Lamentationes 3
1 [Aleph Ego vir videns paupertatem meam in virga indignationis ejus.
I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of God’s wrath.
2 Aleph Me minavit, et adduxit in tenebras, et non in lucem.
He has driven me away and made me walk in darkness instead of light.
3 Aleph Tantum in me vertit et convertit manum suam tota die.
Indeed, He keeps turning His hand against me all day long.
4 Beth Vetustam fecit pellem meam et carnem meam; contrivit ossa mea.
He has worn away my flesh and skin; He has shattered my bones.
5 Beth Ædificavit in gyro meo, et circumdedit me felle et labore.
He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.
6 Beth In tenebrosis collocavit me, quasi mortuos sempiternos.
He has made me dwell in darkness like those dead for ages.
7 Ghimel Circumædificavit adversum me, ut non egrediar; aggravavit compedem meum.
He has walled me in so I cannot escape; He has weighed me down with chains.
8 Ghimel Sed et cum clamavero, et rogavero, exclusit orationem meam.
Even when I cry out and plead for help, He shuts out my prayer.
9 Ghimel Conclusit vias meas lapidibus quadris; semitas meas subvertit.
He has barred my ways with cut stones; He has made my paths crooked.
10 Daleth Ursus insidians factus est mihi, leo in absconditis.
He is a bear lying in wait, a lion hiding in ambush.
11 Daleth Semitas meas subvertit, et confregit me; posuit me desolatam.
He forced me off my path and tore me to pieces; He left me without help.
12 Daleth Tetendit arcum suum, et posuit me quasi signum ad sagittam.
He bent His bow and set me as the target for His arrow.
13 He Misit in renibus meis filias pharetræ suæ.
He pierced my kidneys with His arrows.
14 He Factus sum in derisum omni populo meo, canticum eorum tota die.
I am a laughingstock to all my people; they mock me in song all day long.
15 He Replevit me amaritudinibus; inebriavit me absinthio.
He has filled me with bitterness; He has intoxicated me with wormwood.
16 Vau Et fregit ad numerum dentes meos; cibavit me cinere.
He has ground my teeth with gravel and trampled me in the dust.
17 Vau Et repulsa est a pace anima mea; oblitus sum bonorum.
My soul has been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is.
18 Vau Et dixi: Periit finis meus, et spes mea a Domino.
So I say, “My strength has perished, along with my hope from the LORD.”
19 Zain Recordare paupertatis, et transgressionis meæ, absinthii et fellis.
Remember my affliction and wandering, the wormwood and the gall.
20 Zain Memoria memor ero, et tabescet in me anima mea.
Surely my soul remembers and is humbled within me.
21 Zain Hæc recolens in corde meo, ideo sperabo.
Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope:
22 Heth Misericordiæ Domini, quia non sumus consumpti; quia non defecerunt miserationes ejus.
Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail.
23 Heth Novi diluculo, multa est fides tua.
They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!
24 Heth Pars mea Dominus, dixit anima mea; propterea exspectabo eum.
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”
25 Teth Bonus est Dominus sperantibus in eum, animæ quærenti illum.
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
26 Teth Bonum est præstolari cum silentio salutare Dei.
It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
27 Teth Bonum est viro cum portaverit jugum ab adolescentia sua.
It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is still young.
28 Jod Sedebit solitarius, et tacebit, quia levavit super se.
Let him sit alone in silence, for God has disciplined him.
29 Jod Ponet in pulvere os suum, si forte sit spes.
Let him bury his face in the dust— perhaps there is still hope.
30 Jod Dabit percutienti se maxillam: saturabitur opprobriis.
Let him offer his cheek to the one who would strike him; let him be filled with reproach.
31 Caph Quia non repellet in sempiternum Dominus.
For the Lord will not cast us off forever.
32 Caph Quia si abjecit, et miserebitur, secundum multitudinem misericordiarum suarum.
Even if He causes grief, He will show compassion according to His abundant loving devotion.
33 Caph Non enim humiliavit ex corde suo et abjecit filios hominum.
For He does not willingly afflict or grieve the sons of men.
