Lamentations 4
1 How is the gold become dim, Changed the best — the pure gold? Poured out are stones of the sanctuary At the head of all out-places.
ALEPH. Quomodo obscuratum est aurum, mutatus est color optimus, dispersi sunt lapides sanctuarii in capite omnium platearum?
2 The precious sons of Zion, Who are comparable with fine gold, How have they been reckoned earthen bottles, Work of the hands of a potter.
BETH. Filii Sion inclyti, et amicti auro primo: quomodo reputati sunt in vasa testea, opus manuum figuli?
3 Even dragons have drawn out the breast, They have suckled their young ones, The daughter of my people is become cruel, Like the ostriches in a wilderness.
GHIMEL. Sed et lamiæ nudaverunt mammam, lactaverunt catulos suos: filia populi mei crudelis, quasi struthio in deserto.
4 Cleaved hath the tongue of a suckling unto his palate with thirst, Infants asked bread, a dealer out they have none.
DALETH. Adhæsit lingua lactentis ad palatum eius in siti: parvuli petierunt panem, et non erat qui frangeret eis.
5 Those eating of dainties have been desolate in out-places, Those supported on scarlet have embraced dunghills.
HE. Qui vescebantur voluptuose, interierunt in viis: qui nutriebantur in croceis, amplexati sunt stercora.
6 And greater is the iniquity of the daughter of my people, Than the sin of Sodom, That was overturned as [in] a moment, And no hands were stayed on her.
VAU. Et maior effecta est iniquitas filiæ populi mei peccato Sodomorum, quæ subversa est in momento, et non ceperunt in ea manus.
7 Purer were her Nazarites than snow, Whiter than milk, ruddier of body than rubies, Of sapphire their form.
ZAIN. Candidiores Nazaræi eius nive, nitidiores lacte, rubicundiores ebore antiquo, sapphiro pulchriores.
8 Darker than blackness hath been their visage, They have not been known in out-places, Cleaved hath their skin unto their bone, It hath withered — it hath been as wood.
HETH. Denigrata est super carbones facies eorum, et non sunt cogniti in plateis: adhæsit cutis eorum ossibus: aruit, et facta est quasi lignum.
9 Better have been the pierced of a sword Than the pierced of famine, For these flow away, pierced through, Without the increase of the field.
TETH. Melius fuit occisis gladio, quam interfectis fame: quoniam isti extabuerunt consumpti a sterilitate terræ.
10 The hands of merciful women have boiled their own children, They have been for food to them, In the destruction of the daughter of my people.
IOD. Manus mulierum misericordium coxerunt filios suos: facti sunt cibus earum in contritione filiæ populi mei.
11 Completed hath Jehovah His fury, He hath poured out the fierceness of His anger, And he kindleth a fire in Zion, And it devoureth her foundations.
CAPH. Complevit Dominus furorem suum, effudit iram indignationis suæ: et succendit ignem in Sion, et devoravit fundamenta eius.
12 Believe not did the kings of earth, And any of the inhabitants of the world, That come would an adversary and enemy Into the gates of Jerusalem.
LAMED. Non crediderunt reges terræ, et universi habitatores orbis, quoniam ingrederetur hostis et inimicus per portas Ierusalem:
13 Because of the sins of her prophets, The iniquities of her priests, Who are shedding in her midst the blood of the righteous,
MEM. Propter peccata prophetarum eius, et iniquitates sacerdotum eius, qui effuderunt in medio eius sanguinem iustorum.
14 They have wandered naked in out-places, They have been polluted with blood, Without [any] being able to touch their clothing,
NUN. Erraverunt cæci in plateis, polluti sunt in sanguine: cumque non possent, tenuerunt lacinias suas.
15 'Turn aside — unclean,' they called to them, 'Turn aside, turn aside, touch not,' For they fled — yea, they have wandered, They have said among nations: 'They do not add to sojourn.'
SAMECH. Recedite polluti, clamaverunt eis: recedite, abite, nolite tangere: iurgati quippe sunt, et commoti dixerunt inter Gentes: Non addet ultra ut habitet in eis.
16 The face of Jehovah hath divided them, He doth not add to behold them, The face of priests they have not lifted up, Elders they have not favoured.
PHE. Facies Domini divisit eos, non addet ut respiciat eos: facies sacerdotum non erubuerunt, neque senum miserti sunt.
17 While we exist — consumed are our eyes for our vain help, In our watch-tower we have watched for a nation [that] saveth not.
AIN. Cum adhuc subsisteremus, defecerunt oculi nostri ad auxilium nostrum vanum, cum respiceremus attenti ad gentem, quæ salvare non poterat.
18 They have hunted our steps from going in our broad-places, Near hath been our end, fulfilled our days, For come hath our end.
SADE. Lubricaverunt vestigia nostra in itinere platearum nostrarum, appropinquavit finis noster: completi sunt dies nostri, quia venit finis noster.
19 Swifter have been our pursuers, Than the eagles of the heavens, On the mountains they have burned [after] us, In the wilderness they have laid wait for us.
COPH. Velociores fuerunt persecutores nostri aquilis cæli: super montes persecuti sunt nos, in deserto insidiati sunt nobis.
20 The breath of our nostrils — the anointed of Jehovah, Hath been captured in their pits, of whom we said: 'In his shadow we do live among nations.'
RES. Spiritus oris nostri Christus Dominus captus est in peccatis nostris: cui diximus: In umbra tua vivemus in Gentibus.
21 Joy and rejoice, O daughter of Edom, Dwelling in the land of Uz, Even unto thee pass over doth a cup, Thou art drunk, and makest thyself naked.
SIN. Gaude, et lætare filia Edom, quæ habitas in Terra Hus: ad te quoque perveniet calix, inebriaberis, atque nudaberis.
22 Completed [is] thy iniquity, daughter of Zion, He doth not add to remove thee, He hath inspected thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom, He hath removed [thee] because of thy sins!
THAU. Completa est iniquitas tua filia Sion, non addet ultra ut transmigret te: visitavit iniquitatem tuam filia Edom, discooperuit peccata tua.
