< איכה 3 >
אֲנִי הַגֶּבֶר רָאָה עֳנִי בְּשֵׁבֶט עֶבְרָתֽוֹ׃ | 1 |
I [, the one who am writing this, ] am a man who has been afflicted/punished [MTY] by Yahweh because he was angry.
אוֹתִי נָהַג וַיֹּלַךְ חֹשֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אֽוֹר׃ | 2 |
[It was as though] he caused me to walk in a very dark place without any light [at all].
אַךְ בִּי יָשֻׁב יַהֲפֹךְ יָדוֹ כׇּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ | 3 |
He has punished [IDM] me many times, all day, [every] day.
בִּלָּה בְשָׂרִי וְעוֹרִי שִׁבַּר עַצְמוֹתָֽי׃ | 4 |
He has caused my skin and my flesh to become old. He has broken my bones.
בָּנָה עָלַי וַיַּקַּף רֹאשׁ וּתְלָאָֽה׃ | 5 |
He has surrounded me [DOU] with bitterness and suffering.
בְּמַחֲשַׁכִּים הוֹשִׁיבַנִי כְּמֵתֵי עוֹלָֽם׃ | 6 |
[It is as though] he has buried me in a dark place like [SIM] [the graves of] those who have been dead for a long time.
גָּדַר בַּעֲדִי וְלֹא אֵצֵא הִכְבִּיד נְחׇשְׁתִּֽי׃ | 7 |
[It is as though] [MET] he has built a wall around me, and fastened/tied me with heavy chains, and I cannot escape.
גַּם כִּי אֶזְעַק וַאֲשַׁוֵּעַ שָׂתַם תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃ | 8 |
Although I call out and cry out for him to help me, he does not pay attention to my prayers.
גָּדַר דְּרָכַי בְּגָזִית נְתִיבֹתַי עִוָּֽה׃ | 9 |
[It is as though] he has blocked my path with a [high] stone [wall] and has caused my path to become crooked.
דֹּב אֹרֵב הוּא לִי (אריה) [אֲרִי] בְּמִסְתָּרִֽים׃ | 10 |
He has waited to attack me like [SIM] a bear or a lion hides and waits [to attack other animals].
דְּרָכַי סוֹרֵר וַֽיְפַשְּׁחֵנִי שָׂמַנִי שֹׁמֵֽם׃ | 11 |
[It is as though] he has dragged me off the path and (mauled me/torn me into pieces), and left me without help.
דָּרַךְ קַשְׁתּוֹ וַיַּצִּיבֵנִי כַּמַּטָּרָא לַחֵֽץ׃ | 12 |
[It is as though] [MET] he bent his bow and caused me to become the target [at which he shot] his arrows.
הֵבִיא בְּכִלְיֹתָי בְּנֵי אַשְׁפָּתֽוֹ׃ | 13 |
[It is as though] he shot his arrows deep into my body.
הָיִיתִי שְּׂחֹק לְכׇל־עַמִּי נְגִינָתָם כׇּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ | 14 |
All my relatives laugh at me; all day, [every] day they sing songs that make fun of me.
הִשְׂבִּיעַנִי בַמְּרוֹרִים הִרְוַנִי לַעֲנָֽה׃ | 15 |
He has filled me with (bitterness/great suffering), [like] [MET] someone who drinks a very bitter liquid suffers.
וַיַּגְרֵס בֶּֽחָצָץ שִׁנָּי הִכְפִּישַׁנִי בָּאֵֽפֶר׃ | 16 |
[It is as though] he has caused me to chew gravel that broke my teeth, and he has trampled me in the dirt.
וַתִּזְנַח מִשָּׁלוֹם נַפְשִׁי נָשִׁיתִי טוֹבָֽה׃ | 17 |
Things no longer go well for me; I no longer remember being prosperous.
וָאֹמַר אָבַד נִצְחִי וְתוֹחַלְתִּי מֵיְהֹוָֽה׃ | 18 |
I [continued to] say [to myself], “I no longer expect to live much longer; I no longer confidently expect [to receive good things] from Yahweh!”
זְכׇר־עׇנְיִי וּמְרוּדִי לַעֲנָה וָרֹֽאשׁ׃ | 19 |
When I think about my suffering and my wandering [away from home], [it is like drinking] a very bitter [DOU] liquid.
זָכוֹר תִּזְכּוֹר (ותשיח) [וְתָשׁוֹחַ] עָלַי נַפְשִֽׁי׃ | 20 |
I will never forget this time when I feel very depressed/discouraged [IDM].
זֹאת אָשִׁיב אֶל־לִבִּי עַל־כֵּן אוֹחִֽיל׃ | 21 |
However, I confidently expect [Yahweh to do good things for me again] when I think about this:
חַֽסְדֵי יְהֹוָה כִּי לֹא־תָמְנוּ כִּי לֹא־כָלוּ רַחֲמָֽיו׃ | 22 |
Yahweh never stops faithfully loving [us], and he never stops being kind to us.