34 Lamed Ut conteret sub pedibus suis omnes vinctos terræ.
To crush underfoot all the prisoners of the land,
35 Lamed Ut declinaret judicium viri in conspectu vultus Altissimi.
to deny a man justice before the Most High,
36 Lamed Ut perverteret hominem in judicio suo; Dominus ignoravit.
to subvert a man in his lawsuit— of these the Lord does not approve.
37 Mem Quis est iste qui dixit ut fieret, Domino non jubente?
Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it?
38 Mem Ex ore Altissimi non egredientur nec mala nec bona?
Do not both adversity and good come from the mouth of the Most High?
39 Mem Quid murmuravit homo vivens, vir pro peccatis suis?
Why should any mortal man complain, in view of his sins?
40 Nun Scrutemur vias nostras, et quæramus, et revertamur ad Dominum.
Let us examine and test our ways, and turn back to the LORD.
41 Nun Levemus corda nostra cum manibus ad Dominum in cælos.
Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven:
42 Nun Nos inique egimus, et ad iracundiam provocavimus; idcirco tu inexorabilis es.
“We have sinned and rebelled; You have not forgiven.”
43 Samech Operuisti in furore, et percussisti nos; occidisti, nec pepercisti.
You have covered Yourself in anger and pursued us; You have killed without pity.
44 Samech Opposuisti nubem tibi, ne transeat oratio.
You have covered Yourself with a cloud that no prayer can pass through.
45 Samech Eradicationem et abjectionem posuisti me in medio populorum.
You have made us scum and refuse among the nations.
46 Phe Aperuerunt super nos os suum omnes inimici.
All our enemies open their mouths against us.
47 Phe Formido et laqueus facta est nobis vaticinatio, et contritio.
Panic and pitfall have come upon us— devastation and destruction.
48 Phe Divisiones aquarum deduxit oculus meus, in contritione filiæ populi mei.
Streams of tears flow from my eyes over the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 Ain Oculus meus afflictus est, nec tacuit, eo quod non esset requies.
My eyes overflow unceasingly, without relief,
50 Ain Donec respiceret et videret Dominus de cælis.
until the LORD looks down from heaven and sees.
51 Ain Oculus meus deprædatus est animam meam in cunctis filiabus urbis meæ.
My eyes bring grief to my soul because of all the daughters of my city.
52 Sade Venatione ceperunt me quasi avem inimici mei gratis.
Without cause my enemies hunted me like a bird.
53 Sade Lapsa est in lacum vita mea, et posuerunt lapidem super me.
They dropped me alive into a pit and cast stones upon me.
54 Sade Inundaverunt aquæ super caput meum; dixi: Perii.
The waters flowed over my head, and I thought I was going to die.
55 Coph Invocavi nomen tuum, Domine, de lacu novissimo.
I called on Your name, O LORD, out of the depths of the Pit.
56 Coph Vocem meam audisti; ne avertas aurem tuam a singultu meo et clamoribus.
You heard my plea: “Do not ignore my cry for relief.”
57 Coph Appropinquasti in die quando invocavi te; dixisti: Ne timeas.
You drew near when I called on You; You said, “Do not be afraid.”
58 Res Judicasti, Domine, causam animæ meæ, redemptor vitæ meæ.
You defend my cause, O Lord; You redeem my life.
59 Res Vidisti, Domine, iniquitatem illorum adversum me: judica judicium meum.
You have seen, O LORD, the wrong done to me; vindicate my cause!
60 Res Vidisti omnem furorem, universas cogitationes eorum adversum me.
You have seen all their malice, all their plots against me.
61 Sin Audisti opprobrium eorum, Domine, omnes cogitationes eorum adversum me.
O LORD, You have heard their insults, all their plots against me—
62 Sin Labia insurgentium mihi, et meditationes eorum adversum me tota die.
the slander and murmuring of my assailants against me all day long.
63 Sin Sessionem eorum et resurrectionem eorum vide; ego sum psalmus eorum.
When they sit and when they rise, see how they mock me in song.
64 Thau Redes eis vicem, Domine, juxta opera manuum suarum.
You will pay them back what they deserve, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.
65 Thau Dabis eis scutum cordis, laborem tuum.
Put a veil of anguish over their hearts; may Your curse be upon them!
66 Thau Persequeris in furore, et conteres eos sub cælis, Domine.]
You will pursue them in anger and exterminate them from under Your heavens, O LORD.
