אֵיכָה 3
| אֲנִ֤י הַגֶּ֙בֶר֙ רָאָ֣ה עֳנִ֔י בְּשֵׁ֖בֶט עֶבְרָתֽוֹ׃ | 1 |
I [, the one who am writing this, ] am a man who has been afflicted/punished [MTY] by Yahweh because he was angry.
| אוֹתִ֥י נָהַ֛ג וַיֹּלַ֖ךְ חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אֽוֹר׃ | 2 |
[It was as though] he caused me to walk in a very dark place without any light [at all].
| אַ֣ךְ בִּ֥י יָשֻׁ֛ב יַהֲפֹ֥ךְ יָד֖וֹ כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ ס | 3 |
He has punished [IDM] me many times, all day, [every] day.
| בִּלָּ֤ה בְשָׂרִי֙ וְעוֹרִ֔י שִׁבַּ֖ר עַצְמוֹתָֽי׃ | 4 |
He has caused my skin and my flesh to become old. He has broken my bones.
| בָּנָ֥ה עָלַ֛י וַיַּקַּ֖ף רֹ֥אשׁ וּתְלָאָֽה׃ | 5 |
He has surrounded me [DOU] with bitterness and suffering.
| בְּמַחֲשַׁכִּ֥ים הוֹשִׁיבַ֖נִי כְּמֵתֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם׃ ס | 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.
| גָּדַ֧ר בַּעֲדִ֛י וְלֹ֥א אֵצֵ֖א הִכְבִּ֥יד נְחָשְׁתִּֽי׃ | 7 |
[It is as though] [MET] he has built a wall around me, and fastened/tied me with heavy chains, and I cannot escape.
| גַּ֣ם כִּ֤י אֶזְעַק֙ וַאֲשַׁוֵּ֔עַ שָׂתַ֖ם תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃ | 8 |
Although I call out and cry out for him to help me, he does not pay attention to my prayers.
| גָּדַ֤ר דְּרָכַי֙ בְּגָזִ֔ית נְתִיבֹתַ֖י עִוָּֽה׃ ס | 9 |
[It is as though] he has blocked my path with a [high] stone [wall] and has caused my path to become crooked.
| דֹּ֣ב אֹרֵ֥ב הוּא֙ לִ֔י אֲרִ֖י בְּמִסְתָּרִֽים׃ | 10 |
He has waited to attack me like [SIM] a bear or a lion hides and waits [to attack other animals].
| דְּרָכַ֥י סוֹרֵ֛ר וַֽיְפַשְּׁחֵ֖נִי שָׂמַ֥נִי 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.
| דָּרַ֤ךְ קַשְׁתוֹ֙ וַיַּצִּיבֵ֔נִי כַּמַּטָּרָ֖א לַחֵֽץ׃ ס | 12 |
[It is as though] [MET] he bent his bow and caused me to become the target [at which he shot] his arrows.
| הֵבִיא֙ בְּכִלְיוֹתָ֔י בְּנֵ֖י אַשְׁפָּתֽוֹ׃ | 13 |
[It is as though] he shot his arrows deep into my body.
| הָיִ֤יתִי שְּׂחֹק֙ לְכָל־עַמִּ֔י נְגִינָתָ֖ם כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ | 14 |
All my relatives laugh at me; all day, [every] day they sing songs that make fun of me.
| הִשְׂבִּיעַ֥נִי בַמְּרוֹרִ֖ים הִרְוַ֥נִי לַעֲנָֽה׃ ס | 15 |
He has filled me with (bitterness/great suffering), [like] [MET] someone who drinks a very bitter liquid suffers.
| וַיַּגְרֵ֤ס בֶּֽחָצָץ֙ שִׁנָּ֔י הִכְפִּישַׁ֖נִי 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.
| וַתִּזְנַ֧ח מִשָּׁל֛וֹם נַפְשִׁ֖י נָשִׁ֥יתִי טוֹבָֽה׃ | 17 |
Things no longer go well for me; I no longer remember being prosperous.
| וָאֹמַר֙ אָבַ֣ד נִצְחִ֔י וְתוֹחַלְתִּ֖י מֵיְהוָֽה׃ ס | 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!”
| זְכָר־עָנְיִ֥י וּמְרוּדִ֖י לַעֲנָ֥ה וָרֹֽאשׁ׃ | 19 |
When I think about my suffering and my wandering [away from home], [it is like drinking] a very bitter [DOU] liquid.
| זָכ֣וֹר תִּזְכּ֔וֹר וְתָשׁ֥וֹחַ עָלַ֖י נַפְשִֽׁי׃ | 20 |
I will never forget this time when I feel very depressed/discouraged [IDM].
| זֹ֛את אָשִׁ֥יב אֶל־לִבִּ֖י עַל־כֵּ֥ן אוֹחִֽיל׃ ס | 21 |
However, I confidently expect [Yahweh to do good things for me again] when I think about this:
| חַֽסְדֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ כִּ֣י לֹא־תָ֔מְנוּ כִּ֥י לֹא־כָל֖וּ רַחֲמָֽיו׃ | 22 |
Yahweh never stops faithfully loving [us], and he never stops being kind to us.
