איכה 3

1 אֲנִי הַגֶּבֶר רָאָה עֳנִי בְּשֵׁבֶט עֶבְרָתֽוֹ׃

I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

2 אוֹתִי נָהַג וַיֹּלַךְ חֹשֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אֽוֹר׃

He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.

3 אַךְ בִּי יָשֻׁב יַהֲפֹךְ יָדוֹ כׇּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃

Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.

4 בִּלָּה בְשָׂרִי וְעוֹרִי שִׁבַּר עַצְמוֹתָֽי׃

My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.

5 בָּנָה עָלַי וַיַּקַּף רֹאשׁ וּתְלָאָֽה׃

He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.

6 בְּמַחֲשַׁכִּים הוֹשִׁיבַנִי כְּמֵתֵי עוֹלָֽם׃

He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.

7 גָּדַר בַּעֲדִי וְלֹא אֵצֵא הִכְבִּיד נְחׇשְׁתִּֽי׃

He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.

8 גַּם כִּי אֶזְעַק וַאֲשַׁוֵּעַ שָׂתַם תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃

Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.

9 גָּדַר דְּרָכַי בְּגָזִית נְתִיבֹתַי עִוָּֽה׃

He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.

10 דֹּב אֹרֵב הוּא לִי (אריה) [אֲרִי] בְּמִסְתָּרִֽים׃

He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.

11 דְּרָכַי סוֹרֵר וַֽיְפַשְּׁחֵנִי שָׂמַנִי שֹׁמֵֽם׃

He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.

12 דָּרַךְ קַשְׁתּוֹ וַיַּצִּיבֵנִי כַּמַּטָּרָא לַחֵֽץ׃

He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

13 הֵבִיא בְּכִלְיֹתָי בְּנֵי אַשְׁפָּתֽוֹ׃

He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.

14 הָיִיתִי שְּׂחֹק לְכׇל־עַמִּי נְגִינָתָם כׇּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃

I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.

15 הִשְׂבִּיעַנִי בַמְּרוֹרִים הִרְוַנִי לַעֲנָֽה׃

He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.

16 וַיַּגְרֵס בֶּֽחָצָץ שִׁנָּי הִכְפִּישַׁנִי בָּאֵֽפֶר׃

He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.

17 וַתִּזְנַח מִשָּׁלוֹם נַפְשִׁי נָשִׁיתִי טוֹבָֽה׃

And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.

18 וָאֹמַר אָבַד נִצְחִי וְתוֹחַלְתִּי מֵיְהֹוָֽה׃

And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from YHWH:

19 זְכׇר־עׇנְיִי וּמְרוּדִי לַעֲנָה וָרֹֽאשׁ׃

Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

20 זָכוֹר תִּזְכּוֹר (ותשיח) [וְתָשׁוֹחַ] עָלַי נַפְשִֽׁי׃

My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

21 זֹאת אָשִׁיב אֶל־לִבִּי עַל־כֵּן אוֹחִֽיל׃

This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

22 חַֽסְדֵי יְהֹוָה כִּי לֹא־תָמְנוּ כִּי לֹא־כָלוּ רַחֲמָֽיו׃

It is of YHWH 's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

23 חֲדָשִׁים לַבְּקָרִים רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃

They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

24 חֶלְקִי יְהֹוָה אָמְרָה נַפְשִׁי עַל־כֵּן אוֹחִיל לֽוֹ׃

YHWH is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

25 טוֹב יְהֹוָה לְקֹוָו לְנֶפֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶֽׁנּוּ׃

YHWH is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

26 טוֹב וְיָחִיל וְדוּמָם לִתְשׁוּעַת יְהֹוָֽה׃

It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of YHWH.

27 טוֹב לַגֶּבֶר כִּֽי־יִשָּׂא עֹל בִּנְעוּרָֽיו׃

It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

28 יֵשֵׁב בָּדָד וְיִדֹּם כִּי נָטַל עָלָֽיו׃

He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.

29 יִתֵּן בֶּֽעָפָר פִּיהוּ אוּלַי יֵשׁ תִּקְוָֽה׃

He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.

30 יִתֵּן לְמַכֵּהוּ לֶחִי יִשְׂבַּע בְּחֶרְפָּֽה׃

He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.

31 כִּי לֹא יִזְנַח לְעוֹלָם אֲדֹנָֽי׃

For YHWH will not cast off for ever:

32 כִּי אִם־הוֹגָה וְרִחַם כְּרֹב חֲסָדָֽיו׃

But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

33 כִּי לֹא עִנָּה מִלִּבּוֹ וַיַּגֶּה בְּנֵי־אִֽישׁ׃

For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

34 לְדַכֵּא תַּחַת רַגְלָיו כֹּל אֲסִירֵי אָֽרֶץ׃

To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,

35 לְהַטּוֹת מִשְׁפַּט־גָּבֶר נֶגֶד פְּנֵי עֶלְיֽוֹן׃

To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,

36 לְ עַ וֵּת אָדָם בְּרִיבוֹ אֲדֹנָי לֹא רָאָֽה׃

To subvert a man in his cause, YHWH approveth not.

