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 will the gold be tarnished, [and] the fine silver changed! the sacred stones have been poured forth at the top of all the streets.
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 precious sons of Zion, who were equalled in value with gold, how are they counted as earthen vessels, the works of the hands of the potter!
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.
GIMEL. Nay, serpents have drawn out the breasts, they give suck to their young, the daughters of my people are incurably cruel, as an ostrich in a 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 cleaves to the roof of its mouth for thirst: the little children ask for bread, [and] there is none to break [it] to them.
5 He. Thei that eeten lustfuli, perischiden in weies; thei that weren nurschid in cradels, biclippiden toordis.
HE. They that feed on dainties are desolate in the streets: they that used to be nursed in scarlet have clothed themselves with 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 has been increased beyond the iniquities of Sodoma, [the city] that was overthrown very suddenly, and none laboured against her [with their] hands.
7 Zai. Nazareis therof weren whitere than snow, schynyngere than mylk; rodier than elde yuer, fairere than safire.
ZAIN. Her Nazarites were made purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were purified [as] with fire, their polishing was superior to sapphire stone.
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 countenance is become blacker than smoke; they are not known in the streets: their skin has cleaved to their bones; they are withered, they are become as a stick.
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. The slain with the sword were better than they that were slain with hunger: they have departed, pierced through from [lack of] the fruits of the field.
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 tender-hearted women have sodden their own children: they became meat for them 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.
CHAPH. The Lord has accomplished his wrath; he has poured out fierce anger, and has kindled a fire in Sion, and it has devoured her foundations.
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, [even] all that dwell in the world, believed not that an enemy and oppressor would enter through 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] iniquities of her priests, who shed righteous blood 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. her watchmen staggered in the streets, they were defiled with blood in their weakness, they touched their raiment [with it].
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 from the unclean ones: call you them: depart, depart, touch [them] not: for they are on fire, yes, they stagger: say you among the nations, They shall no more sojourn [there].
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.
AIN. The presence of the Lord [was] their portion; [but] he will not again look upon them: they regarded not the person of the priests, they pitied not the prophets.
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.
PHE. While we yet lived our eyes failed, while we looked in vain for our help. TSADE. We looked to a nation that could not save.
18 Sade. Oure steppis weren slidir in the weie of oure stretis; oure ende neiyede, oure daies weren fillid, for oure ende cam.
We have hunted [for] our little ones, that they should not walk in our streets. KOPH. Our time has drawn near, our days are fulfilled, our time 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.
Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky, they flew on the mountains, in the wilderness they laid wait for us.
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.
RECHS. The breath of our nostrils, [our] anointed Lord, was taken in their destructive snares, of whom we said, In his 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.
CHSEN. Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Idumea, that dwell in the land: yet the cup of the Lord shall pass through to you: you shall be drunken, and pour forth.
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. O daughter of Sion, your iniquity has come to an end; he shall no more carry you captive: he has visited your iniquities, O daughter of Edom; he has discovered your sins.