| חֲדָשִׁים֙ לַבְּקָרִ֔ים רַבָּ֖ה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃ | 23 |
[He is the one whom we can] always trust/lean on. Every morning he is merciful [to us again].
| חֶלְקִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אָמְרָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֔י עַל־כֵּ֖ן אוֹחִ֥יל לֽוֹ׃ ס | 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].”
| ט֤וֹב יְהוָה֙ לְקוָֹ֔יו לְנֶ֖פֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶֽׁנּוּ׃ | 25 |
Yahweh is good to [all] those who depend on him, to those who seek his [help].
| ט֤וֹב וְיָחִיל֙ וְדוּמָ֔ם לִתְשׁוּעַ֖ת יְהוָֽה׃ | 26 |
[So] it is good for us to wait quietly for Yahweh to save/rescue [us].
| ט֣וֹב לַגֶּ֔בֶר כִּֽי־יִשָּׂ֥א עֹ֖ל בִּנְעוּרָֽיו׃ ס | 27 |
And it is good for us to [patiently] endure [suffering] while we are young.
| יֵשֵׁ֤ב בָּדָד֙ וְיִדֹּ֔ם כִּ֥י נָטַ֖ל עָלָֽיו׃ | 28 |
Those [who seek his help] should sit by themselves, silently, [knowing that] it is Yahweh who has allowed/caused them to suffer.
| יִתֵּ֤ן בֶּֽעָפָר֙ פִּ֔יהוּ אוּלַ֖י יֵ֥שׁ תִּקְוָֽה׃ | 29 |
They should lie in the dirt, with their faces on the ground, [because] they can still hope [that Yahweh will help them].
| יִתֵּ֧ן לְמַכֵּ֛הוּ לֶ֖חִי יִשְׂבַּ֥ע בְּחֶרְפָּֽה׃ ס | 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.
| כִּ֣י לֹ֥א יִזְנַ֛ח לְעוֹלָ֖ם אֲדֹנָֽי׃ | 31 |
Yahweh does not abandon [us his people] forever.
| כִּ֣י אִם־הוֹגָ֔ה וְרִחַ֖ם כְּרֹ֥ב חֲסָדָֽיו׃ | 32 |
Sometimes he causes us to suffer, but sometimes he is kind [to us] because he continually and faithfully loves [us].
| כִּ֣י לֹ֤א עִנָּה֙ מִלִּבּ֔וֹ וַיַּגֶּ֖ה בְנֵי־אִֽישׁ׃ ס | 33 |
And he is not happy about causing human beings to suffer or to be sad.
| לְדַכֵּא֙ תַּ֣חַת רַגְלָ֔יו כֹּ֖ל אֲסִ֥ירֵי אָֽרֶץ׃ | 34 |
If people (mistreat all the prisoners/crush all the prisoners under their feet)
| לְהַטּוֹת֙ מִשְׁפַּט־גָּ֔בֶר נֶ֖גֶד פְּנֵ֥י עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ | 35 |
or if they rebel against God by refusing to give to people the things that it is right for them [to receive],
| לְעַוֵּ֤ת אָדָם֙ בְּרִיב֔וֹ אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹ֥א רָאָֽה׃ ס | 36 |
or if they cause judges to decide matters unjustly, (does Yahweh not see all those things?/Yahweh certainly sees all those things!) [RHQ]
| מִ֣י זֶ֤ה אָמַר֙ וַתֶּ֔הִי אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹ֥א 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.
| מִפִּ֤י עֶלְיוֹן֙ לֹ֣א תֵצֵ֔א הָרָע֖וֹת וְהַטּֽוֹב׃ | 38 |
God in heaven [MTY] is [RHQ] the one who causes disasters to happen, and he [also] causes good things to happen.
| מַה־יִּתְאוֹנֵן֙ אָדָ֣ם חָ֔י גֶּ֖בֶר עַל־חֲטָאָֽיו׃ ס | 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.
| נַחְפְּשָׂ֤ה דְרָכֵ֙ינוּ֙ וְֽנַחְקֹ֔רָה וְנָשׁ֖וּבָה עַד־יְהוָֽה׃ | 40 |
Instead, we should (examine/think carefully about) our behavior; we should turn back to Yahweh.
| נִשָּׂ֤א לְבָבֵ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־כַּפָּ֔יִם אֶל־אֵ֖ל בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ | 41 |
We should pray [IDM] sincerely and lift up our arms toward God in heaven, [and say, ]
| נַ֤חְנוּ פָשַׁ֙עְנוּ֙ וּמָרִ֔ינוּ אַתָּ֖ה לֹ֥א סָלָֽחְתָּ׃ ס | 42 |
“We have sinned and rebelled [against you], and you have not forgiven [us].
| סַכֹּ֤תָה בָאַף֙ וַֽתִּרְדְּפֵ֔נוּ הָרַ֖גְתָּ לֹ֥א חָמָֽלְתָּ׃ | 43 |
You have surrounded us with your anger and pursued us; you have slaughtered [us] without pitying us.