37 מִי זֶה אָמַר וַתֶּהִי אֲדֹנָי לֹא צִוָּֽה׃

Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when YHWH commandeth it not?

38 מִפִּי עֶלְיוֹן לֹא תֵצֵא הָרָעוֹת וְהַטּֽוֹב׃

Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?

39 מַה־יִּתְאוֹנֵן אָדָם חָי גֶּבֶר עַל־חֲטָאָֽו׃

Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?

40 נַחְפְּשָׂה דְרָכֵינוּ וְֽנַחְקֹרָה וְנָשׁוּבָה עַד־יְהֹוָֽה׃

Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to YHWH.

41 נִשָּׂא לְבָבֵנוּ אֶל־כַּפָּיִם אֶל־אֵל בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto El in the heavens.

42 נַחְנוּ פָשַׁעְנוּ וּמָרִינוּ אַתָּה לֹא סָלָֽחְתָּ׃

We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.

43 סַכּוֹתָה בָאַף וַֽתִּרְדְּפֵנוּ הָרַגְתָּ לֹא חָמָֽלְתָּ׃

Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.

44 סַכּוֹתָה בֶֽעָנָן לָךְ מֵעֲבוֹר תְּפִלָּֽה׃

Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.

45 סְחִי וּמָאוֹס תְּשִׂימֵנוּ בְּקֶרֶב הָעַמִּֽים׃

Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.

46 פָּצוּ עָלֵינוּ פִּיהֶם כׇּל־אֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃

All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.

47 פַּחַד וָפַחַת הָיָה לָנוּ הַשֵּׁאת וְהַשָּֽׁבֶר׃

Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.

48 פַּלְגֵי־מַיִם תֵּרַד עֵינִי עַל־שֶׁבֶר בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃

Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

49 עֵינִי נִגְּרָה וְלֹא תִדְמֶה מֵאֵין הֲפֻגֽוֹת׃

Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,

50 עַד־יַשְׁקִיף וְיֵרֶא יְהֹוָה מִשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

Till YHWH look down, and behold from heaven.

51 עֵינִי עֽוֹלְלָה לְנַפְשִׁי מִכֹּל בְּנוֹת עִירִֽי׃

Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.

52 צוֹד צָדוּנִי כַּצִּפּוֹר אֹיְבַי חִנָּֽם׃

Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.

53 צָֽמְתוּ בַבּוֹר חַיָּי וַיַּדּוּ־אֶבֶן בִּֽי׃

They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.

54 צָֽפוּ־מַיִם עַל־רֹאשִׁי אָמַרְתִּי נִגְזָֽרְתִּי׃

Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.

55 קָרָאתִי שִׁמְךָ יְהֹוָה מִבּוֹר תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹת׃

I called upon thy name, O YHWH, out of the low dungeon.

56 קוֹלִי שָׁמָעְתָּ אַל־תַּעְלֵם אׇזְנְךָ לְרַוְחָתִי לְשַׁוְעָתִֽי׃

Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.

57 קָרַבְתָּ בְּיוֹם אֶקְרָאֶךָּ אָמַרְתָּ אַל־תִּירָֽא׃

Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.

58 רַבְתָּ אֲדֹנָי רִיבֵי נַפְשִׁי גָּאַלְתָּ חַיָּֽי׃

O YHWH, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.

59 רָאִיתָה יְהֹוָה עַוָּתָתִי שׇׁפְטָה מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃

O YHWH, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.

60 רָאִיתָה כׇּל־נִקְמָתָם כׇּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָם לִֽי׃

Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.

61 שָׁמַעְתָּ חֶרְפָּתָם יְהֹוָה כׇּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָם עָלָֽי׃

Thou hast heard their reproach, O YHWH, and all their imaginations against me;

62 שִׂפְתֵי קָמַי וְהֶגְיוֹנָם עָלַי כׇּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃

The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.

63 שִׁבְתָּם וְקִֽימָתָם הַבִּיטָה אֲנִי מַנְגִּינָתָֽם׃

Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.

64 תָּשִׁיב לָהֶם גְּמוּל יְהֹוָה כְּמַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶֽם׃

Render unto them a recompence, O YHWH, according to the work of their hands.

65 תִּתֵּן לָהֶם מְגִנַּת־לֵב תַּאֲלָֽתְךָ לָהֶֽם׃

Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.

66 תִּרְדֹּף בְּאַף וְתַשְׁמִידֵם מִתַּחַת שְׁמֵי יְהֹוָֽה׃

Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of YHWH.