איכה 3

1 אֲנִי הַגֶּבֶר רָאָה עֳנִי בְּשֵׁבֶט עֶבְרָתֽוֹ׃

ALEPH. I am the man that sees poverty, through the rod of his wrath upon me.

2 אוֹתִי נָהַג וַיֹּלַךְ חֹשֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אֽוֹר׃

He has taken me, and led me away into darkness, and not [into] light.

3 אַךְ בִּי יָשֻׁב יַהֲפֹךְ יָדוֹ כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃

Nay, against me has he turned his hand all the day.

4 בִּלָּה בְשָׂרִי וְעוֹרִי שִׁבַּר עַצְמוֹתָֽי׃

He has made old my flesh and my skin; he has broken my bones.

5 בָּנָה עָלַי וַיַּקַּף רֹאשׁ וּתְלָאָֽה׃

BETH. He has built against me, and compassed my head, and brought travail [upon me].

6 בְּמַחֲשַׁכִּים הוֹשִׁיבַנִי כְּמֵתֵי עוֹלָֽם׃

He has set me in dark places, as them that have long been dead.

7 גָּדַר בַּעֲדִי וְלֹא אֵצֵא הִכְבִּיד נְחָשְׁתִּֽי׃

He has builded against me, and I can’t come forth: he has made my brazen [chain] heavy.

8 גַּם כִּי אֶזְעַק וַאֲשַׁוֵּעַ שָׂתַם תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃

GIMEL. Yes, [though] I cry and shout, he shuts out my prayer.

9 גָּדַר דְּרָכַי בְּגָזִית נְתִיבֹתַי עִוָּֽה׃

DALETH. He has built up my ways, he has hedged my paths;

10 דֹּב אֹרֵב הוּא לִי אריה אֲרִי בְּמִסְתָּרִֽים׃

he has troubled me, [as] a she-bear lying in wait: he is to me [as] a lion in secret places.

11 דְּרָכַי סוֹרֵר וַֽיְפַשְּׁחֵנִי שָׂמַנִי שֹׁמֵֽם׃

He pursued [me] after I departed, and brought me to a stand: he has utterly ruined me.

12 דָּרַךְ קַשְׁתוֹ וַיַּצִּיבֵנִי כַּמַּטָּרָא לַחֵֽץ׃

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

13 הֵבִיא בְּכִלְיוֹתָי בְּנֵי אַשְׁפָּתֽוֹ׃

He has caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.

14 הָיִיתִי שְּׂחֹק לְכָל־עַמִּי נְגִינָתָם כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃

I became a laughing stock to all my people; and their song all the day.

15 הִשְׂבִּיעַנִי בַמְּרוֹרִים הִרְוַנִי לַעֲנָֽה׃

VAU. He has filled me with bitterness, he has drenched me with gall.

16 וַיַּגְרֵס בֶּֽחָצָץ שִׁנָּי הִכְפִּישַׁנִי בָּאֵֽפֶר׃

And he has dashed out my teeth with gravel, he has fed me with ashes.

17 וַתִּזְנַח מִשָּׁלוֹם נַפְשִׁי נָשִׁיתִי טוֹבָֽה׃

He has also removed my soul from peace: I forgot prosperity.

18 וָאֹמַר אָבַד נִצְחִי וְתוֹחַלְתִּי מֵיְהוָֽה׃

Therefore my success has perished, and my hope from the Lord.

19 זְכָר־עָנְיִי וּמְרוּדִי לַעֲנָה וָרֹֽאשׁ׃

ZAIN. I remembered by reason of my poverty, and because of persecution my bitterness and gall shall be remembered;

20 זָכוֹר תִּזְכּוֹר ותשיח וְתָשׁוֹחַ עָלַי נַפְשִֽׁי׃

and my soul shall meditate with me.

21 זֹאת אָשִׁיב אֶל־לִבִּי עַל־כֵּן אוֹחִֽיל׃

This will I lay up in my heart, therefore I will endure.

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

HETH. [It is] the mercies of the Lord, that he has not failed me, because his compassions are not exhausted. Pity [us], O Lord, early [every] month: for we are not brought to an end, because his compassions are not exhausted.

