< Lamentations 3 >

1 I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
אֲנִ֤י הַגֶּ֙בֶר֙ רָאָ֣ה עֳנִ֔י בְּשֵׁ֖בֶט עֶבְרָתֹֽו׃
2 He has led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light.
אֹותִ֥י נָהַ֛ג וַיֹּלַ֖ךְ חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אֹֽור׃
3 Surely he turns his hand against me again and again all day long.
אַ֣ךְ בִּ֥י יָשֻׁ֛ב יַהֲפֹ֥ךְ יָדֹ֖ו כָּל־הַיֹּֽום׃ ס
4 He has made my flesh and my skin old. He has broken my bones.
בִּלָּ֤ה בְשָׂרִי֙ וְעֹורִ֔י שִׁבַּ֖ר עַצְמֹותָֽי׃
5 He has built against me, and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.
בָּנָ֥ה עָלַ֛י וַיַּקַּ֖ף רֹ֥אשׁ וּתְלָאָֽה׃
6 He has made me dwell in dark places, as those who have been long dead.
בְּמַחֲשַׁכִּ֥ים הֹושִׁיבַ֖נִי כְּמֵתֵ֥י עֹולָֽם׃ ס
7 He has walled me about, so that I can’t go out. He has made my chain heavy.
גָּדַ֧ר בַּעֲדִ֛י וְלֹ֥א אֵצֵ֖א הִכְבִּ֥יד נְחָשְׁתִּֽי׃
8 Yes, when I cry, and call for help, he shuts out my prayer.
גַּ֣ם כִּ֤י אֶזְעַק֙ וַאֲשַׁוֵּ֔עַ שָׂתַ֖ם תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃
9 He has walled up my ways with cut stone. He has made my paths crooked.
גָּדַ֤ר דְּרָכַי֙ בְּגָזִ֔ית נְתִיבֹתַ֖י עִוָּֽה׃ ס
10 He is to me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in hiding.
דֹּ֣ב אֹרֵ֥ב הוּא֙ לִ֔י אַרְיֵה (אֲרִ֖י) בְּמִסְתָּרִֽים׃
11 He has turned away my path, and pulled me in pieces. He has made me desolate.
דְּרָכַ֥י סֹורֵ֛ר וַֽיְפַשְּׁחֵ֖נִי שָׂמַ֥נִי שֹׁמֵֽם׃
12 He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
דָּרַ֤ךְ קַשְׁתֹּו֙ וַיַּצִּיבֵ֔נִי כַּמַּטָּרָ֖א לַחֵֽץ׃ ס
13 He has caused the shafts of his quiver to enter into my kidneys.
הֵבִיא֙ בְּכִלְיֹותָ֔י בְּנֵ֖י אַשְׁפָּתֹֽו׃
14 I have become a derision to all my people, and their song all day long.
הָיִ֤יתִי שְּׂחֹק֙ לְכָל־עַמִּ֔י נְגִינָתָ֖ם כָּל־הַיֹּֽום׃
15 He has filled me with bitterness. He has stuffed me with wormwood.
הִשְׂבִּיעַ֥נִי בַמְּרֹורִ֖ים הִרְוַ֥נִי לַעֲנָֽה׃ ס
16 He has also broken my teeth with gravel. He has covered me with ashes.
וַיַּגְרֵ֤ס בֶּֽחָצָץ֙ שִׁנָּ֔י הִכְפִּישַׁ֖נִי בָּאֵֽפֶר׃
17 You have removed my soul far away from peace. I forgot prosperity.
וַתִּזְנַ֧ח מִשָּׁלֹ֛ום נַפְשִׁ֖י נָשִׁ֥יתִי טֹובָֽה׃
18 I said, “My strength has perished, along with my expectation from Yahweh.”
וָאֹמַר֙ אָבַ֣ד נִצְחִ֔י וְתֹוחַלְתִּ֖י מֵיְהוָֽה׃ ס
19 Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the bitterness.
זְכָר־עָנְיִ֥י וּמְרוּדִ֖י לַעֲנָ֥ה וָרֹֽאשׁ׃
20 My soul still remembers them, and is bowed down within me.
זָכֹ֣ור תִּזְכֹּ֔ור וְתָשִׁיחַ (וְתָשֹׁ֥וחַ) עָלַ֖י נַפְשִֽׁי׃
21 This I recall to my mind; therefore I have hope.
זֹ֛את אָשִׁ֥יב אֶל־לִבִּ֖י עַל־כֵּ֥ן אֹוחִֽיל׃ ס
22 It is because of Yahweh’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his mercies don’t fail.
חַֽסְדֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ כִּ֣י לֹא־תָ֔מְנוּ כִּ֥י לֹא־כָל֖וּ רַחֲמָֽיו׃
23 They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.
חֲדָשִׁים֙ לַבְּקָרִ֔ים רַבָּ֖ה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃
24 “Yahweh is my portion,” says my soul. “Therefore I will hope in him.”
חֶלְקִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אָמְרָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֔י עַל־כֵּ֖ן אֹוחִ֥יל לֹֽו׃ ס
25 Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
טֹ֤וב יְהוָה֙ לְקֹוָ֔ו לְנֶ֖פֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶֽׁנּוּ׃
26 It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Yahweh.
טֹ֤וב וְיָחִיל֙ וְדוּמָ֔ם לִתְשׁוּעַ֖ת יְהוָֽה׃
27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
טֹ֣וב לַגֶּ֔בֶר כִּֽי־יִשָּׂ֥א עֹ֖ל בִּנְעוּרָֽיו׃ ס
28 Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he has laid it on him.
יֵשֵׁ֤ב בָּדָד֙ וְיִדֹּ֔ם כִּ֥י נָטַ֖ל עָלָֽיו׃
29 Let him put his mouth in the dust, if it is so that there may be hope.
יִתֵּ֤ן בֶּֽעָפָר֙ פִּ֔יהוּ אוּלַ֖י יֵ֥שׁ תִּקְוָֽה׃
30 Let him give his cheek to him who strikes him. Let him be filled full of reproach.
יִתֵּ֧ן לְמַכֵּ֛הוּ לֶ֖חִי יִשְׂבַּ֥ע בְּחֶרְפָּֽה׃ ס
31 For the Lord will not cast off forever.
כִּ֣י לֹ֥א יִזְנַ֛ח לְעֹולָ֖ם אֲדֹנָֽי׃
32 For though he causes grief, yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.
כִּ֣י אִם־הֹוגָ֔ה וְרִחַ֖ם כְּרֹ֥ב חַסְדֹּו (חֲסָדָֽיו)׃
33 For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.
כִּ֣י לֹ֤א עִנָּה֙ מִלִּבֹּ֔ו וַיַּגֶּ֖ה בְּנֵי־אִֽישׁ׃ ס
34 To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
לְדַכֵּא֙ תַּ֣חַת רַגְלָ֔יו כֹּ֖ל אֲסִ֥ירֵי אָֽרֶץ׃
35 to turn away the right of a man before the face of the Most High,
לְהַטֹּות֙ מִשְׁפַּט־גָּ֔בֶר נֶ֖גֶד פְּנֵ֥י עֶלְיֹֽון׃
36 to subvert a man in his cause, the Lord doesn’t approve.
לְעַוֵּ֤ת אָדָם֙ בְּרִיבֹ֔ו אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹ֥א רָאָֽה׃ ס
37 Who is he who says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord doesn’t command it?
מִ֣י זֶ֤ה אָמַר֙ וַתֶּ֔הִי אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹ֥א צִוָּֽה׃
38 Doesn’t evil and good come out of the mouth of the Most High?
מִפִּ֤י עֶלְיֹון֙ לֹ֣א תֵצֵ֔א הָרָעֹ֖ות וְהַטֹּֽוב׃
39 Why should a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
מַה־יִּתְאֹונֵן֙ אָדָ֣ם חָ֔י גֶּ֖בֶר עַל־חֶטְאֹו (חֲטָאָֽיו)׃ ס
40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Yahweh.
נַחְפְּשָׂ֤ה דְרָכֵ֙ינוּ֙ וְֽנַחְקֹ֔רָה וְנָשׁ֖וּבָה עַד־יְהוָֽה׃
41 Let’s lift up our heart with our hands to God in the heavens.
נִשָּׂ֤א לְבָבֵ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־כַּפָּ֔יִם אֶל־אֵ֖ל בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
42 “We have transgressed and have rebelled. You have not pardoned.
נַ֤חְנוּ פָשַׁ֙עְנוּ֙ וּמָרִ֔ינוּ אַתָּ֖ה לֹ֥א סָלָֽחְתָּ׃ ס
43 “You have covered us with anger and pursued us. You have killed. You have not pitied.
סַכֹּ֤תָה בָאַף֙ וַֽתִּרְדְּפֵ֔נוּ הָרַ֖גְתָּ לֹ֥א חָמָֽלְתָּ׃
44 You have covered yourself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.
סַכֹּ֤ותָה בֶֽעָנָן֙ לָ֔ךְ מֵעֲבֹ֖ור תְּפִלָּֽה׃
45 You have made us an off-scouring and refuse in the middle of the peoples.
סְחִ֧י וּמָאֹ֛וס תְּשִׂימֵ֖נוּ בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָעַמִּֽים׃ ס
46 “All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.