| סַכּ֤וֹתָה בֶֽעָנָן֙ לָ֔ךְ מֵעֲב֖וֹר תְּפִלָּֽה׃ | 44 |
You have hidden yourself in a cloud, with the result that you do not hear [us] when we pray.
| סְחִ֧י וּמָא֛וֹס תְּשִׂימֵ֖נוּ בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָעַמִּֽים׃ ס | 45 |
You have caused [the people of other] nations to consider us to be only garbage [DOU].
| פָּצ֥וּ עָלֵ֛ינוּ פִּיהֶ֖ם כָּל־אֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃ | 46 |
All our enemies have insulted us.
| פַּ֧חַד וָפַ֛חַת הָ֥יָה לָ֖נוּ הַשֵּׁ֥את וְהַשָּֽׁבֶר׃ | 47 |
We are constantly afraid [DOU], [because] we have experienced disasters and ruin [DOU].”
| פַּלְגֵי־מַ֙יִם֙ תֵּרַ֣ד עֵינִ֔י עַל־שֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃ ס | 48 |
I cry a lot because my people have been destroyed.
| עֵינִ֧י נִגְּרָ֛ה וְלֹ֥א תִדְמֶ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ין הֲפֻגֽוֹת׃ | 49 |
My tears continually flow; they will not stop
| עַד־יַשְׁקִ֣יף וְיֵ֔רֶא יְהוָ֖ה מִשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ | 50 |
until Yahweh looks down from heaven and sees [us].
| עֵינִי֙ עֽוֹלְלָ֣ה לְנַפְשִׁ֔י מִכֹּ֖ל בְּנ֥וֹת עִירִֽי׃ ס | 51 |
I am very grieved because of [what has happened to] the women of my city.
| צ֥וֹד צָד֛וּנִי כַּצִּפּ֖וֹר אֹיְבַ֥י 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].
| צָֽמְת֤וּ בַבּוֹר֙ חַיָּ֔י וַיַּדּוּ־אֶ֖בֶן בִּֽי׃ | 53 |
They threw me into a pit to kill me, and they threw stones on top of me.
| צָֽפוּ־מַ֥יִם עַל־רֹאשִׁ֖י אָמַ֥רְתִּי נִגְזָֽרְתִּי׃ ס | 54 |
The water [in the pit] rose above my head, and I said [to myself], “I am about to die/drown!”
| קָרָ֤אתִי שִׁמְךָ֙ יְהוָ֔ה מִבּ֖וֹר תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹת׃ | 55 |
But from the bottom of the pit I cried out to you [MTY], “Yahweh, [help me]!”
| קוֹלִ֖י שָׁמָ֑עְתָּ אַל־תַּעְלֵ֧ם אָזְנְךָ֛ לְרַוְחָתִ֖י לְשַׁוְעָתִֽי׃ | 56 |
I pleaded with you, “Do not refuse to heed [MTY] me while I cry out to you!”
| קָרַ֙בְתָּ֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֶקְרָאֶ֔ךָּ אָמַ֖רְתָּ אַל־תִּירָֽא׃ ס | 57 |
Then you answered me and said, “Do not be afraid!”
| רַ֧בְתָּ אֲדֹנָ֛י רִיבֵ֥י נַפְשִׁ֖י גָּאַ֥לְתָּ חַיָּֽי׃ | 58 |
Yahweh, you defended me; you did not allow me to die.
| רָאִ֤יתָה יְהוָה֙ עַוָּ֣תָתִ֔י שָׁפְטָ֖ה 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]!
| רָאִ֙יתָה֙ כָּל־נִקְמָתָ֔ם כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם לִֽי׃ ס | 60 |
You know the evil things that they have planned to do to me.
| שָׁמַ֤עְתָּ חֶרְפָּתָם֙ יְהוָ֔ה כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם עָלָֽי׃ | 61 |
Yahweh, you have heard them insult [me] and what they have planned to do to me.
| שִׂפְתֵ֤י קָמַי֙ וְהֶגְיוֹנָ֔ם עָלַ֖י כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ | 62 |
Every day they whisper and mutter things about me, all day long.
| שִׁבְתָּ֤ם וְקִֽימָתָם֙ הַבִּ֔יטָה אֲנִ֖י מַנְגִּינָתָֽם׃ ס | 63 |
Look at them! Whether they are standing or sitting they make fun of me with the songs that they sing.
| תָּשִׁ֨יב לָהֶ֥ם גְּמ֛וּל יְהוָ֖ה כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יְדֵיהֶֽם׃ | 64 |
Yahweh, cause them to suffer in return for their causing [me] to suffer!
| תִּתֵּ֤ן לָהֶם֙ מְגִנַּת־לֵ֔ב תַּאֲלָֽתְךָ֖ לָהֶֽם׃ | 65 |
Curse them [IDM] [for] their being very stubborn [IDM].
| תִּרְדֹּ֤ף בְּאַף֙ וְתַשְׁמִידֵ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת שְׁמֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ פ | 66 |
Because you are angry with them, pursue them and get rid of them, [until none of them remain] on the earth.
