Lamentations 1
1 Aleph. Hou sittith aloone the citee ful of puple? the ladi of folkis is maad as a widewe; the prince of prouynces is maad vndir tribute.
How doth the city sit solitary, [that was] full of people! [how] is she become as a widow! she [that was] great among the nations, [and] princess among the provinces, [how] is she become tributary.
2 Beth. It wepynge wepte in the niyt, and the teeris therof ben in `the chekis therof; `noon is of alle the dereworthe therof, that coumfortith it; alle the frendis therof forsoken it, and ben maad enemyes to it.
She weepeth bitterly in the night, and her tears [are] on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort [her]: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.
3 Gymel. Juda passide fro turment and multitude of seruage, it dwellide among hethene men, and foond no reste; alle the pursueris therof token it among angwischis.
Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.
4 Deleth. The weies of Sion mourenen, for no men comen to the solempnytee; alle the yatis therof ben distried, the prestis therof weilen; the vergyns therof ben defoulid, and it is oppressid with bitternesse.
The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she [is] in bitterness.
5 He. The enemyes therof ben maad in the heed, and the enemyes therof ben maad riche, for the Lord spak on it. For the multitude of wickidnessis therof the litle children therof ben led in to caitiftee, bifore the face of the troblere.
Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.
6 Vau. And al the fairnesse of the douyter of Syon yede out fro the douyter of Sion; the princes therof ben maad as rammes not fyndynge lesewis; and yeden forth withouten strengthe bifore the face of the suere.
And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty hath departed: her princes are become like harts [that] find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.
7 Zai. And Jerusalem bithouyte on the daies of hir affliccioun and of trespassyng, and on alle hir desirable thingis whiche it hadde fro elde daies; whanne the puple therof felle doun in the hond of enemyes, and noon helpere was; enemyes sien it, and scorneden the sabatis therof.
Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none helped her: the adversaries saw her, [and] mocked at her sabbaths.
8 Heth. Jerusalem synnede a synne, therfor it was maad vnstidfast; alle that glorifieden it forsoken it, for thei sien the schenschipe therof; forsothe it weilide, and was turned a bak.
Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honored her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yes, she sigheth and turneth backward.
9 Theth. The filthis therof ben in the feet therof, and it hadde no mynde of hir ende; it was putte doun greetli, and hadde no coumfortour; Lord, se thou my turment, for the enemye is reisid.
Her filthiness [is] in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she hath been wonderfully abased: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified [himself].
10 Joth. The enemye putte his hond to alle desirable thingis therof; for it siy hethene men entride in to thi seyntuarie, of which thou haddist comaundid, that thei schulden not entre in to thi chirche.
The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen [that] the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command [that] they should not enter into thy congregation.
11 Caph. Al the puple therof was weilinge and sekynge breed, thei yauen alle preciouse thingis for mete, to coumforte the soule; se thou, Lord, and biholde, for Y am maad vijl.
All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for food to relieve the soul: see, O LORD, and consider; for I am become vile.
12 Lameth. A! alle ye that passen bi the weie, perseyue, and se, if ony sorewe is as my sorewe; for he gaderide awei grapis fro me, as the Lord spak in the day of wraththe of his strong veniaunce.
[Is it] nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which hath fallen upon me, with which the LORD hath afflicted [me] in the day of his fierce anger.
13 Men. Fro an hiy he sente fier in my boonys, and tauyte me; he spredde a brood a net to my feet, he turnede me a bak; he settide me desolat, meddlid togidere al dai with mourenyng.
From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate [and] faint all the day.
14 Nun. The yok of my wickidnessis wakide in the hond of hym, tho ben foldid togidere, and put on my necke; my vertu is maad feble; the Lord yaf me in the hond, fro which Y schal not mowe rise.
The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, [and] come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the LORD hath delivered me into [their] hands, [from whom] I am not able to rise.
15 Sameth. The Lord took awei alle my worschipful men fro the myddis of me; he clepide tyme ayens me, that he schulde al to-foule my chosun men; the Lord stampide a pressour to the virgyn, the douytir of Juda.
The LORD hath trodden under foot all my mighty [men] in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the LORD hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, [as] in a wine-press.
16 Ayn. Therfor Y am wepynge, and myn iye is ledynge doun watir; for a coumfortour, conuertynge my soule, is maad fer fro me; my sones ben maad lost, for the enemye hadde the maistrie.
For these [things] I weep; my eye, my eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.
17 Phe. Sion spredde a brood hise hondis, noon is that coumfortith it; the Lord sente ayenus Jacob enemyes therof, in the cumpas therof; Jerusalem is maad as defoulid with vncleene blood among hem.
Zion spreadeth forth her hands, [and there is] none to comfort her: the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, [that] his adversaries [should be] around him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
18 Sade. The Lord is iust, for Y terride his mouth to wrathfulnesse; alle puplis, Y biseche, here ye, and se my sorewe; my virgyns and my yonge men yeden forth in to caitiftee.
The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.
19 Coth. I clepide my frendis, and thei disseyueden me; my prestis and myn elde men in the citee ben wastid; for thei souyten mete to hem silf, to coumforte hir lijf.
I called for my lovers, [but] they deceived me: my priests and my elders resigned their breath in the city, while they sought their food to relieve their souls.
20 Res. Se thou, Lord, for Y am troblid, my wombe is disturblid; myn herte is distried in my silf, for Y am ful of bittirnesse; swerd sleeth with outforth, and lijk deth is at hoome.
Behold, O LORD; for I [am] in distress: my bowels are troubled; my heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home [there is] as death.
21 Syn. Thei herden, that Y make ynward weilyng, and noon is that coumfortith me; alle myn enemyes herden myn yuel, thei ben glad, for thou hast do; thou hast brouyt a dai of coumfort, and thei schulen be maad lijk me.
They have heard that I sigh: [there is] none to comfort me: all my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done [it]: thou wilt bring the day [that] thou hast called, and they shall be like me.
22 Tau. Al the yuel of hem entre byfore thee, and gadere thou grapis awei fro hem, as thou hast gaderid grapis awei fro me; for my wickidnessis, for my weilyngis ben manye, and myn herte is mornynge.
Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do to them, as thou hast done to me for all my transgressions: for my sighs [are] many, and my heart [is] faint.