פָּצ֥וּ עָלֵ֛ינוּ פִּיהֶ֖ם כָּל־אֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃
47 Terror and the pit have come on us, devastation and destruction.”
פַּ֧חַד וָפַ֛חַת הָ֥יָה לָ֖נוּ הַשֵּׁ֥את וְהַשָּֽׁבֶר׃
48 My eye runs down with streams of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
פַּלְגֵי־מַ֙יִם֙ תֵּרַ֣ד עֵינִ֔י עַל־שֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃ ס
49 My eye pours down and doesn’t cease, without any intermission,
עֵינִ֧י נִגְּרָ֛ה וְלֹ֥א תִדְמֶ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ין הֲפֻגֹֽות׃
50 until Yahweh looks down, and sees from heaven.
עַד־יַשְׁקִ֣יף וְיֵ֔רֶא יְהוָ֖ה מִשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
51 My eye affects my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.
עֵינִי֙ עֹֽולְלָ֣ה לְנַפְשִׁ֔י מִכֹּ֖ל בְּנֹ֥ות עִירִֽי׃ ס
52 They have chased me relentlessly like a bird, those who are my enemies without cause.
צֹ֥וד צָד֛וּנִי כַּצִּפֹּ֖ור אֹיְבַ֥י חִנָּֽם׃
53 They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone on me.
צָֽמְת֤וּ בַבֹּור֙ חַיָּ֔י וַיַּדּוּ־אֶ֖בֶן בִּֽי׃
54 Waters flowed over my head. I said, “I am cut off.”
צָֽפוּ־מַ֥יִם עַל־רֹאשִׁ֖י אָמַ֥רְתִּי נִגְזָֽרְתִּי׃ ס
55 I called on your name, Yahweh, out of the lowest dungeon.
קָרָ֤אתִי שִׁמְךָ֙ יְהוָ֔ה מִבֹּ֖ור תַּחְתִּיֹּֽות׃
56 You heard my voice: “Don’t hide your ear from my sighing, and my cry.”
קֹולִ֖י שָׁמָ֑עְתָּ אַל־תַּעְלֵ֧ם אָזְנְךָ֛ לְרַוְחָתִ֖י לְשַׁוְעָתִֽי׃
57 You came near in the day that I called on you. You said, “Don’t be afraid.”
קָרַ֙בְתָּ֙ בְּיֹ֣ום אֶקְרָאֶ֔ךָּ אָמַ֖רְתָּ אַל־תִּירָֽא׃ ס
58 Lord, you have pleaded the causes of my soul. You have redeemed my life.
רַ֧בְתָּ אֲדֹנָ֛י רִיבֵ֥י נַפְשִׁ֖י גָּאַ֥לְתָּ חַיָּֽי׃
59 Yahweh, you have seen my wrong. Judge my cause.
רָאִ֤יתָה יְהוָה֙ עַוָּ֣תָתִ֔י שָׁפְטָ֖ה מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃
60 You have seen all their vengeance and all their plans against me.
רָאִ֙יתָה֙ כָּל־נִקְמָתָ֔ם כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם לִֽי׃ ס
61 You have heard their reproach, Yahweh, and all their plans against me,
שָׁמַ֤עְתָּ חֶרְפָּתָם֙ יְהוָ֔ה כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם עָלָֽי׃
62 the lips of those that rose up against me, and their plots against me all day long.
שִׂפְתֵ֤י קָמַי֙ וְהֶגְיֹונָ֔ם עָלַ֖י כָּל־הַיֹּֽום׃
63 You see their sitting down and their rising up. I am their song.
שִׁבְתָּ֤ם וְקִֽימָתָם֙ הַבִּ֔יטָה אֲנִ֖י מַנְגִּינָתָֽם׃ ס
64 You will pay them back, Yahweh, according to the work of their hands.
תָּשִׁ֨יב לָהֶ֥ם גְּמ֛וּל יְהוָ֖ה כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יְדֵיהֶֽם׃
65 You will give them hardness of heart, your curse to them.
תִּתֵּ֤ן לָהֶם֙ מְגִנַּת־לֵ֔ב תַּאֲלָֽתְךָ֖ לָהֶֽם׃
66 You will pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Yahweh.
תִּרְדֹּ֤ף בְּאַף֙ וְתַשְׁמִידֵ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת שְׁמֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ פ

< Lamentations 3 >