אֵיכָה 3
| אֲנִ֤י הַגֶּ֙בֶר֙ רָאָ֣ה עֳנִ֔י בְּשֵׁ֖בֶט עֶבְרָתֽוֹ׃ | 1 |
I am a man who has seen misery under the rod of Yahweh's fury.
| אוֹתִ֥י נָהַ֛ג וַיֹּלַ֖ךְ חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אֽוֹר׃ | 2 |
He drove me away and caused me to walk in darkness rather than light.
| אַ֣ךְ בִּ֥י יָשֻׁ֛ב יַהֲפֹ֥ךְ יָד֖וֹ כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ ס | 3 |
Surely he turned his hand against me again and again, the whole day long.
| בִּלָּ֤ה בְשָׂרִי֙ וְעוֹרִ֔י שִׁבַּ֖ר עַצְמוֹתָֽי׃ | 4 |
He made my flesh and my skin waste away; he broke my bones.
| בָּנָ֥ה עָלַ֛י וַיַּקַּ֖ף רֹ֥אשׁ וּתְלָאָֽה׃ | 5 |
He built up siege works against me, and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.
| בְּמַחֲשַׁכִּ֥ים הוֹשִׁיבַ֖נִי כְּמֵתֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם׃ ס | 6 |
He made me live in dark places, like those who died long ago.
| גָּדַ֧ר בַּעֲדִ֛י וְלֹ֥א אֵצֵ֖א הִכְבִּ֥יד נְחָשְׁתִּֽי׃ | 7 |
He built a wall around me and I cannot escape. He made my chains heavy
| גַּ֣ם כִּ֤י אֶזְעַק֙ וַאֲשַׁוֵּ֔עַ שָׂתַ֖ם תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃ | 8 |
and though I call out and cry for help, he shut out my prayer.
| גָּדַ֤ר דְּרָכַי֙ בְּגָזִ֔ית נְתִיבֹתַ֖י עִוָּֽה׃ ס | 9 |
He blocked my path with a wall of hewn stone; he made my paths crooked.
| דֹּ֣ב אֹרֵ֥ב הוּא֙ לִ֔י אֲרִ֖י בְּמִסְתָּרִֽים׃ | 10 |
He is like a bear waiting to ambush me, a lion in hiding;
| דְּרָכַ֥י סוֹרֵ֛ר וַֽיְפַשְּׁחֵ֖נִי שָׂמַ֥נִי שֹׁמֵֽם׃ | 11 |
he turned aside my paths, he has made me desolate.
| דָּרַ֤ךְ קַשְׁתוֹ֙ וַיַּצִּיבֵ֔נִי כַּמַּטָּרָ֖א לַחֵֽץ׃ ס | 12 |
He bent his bow and set me as a target for his arrow.
| הֵבִיא֙ בְּכִלְיוֹתָ֔י בְּנֵ֖י אַשְׁפָּתֽוֹ׃ | 13 |
He pierced my kidneys with the arrows of his quiver.
| הָיִ֤יתִי שְּׂחֹק֙ לְכָל־עַמִּ֔י נְגִינָתָ֖ם כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ | 14 |
I became a laughingstock to all my people, the object of their taunting all day long.
| הִשְׂבִּיעַ֥נִי בַמְּרוֹרִ֖ים הִרְוַ֥נִי לַעֲנָֽה׃ ס | 15 |
He filled me with bitterness and forced me to drink wormwood.
| וַיַּגְרֵ֤ס בֶּֽחָצָץ֙ שִׁנָּ֔י הִכְפִּישַׁ֖נִי בָּאֵֽפֶר׃ | 16 |
He has made my teeth grind with gravel, and he made me cower in the ashes.
| וַתִּזְנַ֧ח מִשָּׁל֛וֹם נַפְשִׁ֖י נָשִׁ֥יתִי טוֹבָֽה׃ | 17 |
My soul is deprived of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is.
| וָאֹמַר֙ אָבַ֣ד נִצְחִ֔י וְתוֹחַלְתִּ֖י מֵיְהוָֽה׃ ס | 18 |
So I say, “My endurance has perished and so has my hope in Yahweh.”
| זְכָר־עָנְיִ֥י וּמְרוּדִ֖י לַעֲנָ֥ה וָרֹֽאשׁ׃ | 19 |
Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and bitterness.
| זָכ֣וֹר תִּזְכּ֔וֹר וְתָשׁ֥וֹחַ עָלַ֖י נַפְשִֽׁי׃ | 20 |
I continually remember it and I am bowed down within me.
| זֹ֛את אָשִׁ֥יב אֶל־לִבִּ֖י עַל־כֵּ֥ן אוֹחִֽיל׃ ס | 21 |
But I call this to mind and therefore I have hope:
| חַֽסְדֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ כִּ֣י לֹא־תָ֔מְנוּ כִּ֥י לֹא־כָל֖וּ רַחֲמָֽיו׃ | 22 |
The steadfast love of Yahweh never ceases and his compassions never end,
| חֲדָשִׁים֙ לַבְּקָרִ֔ים רַבָּ֖ה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃ | 23 |
they are new every morning; your faithfulness is great.
| חֶלְקִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אָמְרָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֔י עַל־כֵּ֖ן אוֹחִ֥יל לֽוֹ׃ ס | 24 |
“Yahweh is my inheritance,” I said, therefore I will hope in him.
| ט֤וֹב יְהוָה֙ לְקוָֹ֔יו לְנֶ֖פֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶֽׁנּוּ׃ | 25 |
Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the one who seeks him.
| ט֤וֹב וְיָחִיל֙ וְדוּמָ֔ם לִתְשׁוּעַ֖ת יְהוָֽה׃ | 26 |
It is good to wait silently for the salvation of Yahweh.
| ט֣וֹב לַגֶּ֔בֶר כִּֽי־יִשָּׂ֥א עֹ֖ל בִּנְעוּרָֽיו׃ ס | 27 |
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
| יֵשֵׁ֤ב בָּדָד֙ וְיִדֹּ֔ם כִּ֥י נָטַ֖ל עָלָֽיו׃ | 28 |
Let him sit alone in silence, when it is laid upon him.
| יִתֵּ֤ן בֶּֽעָפָר֙ פִּ֔יהוּ אוּלַ֖י יֵ֥שׁ תִּקְוָֽה׃ | 29 |
Let him put his mouth in the dust—there may yet be hope.
| יִתֵּ֧ן לְמַכֵּ֛הוּ לֶ֖חִי יִשְׂבַּ֥ע בְּחֶרְפָּֽה׃ ס | 30 |
Let him offer his cheek to the one who strikes him, and let him be filled to the full with reproach.
| כִּ֣י לֹ֥א יִזְנַ֛ח לְעוֹלָ֖ם אֲדֹנָֽי׃ | 31 |
For the Lord will not reject us forever,
| כִּ֣י אִם־הוֹגָ֔ה וְרִחַ֖ם כְּרֹ֥ב חֲסָדָֽיו׃ | 32 |
but though he causes grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
| כִּ֣י לֹ֤א עִנָּה֙ מִלִּבּ֔וֹ וַיַּגֶּ֖ה בְנֵי־אִֽישׁ׃ ס | 33 |
For he does not afflict from his heart or torment the children of mankind.
| לְדַכֵּא֙ תַּ֣חַת רַגְלָ֔יו כֹּ֖ל אֲסִ֥ירֵי אָֽרֶץ׃ | 34 |
To crush underfoot all the prisoners of the earth,
| לְהַטּוֹת֙ מִשְׁפַּט־גָּ֔בֶר נֶ֖גֶד פְּנֵ֥י עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ | 35 |
to deny a man justice in the presence of the Most High,
| לְעַוֵּ֤ת אָדָם֙ בְּרִיב֔וֹ אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹ֥א רָאָֽה׃ ס | 36 |
to deny justice to a person—the Lord would not approve such things!
| מִ֣י זֶ֤ה אָמַר֙ וַתֶּ֔הִי אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹ֥א צִוָּֽה׃ | 37 |
Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord decreed it?
| מִפִּ֤י עֶלְיוֹן֙ לֹ֣א תֵצֵ֔א הָרָע֖וֹת וְהַטּֽוֹב׃ | 38 |
Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and the good come?
| מַה־יִּתְאוֹנֵן֙ אָדָ֣ם חָ֔י גֶּ֖בֶר עַל־חֲטָאָֽיו׃ ס | 39 |
How can any person alive complain? How can a person complain about the punishment for his sins?
| נַחְפְּשָׂ֤ה דְרָכֵ֙ינוּ֙ וְֽנַחְקֹ֔רָה וְנָשׁ֖וּבָה עַד־יְהוָֽה׃ | 40 |
Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to Yahweh.
| נִשָּׂ֤א לְבָבֵ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־כַּפָּ֔יִם אֶל־אֵ֖ל בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ | 41 |
Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in the heavens:
| נַ֤חְנוּ פָשַׁ֙עְנוּ֙ וּמָרִ֔ינוּ אַתָּ֖ה לֹ֥א סָלָֽחְתָּ׃ ס | 42 |
“We have transgressed and rebelled, and you have not forgiven.
| סַכֹּ֤תָה בָאַף֙ וַֽתִּרְדְּפֵ֔נוּ הָרַ֖גְתָּ לֹ֥א חָמָֽלְתָּ׃ | 43 |
You have covered yourself with anger and pursued us, you have killed and you have not spared.
| סַכּ֤וֹתָה בֶֽעָנָן֙ לָ֔ךְ מֵעֲב֖וֹר תְּפִלָּֽה׃ | 44 |
You have covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can pass through.