23 חֲדָשִׁים לַבְּקָרִים רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃

[They are] new every morning: great is your faithfulness.

24 חֶלְקִי יְהוָה אָמְרָה נַפְשִׁי עַל־כֵּן אוֹחִיל לֽוֹ׃

The Lord is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I wait for him.

25 טוֹב יְהוָה לְקֹוָו לְנֶפֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶֽׁנּוּ׃

TETH. The Lord is good to them that wait for him: the soul which shall seek him

26 טוֹב וְיָחִיל וְדוּמָם לִתְשׁוּעַת יְהוָֽה׃

[is] good, and shall wait for, and quietly expect salvation of the Lord.

27 טוֹב לַגֶּבֶר כִּֽי־יִשָּׂא עֹל בִּנְעוּרָֽיו׃

TETH. [It is] good for a man when he bears a yoke in his youth.

28 יֵשֵׁב בָּדָד וְיִדֹּם כִּי נָטַל עָלָֽיו׃

He will sit alone, and be silent, because he has borne [it] upon him.

29 יִתֵּן בֶּֽעָפָר פִּיהוּ אוּלַי יֵשׁ תִּקְוָֽה׃

30 יִתֵּן לְמַכֵּהוּ לֶחִי יִשְׂבַּע בְּחֶרְפָּֽה׃

JOD. He will give [his] cheek to him that smites him: he will be filled full with reproaches.

31 כִּי לֹא יִזְנַח לְעוֹלָם אֲדֹנָֽי׃

For the Lord will not reject for ever.

32 כִּי אִם־הוֹגָה וְרִחַם כְּרֹב חסדו חֲסָדָֽיו׃

CHAPH. For he that has brought down will pity, and [that] according to the abundance of his mercy.

33 כִּי לֹא עִנָּה מִלִבּוֹ וַיַּגֶּה בְנֵי־אִֽישׁ׃

He has not answered [in anger] from his heart, though he has brought low the children of a man.

34 לְדַכֵּא תַּחַת רַגְלָיו כֹּל אֲסִירֵי אָֽרֶץ׃

LAMED. To bring down under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,

35 לְהַטּוֹת מִשְׁפַּט־גָּבֶר נֶגֶד פְּנֵי עֶלְיֽוֹן׃

to turn aside the judgment of a man before the face of the Most High,

36 לְעַוֵּת אָדָם בְּרִיבוֹ אֲדֹנָי לֹא רָאָֽה׃

to condemn a man [unjustly] in his judgment, the Lord has not given commandment.

37 מִי זֶה אָמַר וַתֶּהִי אֲדֹנָי לֹא צִוָּֽה׃

Who has thus spoken, and it has come to pass? the Lord has not commanded it.

38 מִפִּי עֶלְיוֹן לֹא תֵצֵא הָרָעוֹת וְהַטּֽוֹב׃

Out of the mouth of the Most High there shall not come forth evil and good.

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

MEM. Why should a living man complain, a man concerning his sin?

40 נַחְפְּשָׂה דְרָכֵינוּ וְֽנַחְקֹרָה וְנָשׁוּבָה עַד־יְהוָֽה׃

NUN. Our way has been searched out and examined, and we will turn to the Lord.

41 נִשָּׂא לְבָבֵנוּ אֶל־כַּפָּיִם אֶל־אֵל בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

Let us lift up our hearts with [our] hand to the lofty One in heaven.

42 נַחְנוּ פָשַׁעְנוּ וּמָרִינוּ אַתָּה לֹא סָלָֽחְתָּ׃

We have sinned, we have transgressed; and you have not pardoned.

43 סַכֹּתָה בָאַף וַֽתִּרְדְּפֵנוּ הָרַגְתָּ לֹא חָמָֽלְתָּ׃

SAMECH. You has visited [us] in wrath, and driven us away: you has slain, you has not pitied.

