for whom you has gathered thus. Shall the women eat the fruit of their womb? the cook has made a gathering: shall the infants sucking at the breasts be slain? will you kill the priest and prophet in the sanctuary of the Lord?

٢٠ انْظُرْ يَا رَبُّ وَتَأَمَّلْ! بِمَنْ صَنَعْتَ هَذَا؟ أَعَلَى النِّسَاءِ أَنْ يَأْكُلْنَ ثَمَرَةَ بُطُونِهِنَّ، وَأَطْفَالَ حَضَانَتِهِنَّ؟ أَيَتَحَتَّمُ عَلَى الْكَاهِنِ وَالنَّبِيِّ أَنْ يُقْتَلا فِي مَقْدِسِ الرَّبِّ؟

21 CHSEN. The child and old man have lain down in the street: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity: you have slain [them] with the sword and with famine; in the day of your wrath you have mangled [them], you has not spared.

٢١ قَدِ انْطَرَحَ الصَّبِيُّ وَالشُّيُوخُ فِي غُبَارِ الطُّرُقَاتِ. سَقَطَ عَذَارَايَ وَشُبَّانِي بِالسَّيْفِ. قَدْ قَتَلْتَهُمْ فِي يَوْمِ غَضَبِكَ، وَنَحَرْتَهُمْ مِنْ غَيْرِ رَحْمَةٍ.

22 THAU. He has called my sojourners round about to a solemn day, and there was not in the day of the wrath of the Lord any one that escaped or was left; whereas I have strengthened and multiplied all mine enemies.

٢٢ أَنْتَ دَعَوْتَ، كَمَا فِي يَوْمِ عِيدٍ، مُرَوِّعِيَّ الْمُحِيطِينَ بِي. فَلَمْ يُفْلِتْ وَلَمْ يَنْجُ أَحَدٌ فِي يَوْمِ سُخْطِكَ يَا رَبُّ. قَدْ أَفْنَى عَدُوِّي الَّذِينَ حَضَنْتُهُمْ وَرَبَّيْتُهُمْ.