איכה 3

1 אֲנִי הַגֶּבֶר רָאָה עֳנִי בְּשֵׁבֶט עֶבְרָתֽוֹ׃

I am the man, that hath seene affliction in the rod of his indignation.

2 אוֹתִי נָהַג וַיֹּלַךְ חֹשֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אֽוֹר׃

He hath ledde mee, and brought me into darkenes, but not to light.

3 אַךְ בִּי יָשֻׁב יַהֲפֹךְ יָדוֹ כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃

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

4 בִּלָּה בְשָׂרִי וְעוֹרִי שִׁבַּר עַצְמוֹתָֽי׃

My flesh and my skinne hath he caused to waxe olde, and he hath broken my bones.

5 בָּנָה עָלַי וַיַּקַּף רֹאשׁ וּתְלָאָֽה׃

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

6 בְּמַחֲשַׁכִּים הוֹשִׁיבַנִי כְּמֵתֵי עוֹלָֽם׃

He hath set me in darke places, as they that be dead for euer.

7 גָּדַר בַּעֲדִי וְלֹא אֵצֵא הִכְבִּיד נְחָשְׁתִּֽי׃

He hath hedged about mee, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chaines heauy.

8 גַּם כִּי אֶזְעַק וַאֲשַׁוֵּעַ שָׂתַם תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃

Also when I cry and showte, hee shutteth out my prayer.

9 גָּדַר דְּרָכַי בְּגָזִית נְתִיבֹתַי עִוָּֽה׃

He hath stopped vp my wayes with hewen stone, and turned away my paths.

10 דֹּב אֹרֵב הוּא לִי אריה אֲרִי בְּמִסְתָּרִֽים׃

He was vnto me as a beare lying in waite, and as a Lion in secret places.

11 דְּרָכַי סוֹרֵר וַֽיְפַשְּׁחֵנִי שָׂמַנִי שֹׁמֵֽם׃

He hath stopped my wayes, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.

12 דָּרַךְ קַשְׁתוֹ וַיַּצִּיבֵנִי כַּמַּטָּרָא לַחֵֽץ׃

He hath bent his bow and made me a marke for the arrow.

13 הֵבִיא בְּכִלְיוֹתָי בְּנֵי אַשְׁפָּתֽוֹ׃

Hee caused the arrowes of his quiuer to enter into my reines.

14 הָיִיתִי שְּׂחֹק לְכָל־עַמִּי נְגִינָתָם כָּל־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 bitternes, and made me drunken with wormewood.

16 וַיַּגְרֵס בֶּֽחָצָץ שִׁנָּי הִכְפִּישַׁנִי בָּאֵֽפֶר׃

He hath also broken my teeth with stones, and hath couered me with ashes.

17 וַתִּזְנַח מִשָּׁלוֹם נַפְשִׁי נָשִׁיתִי טוֹבָֽה׃

Thus my soule was farre off from peace: I forgate prosperitie,

18 וָאֹמַר אָבַד נִצְחִי וְתוֹחַלְתִּי מֵיְהוָֽה׃

And I saide, My strength and mine hope is perished from the Lord,

19 זְכָר־עָנְיִי וּמְרוּדִי לַעֲנָה וָרֹֽאשׁ׃

Remembring mine affliction, and my mourning, the wormewood and the gall.

20 זָכוֹר תִּזְכּוֹר ותשיח וְתָשׁוֹחַ עָלַי נַפְשִֽׁי׃

My soule hath them in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

21 זֹאת אָשִׁיב אֶל־לִבִּי עַל־כֵּן אוֹחִֽיל׃

I consider this in mine heart: therefore haue I hope.

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

It is the Lordes mercies that wee are not consumed, because his compassions faile not.

23 חֲדָשִׁים לַבְּקָרִים רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃

They are renued euery morning: great is thy faithfulnesse.

24 חֶלְקִי יְהוָה אָמְרָה נַפְשִׁי עַל־כֵּן אוֹחִיל לֽוֹ׃

The Lord is my portion, sayth my soule: therefore wil I hope in him.

25 טוֹב יְהוָה לְקֹוָו לְנֶפֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶֽׁנּוּ׃

The Lord is good vnto them, that trust in him, and to the soule that seeketh him.

26 טוֹב וְיָחִיל וְדוּמָם לִתְשׁוּעַת יְהוָֽה׃

It is good both to trust, and to waite for the saluation of the Lord.

27 טוֹב לַגֶּבֶר כִּֽי־יִשָּׂא עֹל בִּנְעוּרָֽיו׃

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

28 יֵשֵׁב בָּדָד וְיִדֹּם כִּי נָטַל עָלָֽיו׃

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

29 יִתֵּן בֶּֽעָפָר פִּיהוּ אוּלַי יֵשׁ תִּקְוָֽה׃

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

30 יִתֵּן לְמַכֵּהוּ לֶחִי יִשְׂבַּע בְּחֶרְפָּֽה׃

Hee giueth his cheeke to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproches.

31 כִּי לֹא יִזְנַח לְעוֹלָם אֲדֹנָֽי׃

For the Lord will not forsake for euer.

32 כִּי אִם־הוֹגָה וְרִחַם כְּרֹב חסדו חֲסָדָֽיו׃

But though he sende affliction, yet will he haue compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

33 כִּי לֹא עִנָּה מִלִבּוֹ וַיַּגֶּה בְנֵי־אִֽישׁ׃

For he doeth not punish willingly, nor afflict the children of men,

34 לְדַכֵּא תַּחַת רַגְלָיו כֹּל אֲסִירֵי אָֽרֶץ׃

In stamping vnder his feete all the prisoners of the earth,

35 לְהַטּוֹת מִשְׁפַּט־גָּבֶר נֶגֶד פְּנֵי עֶלְיֽוֹן׃

In ouerthrowing the right of a man before the face of the most high,

36 לְעַוֵּת אָדָם בְּרִיבוֹ אֲדֹנָי לֹא רָאָֽה׃

In subuerting a man in his cause: the Lord seeth it not.