חֲדָשִׁים לַבְּקָרִים רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃ | 23 |
[He is the one whom we can] always trust/lean on. Every morning he is merciful [to us again].
חֶלְקִי יְהֹוָה אָמְרָה נַפְשִׁי עַל־כֵּן אוֹחִיל לֽוֹ׃ | 24 |
[So] I say to myself, “Yahweh is all that I need; so I will confidently wait for him [to do good things for me].”
טוֹב יְהֹוָה לְקֹוָו לְנֶפֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶֽׁנּוּ׃ | 25 |
Yahweh is good to [all] those who depend on him, to those who seek his [help].
טוֹב וְיָחִיל וְדוּמָם לִתְשׁוּעַת יְהֹוָֽה׃ | 26 |
[So] it is good for us to wait quietly for Yahweh to save/rescue [us].
טוֹב לַגֶּבֶר כִּֽי־יִשָּׂא עֹל בִּנְעוּרָֽיו׃ | 27 |
And it is good for us to [patiently] endure [suffering] while we are young.
יֵשֵׁב בָּדָד וְיִדֹּם כִּי נָטַל עָלָֽיו׃ | 28 |
Those [who seek his help] should sit by themselves, silently, [knowing that] it is Yahweh who has allowed/caused them to suffer.
יִתֵּן בֶּֽעָפָר פִּיהוּ אוּלַי יֵשׁ תִּקְוָֽה׃ | 29 |
They should lie in the dirt, with their faces on the ground, [because] they can still hope [that Yahweh will help them].
יִתֵּן לְמַכֵּהוּ לֶחִי יִשְׂבַּע בְּחֶרְפָּֽה׃ | 30 |
If someone strikes us on one cheek, we should turn the other cheek toward that person [in order that he may strike it, too], and accept/endure it when we are insulted.
כִּי לֹא יִזְנַח לְעוֹלָם אֲדֹנָֽי׃ | 31 |
Yahweh does not abandon [us his people] forever.
כִּי אִם־הוֹגָה וְרִחַם כְּרֹב חֲסָדָֽיו׃ | 32 |
Sometimes he causes us to suffer, but sometimes he is kind [to us] because he continually and faithfully loves [us].
כִּי לֹא עִנָּה מִלִּבּוֹ וַיַּגֶּה בְּנֵי־אִֽישׁ׃ | 33 |
And he is not happy about causing human beings to suffer or to be sad.
לְדַכֵּא תַּחַת רַגְלָיו כֹּל אֲסִירֵי אָֽרֶץ׃ | 34 |
If people (mistreat all the prisoners/crush all the prisoners under their feet)
לְהַטּוֹת מִשְׁפַּט־גָּבֶר נֶגֶד פְּנֵי עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ | 35 |
or if they rebel against God by refusing to give to people the things that it is right for them [to receive],
לְ עַ וֵּת אָדָם בְּרִיבוֹ אֲדֹנָי לֹא רָאָֽה׃ | 36 |
or if they cause judges to decide matters unjustly, (does Yahweh not see all those things?/Yahweh certainly sees all those things!) [RHQ]
מִי זֶה אָמַר וַתֶּהִי אֲדֹנָי לֹא צִוָּֽה׃ | 37 |
No one can [RHQ] command something to happen [and then cause it to happen] if Yahweh has not already decided that it should happen.
מִפִּי עֶלְיוֹן לֹא תֵצֵא הָרָעוֹת וְהַטּֽוֹב׃ | 38 |
God in heaven [MTY] is [RHQ] the one who causes disasters to happen, and he [also] causes good things to happen.
מַה־יִּתְאוֹנֵן אָדָם חָי גֶּבֶר עַל־חֲטָאָֽו׃ | 39 |
[So] it is certainly not [RHQ] right for us, who are only humans, to complain when he punishes us for the sins that we have committed.
נַחְפְּשָׂה דְרָכֵינוּ וְֽנַחְקֹרָה וְנָשׁוּבָה עַד־יְהֹוָֽה׃ | 40 |
Instead, we should (examine/think carefully about) our behavior; we should turn back to Yahweh.
נִשָּׂא לְבָבֵנוּ אֶל־כַּפָּיִם אֶל־אֵל בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ | 41 |
We should pray [IDM] sincerely and lift up our arms toward God in heaven, [and say, ]
נַחְנוּ פָשַׁעְנוּ וּמָרִינוּ אַתָּה לֹא סָלָֽחְתָּ׃ | 42 |
“We have sinned and rebelled [against you], and you have not forgiven [us].
סַכּוֹתָה בָאַף וַֽתִּרְדְּפֵנוּ הָרַגְתָּ לֹא חָמָֽלְתָּ׃ | 43 |
You have surrounded us with your anger and pursued us; you have slaughtered [us] without pitying us.