44 סַכּוֹתָה בֶֽעָנָן לָךְ מֵעֲבוֹר תְּפִלָּֽה׃

You have veiled yourself with a cloud because of prayer, that I might be blind,

45 סְחִי וּמָאוֹס תְּשִׂימֵנוּ בְּקֶרֶב הָעַמִּֽים׃

and be cast off. AIN. You have set us [alone] in the midst of the nations.

46 פָּצוּ עָלֵינוּ פִּיהֶם כָּל־אֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃

All our enemies have opened their mouth against us.

47 פַּחַד וָפַחַת הָיָה לָנוּ הַשֵּׁאת וְהַשָּֽׁבֶר׃

Fear and wrath are come upon us, suspense and destruction.

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

Mine eye shall pour down torrents of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

49 עֵינִי נִגְּרָה וְלֹא תִדְמֶה מֵאֵין הֲפֻגֽוֹת׃

PHE. Mine eye is drowned [with tears], and I will not be silent, so that there shall be no rest,

50 עַד־יַשְׁקִיף וְיֵרֶא יְהוָה מִשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

until the Lord look down, and behold from heaven.

51 עֵינִי עֽוֹלְלָה לְנַפְשִׁי מִכֹּל בְּנוֹת עִירִֽי׃

Mine eye shall prey upon my soul, because of all the daughters of the city.

52 צוֹד צָדוּנִי כַּצִּפּוֹר אֹיְבַי חִנָּֽם׃

TSADE. The fowlers chased me as a sparrow, all mine enemies destroyed my life in a pit without cause,

53 צָֽמְתוּ בַבּוֹר חַיָּי וַיַּדּוּ־אֶבֶן בִּֽי׃

and laid a stone upon me.

54 צָֽפוּ־מַיִם עַל־רֹאשִׁי אָמַרְתִּי נִגְזָֽרְתִּי׃

Water flowed over my head: I said, I am cut off.

55 קָרָאתִי שִׁמְךָ יְהוָה מִבּוֹר תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹת׃

KOPH. I called upon your name, O Lord, out of the lowest dungeon.

56 קוֹלִי שָׁמָעְתָּ אַל־תַּעְלֵם אָזְנְךָ לְרַוְחָתִי לְשַׁוְעָתִֽי׃

You heard my voice: close not your ears to my supplication.

57 קָרַבְתָּ בְּיוֹם אֶקְרָאֶךָּ אָמַרְתָּ אַל־תִּירָֽא׃

You drew near to my help: in the day wherein I called upon you you said to me, Fear not.

58 רַבְתָּ אֲדֹנָי רִיבֵי נַפְשִׁי גָּאַלְתָּ חַיָּֽי׃

RECHS. O Lord, you has pleaded the causes of my soul; you has redeemed my life.

59 רָאִיתָה יְהוָה עַוָּתָתִי שָׁפְטָה מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃

You have seen, O Lord, my troubles: you have judged my cause.

60 רָאִיתָה כָּל־נִקְמָתָם כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָם לִֽי׃

You have seen all their vengeance, [you have looked] on all their devices against me.

61 שָׁמַעְתָּ חֶרְפָּתָם יְהוָה כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָם עָלָֽי׃

CHSEN. You have heard their reproach [and] all their devices against me;

62 שִׂפְתֵי קָמַי וְהֶגְיוֹנָם עָלַי כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃

the lips of them that rose up against me, and their plots against me all the day;

63 שִׁבְתָּם וְקִֽימָתָם הַבִּיטָה אֲנִי מַנְגִּינָתָֽם׃

their sitting down and their rising up: look you upon their eyes.

64 תָּשִׁיב לָהֶם גְּמוּל יְהוָה כְּמַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶֽם׃

You will render them a recompense, O Lord, according to the works of their hands.

65 תִּתֵּן לָהֶם מְגִנַּת־לֵב תַּאֲלָֽתְךָ לָהֶֽם׃

THAU. You will give them [as] a covering, the grief of my heart.

66 תִּרְדֹּף בְּאַף וְתַשְׁמִידֵם מִתַּחַת שְׁמֵי יְהוָֽה׃

You will persecute them in anger, and will consume them from under the heaven, O Lord.