| סְחִ֧י וּמָא֛וֹס תְּשִׂימֵ֖נוּ בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָעַמִּֽים׃ ס | 45 |
You have made us like filthy scum and refuse among the nations.
| פָּצ֥וּ עָלֵ֛ינוּ פִּיהֶ֖ם כָּל־אֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃ | 46 |
All our enemies curse us,
| פַּ֧חַד וָפַ֛חַת הָ֥יָה לָ֖נוּ הַשֵּׁ֥את וְהַשָּֽׁבֶר׃ | 47 |
panic and pitfall have come upon us, ruin and destruction.
| פַּלְגֵי־מַ֙יִם֙ תֵּרַ֣ד עֵינִ֔י עַל־שֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃ ס | 48 |
My eyes flow with streams of tears because my people are destroyed.
| עֵינִ֧י נִגְּרָ֛ה וְלֹ֥א תִדְמֶ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ין הֲפֻגֽוֹת׃ | 49 |
My eyes will shed tears without ceasing, without relief,
| עַד־יַשְׁקִ֣יף וְיֵ֔רֶא יְהוָ֖ה מִשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ | 50 |
until Yahweh from heaven looks down and sees.
| עֵינִי֙ עֽוֹלְלָ֣ה לְנַפְשִׁ֔י מִכֹּ֖ל בְּנ֥וֹת עִירִֽי׃ ס | 51 |
My eyes cause me grief because of all the daughters of my city.
| צ֥וֹד צָד֛וּנִי כַּצִּפּ֖וֹר אֹיְבַ֥י חִנָּֽם׃ | 52 |
I have been hunted like a bird by those who were my enemies; they hunted me without a reason.
| צָֽמְת֤וּ בַבּוֹר֙ חַיָּ֔י וַיַּדּוּ־אֶ֖בֶן בִּֽי׃ | 53 |
They cast me into a pit and they threw a stone on me,
| צָֽפוּ־מַ֥יִם עַל־רֹאשִׁ֖י אָמַ֥רְתִּי נִגְזָֽרְתִּי׃ ס | 54 |
and they caused waters to overflow, covering my head. I said, 'I have been cut off!'
| קָרָ֤אתִי שִׁמְךָ֙ יְהוָ֔ה מִבּ֖וֹר תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹת׃ | 55 |
I called on your name, Yahweh, from the depths of the pit.
| קוֹלִ֖י שָׁמָ֑עְתָּ אַל־תַּעְלֵ֧ם אָזְנְךָ֛ לְרַוְחָתִ֖י לְשַׁוְעָתִֽי׃ | 56 |
You heard my voice when I said, 'Do not close your ear to my cry for help.'
| קָרַ֙בְתָּ֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֶקְרָאֶ֔ךָּ אָמַ֖רְתָּ אַל־תִּירָֽא׃ ס | 57 |
You came near on the day I called on you; you said, 'Do not fear.'
| רַ֧בְתָּ אֲדֹנָ֛י רִיבֵ֥י נַפְשִׁ֖י גָּאַ֥לְתָּ חַיָּֽי׃ | 58 |
Lord, you defended my case, you saved my life!
| רָאִ֤יתָה יְהוָה֙ עַוָּ֣תָתִ֔י שָׁפְטָ֖ה מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃ | 59 |
Yahweh, you have seen the wrong they have done to me; judge my case.
| רָאִ֙יתָה֙ כָּל־נִקְמָתָ֔ם כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם לִֽי׃ ס | 60 |
You have seen their insults, all their plots against me—
| שָׁמַ֤עְתָּ חֶרְפָּתָם֙ יְהוָ֔ה כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם עָלָֽי׃ | 61 |
You have heard their scorn, Yahweh, and all their plans regarding me.
| שִׂפְתֵ֤י קָמַי֙ וְהֶגְיוֹנָ֔ם עָלַ֖י כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ | 62 |
The lips and the accusations of my enemies come against me all the day.
| שִׁבְתָּ֤ם וְקִֽימָתָם֙ הַבִּ֔יטָה אֲנִ֖י מַנְגִּינָתָֽם׃ ס | 63 |
Look at how they sit and then rise up; they mock me with their songs.
| תָּשִׁ֨יב לָהֶ֥ם גְּמ֛וּל יְהוָ֖ה כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יְדֵיהֶֽם׃ | 64 |
Pay back to them, Yahweh, according to what they have done.
| תִּתֵּ֤ן לָהֶם֙ מְגִנַּת־לֵ֔ב תַּאֲלָֽתְךָ֖ לָהֶֽם׃ | 65 |
You will let their hearts be shameless! May your condemnation be upon them!
| תִּרְדֹּ֤ף בְּאַף֙ וְתַשְׁמִידֵ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת שְׁמֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ פ | 66 |
You pursue them in anger and destroy them from under the heavens, Yahweh!”