סַכּוֹתָה בֶֽעָנָן לָךְ מֵעֲבוֹר תְּפִלָּֽה׃ | 44 |
You have hidden yourself in a cloud, with the result that you do not hear [us] when we pray.
סְחִי וּמָאוֹס תְּשִׂימֵנוּ בְּקֶרֶב הָעַמִּֽים׃ | 45 |
You have caused [the people of other] nations to consider us to be only garbage [DOU].
פָּצוּ עָלֵינוּ פִּיהֶם כׇּל־אֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃ | 46 |
All our enemies have insulted us.
פַּחַד וָפַחַת הָיָה לָנוּ הַשֵּׁאת וְהַשָּֽׁבֶר׃ | 47 |
We are constantly afraid [DOU], [because] we have experienced disasters and ruin [DOU].”
פַּלְגֵי־מַיִם תֵּרַד עֵינִי עַל־שֶׁבֶר בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃ | 48 |
I cry a lot because my people have been destroyed.
עֵינִי נִגְּרָה וְלֹא תִדְמֶה מֵאֵין הֲפֻגֽוֹת׃ | 49 |
My tears continually flow; they will not stop
עַד־יַשְׁקִיף וְיֵרֶא יְהֹוָה מִשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ | 50 |
until Yahweh looks down from heaven and sees [us].
עֵינִי עֽוֹלְלָה לְנַפְשִׁי מִכֹּל בְּנוֹת עִירִֽי׃ | 51 |
I am very grieved because of [what has happened to] the women of my city.
צוֹד צָדוּנִי כַּצִּפּוֹר אֹיְבַי חִנָּֽם׃ | 52 |
Those who are my enemies hunted for me like [SIM] [people hunt for] a bird [to kill it] [even though] there was no reason [for them to do that].
צָֽמְתוּ בַבּוֹר חַיָּי וַיַּדּוּ־אֶבֶן בִּֽי׃ | 53 |
They threw me into a pit to kill me, and they threw stones on top of me.
צָֽפוּ־מַיִם עַל־רֹאשִׁי אָמַרְתִּי נִגְזָֽרְתִּי׃ | 54 |
The water [in the pit] rose above my head, and I said [to myself], “I am about to die/drown!”
קָרָאתִי שִׁמְךָ יְהֹוָה מִבּוֹר תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹת׃ | 55 |
But from the bottom of the pit I cried out to you [MTY], “Yahweh, [help me]!”
קוֹלִי שָׁמָעְתָּ אַל־תַּעְלֵם אׇזְנְךָ לְרַוְחָתִי לְשַׁוְעָתִֽי׃ | 56 |
I pleaded with you, “Do not refuse to heed [MTY] me while I cry out to you!”
קָרַבְתָּ בְּיוֹם אֶקְרָאֶךָּ אָמַרְתָּ אַל־תִּירָֽא׃ | 57 |
Then you answered me and said, “Do not be afraid!”
רַבְתָּ אֲדֹנָי רִיבֵי נַפְשִׁי גָּאַלְתָּ חַיָּֽי׃ | 58 |
Yahweh, you defended me; you did not allow me to die.
רָאִיתָה יְהֹוָה עַוָּתָתִי שׇׁפְטָה מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃ | 59 |
[Now], Yahweh, you have seen the evil things that my enemies have done to me, [so] decide my case [and show that I am right]!
רָאִיתָה כׇּל־נִקְמָתָם כׇּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָם לִֽי׃ | 60 |
You know the evil things that they have planned to do to me.
שָׁמַעְתָּ חֶרְפָּתָם יְהֹוָה כׇּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָם עָלָֽי׃ | 61 |
Yahweh, you have heard them insult [me] and what they have planned to do to me.
שִׂפְתֵי קָמַי וְהֶגְיוֹנָם עָלַי כׇּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ | 62 |
Every day they whisper and mutter things about me, all day long.
שִׁבְתָּם וְקִֽימָתָם הַבִּיטָה אֲנִי מַנְגִּינָתָֽם׃ | 63 |
Look at them! Whether they are standing or sitting they make fun of me with the songs that they sing.
תָּשִׁיב לָהֶם גְּמוּל יְהֹוָה כְּמַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶֽם׃ | 64 |
Yahweh, cause them to suffer in return for their causing [me] to suffer!
תִּתֵּן לָהֶם מְגִנַּת־לֵב תַּאֲלָֽתְךָ לָהֶֽם׃ | 65 |
Curse them [IDM] [for] their being very stubborn [IDM].
תִּרְדֹּף בְּאַף וְתַשְׁמִידֵם מִתַּחַת שְׁמֵי יְהֹוָֽה׃ | 66 |
Because you are angry with them, pursue them and get rid of them, [until none of them remain] on the earth.