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 caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light.

3 אַךְ בִּי יָשֻׁב יַהֲפֹךְ יָדוֹ כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃

Surely against me he turneth his hand again and again 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 made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.

7 גָּדַר בַּעֲדִי וְלֹא אֵצֵא הִכְבִּיד נְחָשְׁתִּֽי׃

He hath walled me about, that I cannot go forth; he hath made my chain heavy.

8 גַּם כִּי אֶזְעַק וַאֲשַׁוֵּעַ שָׂתַם תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃

Yea, when I cry, and call for help, he shutteth out my prayer.

9 גָּדַר דְּרָכַי בְּגָזִית נְתִיבֹתַי עִוָּֽה׃

He hath walled up my ways with hewn stone; he hath made my paths crooked.

10 דֹּב אֹרֵב הוּא לִי אריה אֲרִי בְּמִסְתָּרִֽים׃

He is unto me as a bear lying in wait, 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 קַשְׁתוֹ וַיַּצִּיבֵנִי כַּמַּטָּרָא לַחֵֽץ׃

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

13 הֵבִיא בְּכִלְיוֹתָי בְּנֵי אַשְׁפָּתֽוֹ׃

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

14 הָיִיתִי שְּׂחֹק לְכָל־עַמִּי נְגִינָתָם כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃

I am become 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 sated me 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 מֵיְהוָֽה׃

And I said, My strength is perished, and mine expectation from Jehovah.

19 זְכָר־עָנְיִי וּמְרוּדִי לַעֲנָה וָרֹֽאשׁ׃

Remember 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 bowed down within me.

21 זֹאת אָשִׁיב אֶל־לִבִּי עַל־כֵּן אוֹחִֽיל׃

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

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

[It is of] Jehovah’s lovingkindnesses 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 יְהוָה אָמְרָה נַפְשִׁי עַל־כֵּן אוֹחִיל לֽוֹ׃

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

25 טוֹב יְהוָה לְקֹוָו לְנֶפֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶֽׁנּוּ׃

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

26 טוֹב וְיָחִיל וְדוּמָם לִתְשׁוּעַת יְהוָֽה׃

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

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׃

Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he hath laid it upon him.

29 יִתֵּן בֶּֽעָפָר פִּיהוּ אוּלַי יֵשׁ תִּקְוָֽה׃

Let him put his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope.

30 יִתֵּן לְמַכֵּהוּ לֶחִי יִשְׂבַּע בְּחֶרְפָּֽה׃

Let him give his cheek to him that smiteth him; let him be filled full with reproach.

31 כִּי לֹא יִזְנַח לְעוֹלָם אֲדֹנָֽי׃

For the Lord will not cast off for ever.

32 כִּי אִם־הוֹגָה וְרִחַם כְּרֹב חסדו חֲסָדָֽיו׃

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

33 כִּי לֹא עִנָּה מִלִבּוֹ וַיַּגֶּה בְנֵי־אִֽישׁ׃

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

34 לְדַכֵּא תַּחַת רַגְלָיו כֹּל אֲסִירֵי אָֽרֶץ׃

To crush under foot 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 לְעַוֵּת אָדָם בְּרִיבוֹ אֲדֹנָי לֹא רָאָֽה׃

To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.

37 מִי זֶה אָמַר וַתֶּהִי אֲדֹנָי לֹא צִוָּֽה׃

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

38 מִפִּי עֶלְיוֹן לֹא תֵצֵא הָרָעוֹת וְהַטּֽוֹב׃

Out of the mouth of the Most High cometh there not evil and good?

39 מַה־יִּתְאוֹנֵן אָדָם חָי גֶּבֶר עַל־חטאו חֲטָאָֽיו׃

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

40 נַחְפְּשָׂה דְרָכֵינוּ וְֽנַחְקֹרָה וְנָשׁוּבָה עַד־יְהוָֽה׃

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

41 נִשָּׂא לְבָבֵנוּ אֶל־כַּפָּיִם אֶל־אֵל בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

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

42 נַחְנוּ פָשַׁעְנוּ וּמָרִינוּ אַתָּה לֹא סָלָֽחְתָּ׃

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

43 סַכֹּתָה בָאַף וַֽתִּרְדְּפֵנוּ הָרַגְתָּ לֹא חָמָֽלְתָּ׃

Thou hast covered with anger and pursued us; thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.

44 סַכּוֹתָה בֶֽעָנָן לָךְ מֵעֲבוֹר תְּפִלָּֽה׃

Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.

45 סְחִי וּמָאוֹס תְּשִׂימֵנוּ בְּקֶרֶב הָעַמִּֽים׃

Thou hast made us an offscouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples.

46 פָּצוּ עָלֵינוּ פִּיהֶם כָּל־אֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃

All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.

47 פַּחַד וָפַחַת הָיָה לָנוּ הַשֵּׁאת וְהַשָּֽׁבֶר׃

Fear and the pit are come upon us, devastation and destruction.

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

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

49 עֵינִי נִגְּרָה וְלֹא תִדְמֶה מֵאֵין הֲפֻגֽוֹת׃

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

50 עַד־יַשְׁקִיף וְיֵרֶא יְהוָה מִשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

Till Jehovah look down, and behold from heaven.

51 עֵינִי עֽוֹלְלָה לְנַפְשִׁי מִכֹּל בְּנוֹת עִירִֽי׃

Mine eye affecteth my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.

52 צוֹד צָדוּנִי כַּצִּפּוֹר אֹיְבַי חִנָּֽם׃

They have chased me sore like a bird, they that are mine enemies without cause.

53 צָֽמְתוּ בַבּוֹר חַיָּי וַיַּדּוּ־אֶבֶן בִּֽי׃

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

54 צָֽפוּ־מַיִם עַל־רֹאשִׁי אָמַרְתִּי נִגְזָֽרְתִּי׃

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

55 קָרָאתִי שִׁמְךָ יְהוָה מִבּוֹר תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹת׃

I called upon thy name, O Jehovah, out of the lowest dungeon.

56 קוֹלִי שָׁמָעְתָּ אַל־תַּעְלֵם אָזְנְךָ לְרַוְחָתִי לְשַׁוְעָתִֽי׃

Thou heardest 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 Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.

59 רָאִיתָה יְהוָה עַוָּתָתִי שָׁפְטָה מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃

O Jehovah, thou hast seen my wrong; judge thou my cause.

60 רָאִיתָה כָּל־נִקְמָתָם כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָם לִֽי׃

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

61 שָׁמַעְתָּ חֶרְפָּתָם יְהוָה כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָם עָלָֽי׃

Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, and all their devices against me,

62 שִׂפְתֵי קָמַי וְהֶגְיוֹנָם עָלַי כָּל־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 thou their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their song.

64 תָּשִׁיב לָהֶם גְּמוּל יְהוָה כְּמַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶֽם׃

Thou wilt render unto them a recompense, O Jehovah, according to the work of their hands.

65 תִּתֵּן לָהֶם מְגִנַּת־לֵב תַּאֲלָֽתְךָ לָהֶֽם׃

Thou wilt give them hardness of heart, thy curse unto them.

66 תִּרְדֹּף בְּאַף וְתַשְׁמִידֵם מִתַּחַת שְׁמֵי יְהוָֽה׃

Thou wilt pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Jehovah.