Lamentations 4
1 Aleph. How is gold maad derk, the beste colour is chaungid? the stonys of the seyntuarie ben scaterid in the heed of alle stretis.
Aleph. How is the gold become dim, the finest colour is changed, the stones of the sanctuary are scattered in the top of every street?
2 Beth. The noble sones of Sion, and clothid with the best gold, hou ben thei arettid in to erthene vessels, in to the werk of the hondis of a pottere?
Beth. The noble sons of Sion, and they that were clothed with the best gold: how are they esteemed as earthen vessels, the work of the potter’s hands?
3 Gimel. But also lamyes maden nakid her tetis, yauen mylk to her whelpis; the douyter of my puple is cruel, as an ostrig in desert.
Ghimel. Even the sea monsters have drawn out the breast, they have given suck to their young: the daughter of my people is cruel, like the ostrich in the desert.
4 Deleth. The tonge of the soukynge childe cleued to his palat in thirst; litle children axiden breed, and noon was that brak to hem.
Daleth. The tongue of the sucking child hath stuck to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the little ones have asked for bread, and there was none to break it unto them.
5 He. Thei that eeten lustfuli, perischiden in weies; thei that weren nurschid in cradels, biclippiden toordis.
He. They that were fed delicately have died in the streets; they that were brought up in scarlet have embraced the dung.
6 Vau. And the wickidnesse of the douyter of my puple is maad more than the synne of men of Sodom, that was distried in a moment, and hondis token not therynne.
Vau. And the iniquity of the daughter of my people is made greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, and hands took nothing in her.
7 Zai. Nazareis therof weren whitere than snow, schynyngere than mylk; rodier than elde yuer, fairere than safire.
Zain. Her Nazarites were whiter than snow, purer than milk, more ruddy than the old ivory, fairer than the sapphire.
8 Heth. The face of hem was maad blackere than coolis, and thei weren not knowun in stretis; the skyn cleuyde to her boonys, it driede, and was maad as a tre.
Heth. Their face is now made blacker than coals, and they are not known in the streets: their skin hath stuck to their bones, it is withered, and is become like wood.
9 Teth. It was betere to men slayn with swerd, than to men slayn with hungur; for these men wexiden rotun, thei weren wastid of the bareynesse of erthe.
Teth. It was better with them that were slain by the sword, than with them that died with hunger: for these pined away being consumed for want of the fruits of the earth.
10 Joth. The hondis of merciful wymmen sethiden her children; thei weren maad the metis of tho wymmen in the sorewe of the douyter of my puple.
Jod. The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 Caph. The Lord fillide his strong veniaunce, he schedde out the ire of his indignacioun; and the Lord kyndlide a fier in Sion, and it deuouride the foundementis therof.
Caph. The Lord hath accomplished his wrath, he hath poured out his fierce anger: and he hath kindled a fire in Sion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof.
12 Lamet. The kyngis of erthe, and alle dwelleris of the world bileueden not, that an aduersarie and enemy schulde entre bi the yatis of Jerusalem.
Lamed. The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world would not have believed, that the adversary and the enemy should enter in by the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Men. For the synnes of the profetis therof, and for wickidnessis of preestis therof, that schedden out the blood of iust men in the myddis therof.
Mem. For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.
14 Nun. Blynde men erryden in stretis, thei weren defoulid in blood; and whanne thei miyten not go, thei helden her hemmes.
Nun. They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they were defiled with blood: and when they could not help walking in it, they held up their skirts.
15 Samet. Thei crieden to hem, Departe awei, ye defoulide men, departe ye, go ye awei, nyle ye touche; forsothe thei chidden, and weren stirid; thei seiden among hethene men, God schal no more leie to, that he dwelle among hem.
Samech. Depart you that are defiled, they cried out to them: Depart, get ye hence, touch not: for they quarrelled, and being removed, they said among the Gentiles: He will no more dwell among them.
16 Ayn. The face of the Lord departide hem, he schal no more leie to, that he biholde hem; thei weren not aschamed of the faces of preestis, nether thei hadden merci on eld men.
Phe. The face of the Lord hath divided them, he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, neither had they pity on the ancient.
17 Phe. The while we stoden yit, oure iyen failiden to oure veyn help; whanne we bihelden ententif to a folc, that myyte not saue vs.
Ain. While we were yet standing, our eyes failed, expecting help for us in vain, when we looked attentively towards a nation that was not able to save.
18 Sade. Oure steppis weren slidir in the weie of oure stretis; oure ende neiyede, oure daies weren fillid, for oure ende cam.
Sade. Our steps have slipped in the way of our streets, our end draweth near: our days are fulfilled, for our end is come.
19 Coph. Oure pursueris weren swiftere than the eglis of heuene; thei pursueden vs on hillis, thei settiden buschementis to vs in desert.
Coph. Our persecutors were swifter than the eagles of the air: they pursued us upon the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
20 Res. The spirit of oure mouth, Crist the Lord, was takun in oure synnes; to whom we seiden, We schulen lyue in thi schadewe among hethene men.
Res. The breath of our mouth, Christ the Lord, is taken in our sins: to whom we said: Under thy shadow we shall live among the Gentiles.
21 Syn. Thou douyter of Edom, make ioye, and be glad, that dwellist in the lond of Hus; the cuppe schal come also to thee, thou schalt be maad drunkun, and schalt be maad bare.
Sin. Rejoice, and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Hus: to thee also shall the cup come, thou shalt be made drunk, and naked.
22 Thau. Thou douyter of Sion, thi wickidnesse is fillid; he schal not adde more, that he make thee to passe ouer; thou douyter of Edom, he schal visite thi wickidnesse, he schal vnhile thi synnes.
Thau. Thy iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Sion, he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he visited thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he hath discovered thy sins. The Prayer of Jeremias the Prophet.