37 מִי זֶה אָמַר וַתֶּהִי אֲדֹנָי לֹא צִוָּֽה׃

Who is he then that sayth, and it commeth to passe, and the Lord commandeth it not?

38 מִפִּי עֶלְיוֹן לֹא תֵצֵא הָרָעוֹת וְהַטּֽוֹב׃

Out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not euill and good?

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

Wherefore then is the liuing man sorowfull? man suffreth for his sinne.

40 נַחְפְּשָׂה דְרָכֵינוּ וְֽנַחְקֹרָה וְנָשׁוּבָה עַד־יְהוָֽה׃

Let vs search and try our wayes, and turne againe to the Lord.

41 נִשָּׂא לְבָבֵנוּ אֶל־כַּפָּיִם אֶל־אֵל בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

Let vs lift vp our hearts with our handes vnto God in the heauens.

42 נַחְנוּ פָשַׁעְנוּ וּמָרִינוּ אַתָּה לֹא סָלָֽחְתָּ׃

We haue sinned, and haue rebelled, therefore thou hast not spared.

43 סַכֹּתָה בָאַף וַֽתִּרְדְּפֵנוּ הָרַגְתָּ לֹא חָמָֽלְתָּ׃

Thou hast couered vs with wrath, and persecuted vs: thou hast slaine and not spared.

44 סַכּוֹתָה בֶֽעָנָן לָךְ מֵעֲבוֹר תְּפִלָּֽה׃

Thou hast couered thy selfe with a cloude, that our prayer should not passe through.

45 סְחִי וּמָאוֹס תְּשִׂימֵנוּ בְּקֶרֶב הָעַמִּֽים׃

Thou hast made vs as the ofscouring and refuse in the middes of the people.

46 פָּצוּ עָלֵינוּ פִּיהֶם כָּל־אֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃

All our enemies haue opened their mouth against vs.

47 פַּחַד וָפַחַת הָיָה לָנוּ הַשֵּׁאת וְהַשָּֽׁבֶר׃

Feare, and a snare is come vpon vs with desolation and destruction.

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

Mine eye casteth out riuers of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

49 עֵינִי נִגְּרָה וְלֹא תִדְמֶה מֵאֵין הֲפֻגֽוֹת׃

Mine eye droppeth without stay and ceaseth not,

50 עַד־יַשְׁקִיף וְיֵרֶא יְהוָה מִשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

Till the Lord looke downe, and beholde from heauen.

51 עֵינִי עֽוֹלְלָה לְנַפְשִׁי מִכֹּל בְּנוֹת עִירִֽי׃

Mine eye breaketh mine heart because of all the daughters of my citie.

52 צוֹד צָדוּנִי כַּצִּפּוֹר אֹיְבַי חִנָּֽם׃

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

53 צָֽמְתוּ בַבּוֹר חַיָּי וַיַּדּוּ־אֶבֶן בִּֽי׃

They haue shut vp my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone vpon me.

54 צָֽפוּ־מַיִם עַל־רֹאשִׁי אָמַרְתִּי נִגְזָֽרְתִּי׃

Waters flowed ouer mine head, then thought I, I am destroyed.

55 קָרָאתִי שִׁמְךָ יְהוָה מִבּוֹר תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹת׃

I called vpon thy Name, O Lord, out of the lowe dungeon.

56 קוֹלִי שָׁמָעְתָּ אַל־תַּעְלֵם אָזְנְךָ לְרַוְחָתִי לְשַׁוְעָתִֽי׃

Thou hast heard my voyce: stoppe not thine eare from my sigh and from my cry.

57 קָרַבְתָּ בְּיוֹם אֶקְרָאֶךָּ אָמַרְתָּ אַל־תִּירָֽא׃

Thou drewest neere in the day that I called vpon thee: thou saydest, Feare not.

58 רַבְתָּ אֲדֹנָי רִיבֵי נַפְשִׁי גָּאַלְתָּ חַיָּֽי׃

O Lord, thou hast maintained the cause of my soule, and hast redeemed my life.

59 רָאִיתָה יְהוָה עַוָּתָתִי שָׁפְטָה מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃

O Lord, thou hast seene my wrong, iudge thou my cause.

60 רָאִיתָה כָּל־נִקְמָתָם כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָם לִֽי׃

Thou hast seene all their vengeance, and all their deuises against me.

61 שָׁמַעְתָּ חֶרְפָּתָם יְהוָה כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָם עָלָֽי׃

Thou hast heard their reproch, O Lord, and all their imaginations against me:

62 שִׂפְתֵי קָמַי וְהֶגְיוֹנָם עָלַי כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃

The lippes also of those that rose against me, and their whispering against me continually.

63 שִׁבְתָּם וְקִֽימָתָם הַבִּיטָה אֲנִי מַנְגִּינָתָֽם׃

Behold, their sitting downe and their rising vp, how I am their song.

64 תָּשִׁיב לָהֶם גְּמוּל יְהוָה כְּמַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶֽם׃

Giue them a recompence, O Lord, according to the worke of their handes.

65 תִּתֵּן לָהֶם מְגִנַּת־לֵב תַּאֲלָֽתְךָ לָהֶֽם׃

Giue them sorow of heart, euen thy curse to them.

66 תִּרְדֹּף בְּאַף וְתַשְׁמִידֵם מִתַּחַת שְׁמֵי יְהוָֽה׃

Persecute with wrath and destroy them from vnder the heauen, O Lord.