Lamentationes 3
1 [Aleph Ego vir videns paupertatem meam in virga indignationis ejus.
ALEPH. I am the man that sees poverty, through the rod of his wrath upon me.
2 Aleph Me minavit, et adduxit in tenebras, et non in lucem.
He has taken me, and led me away into darkness, and not [into] light.
3 Aleph Tantum in me vertit et convertit manum suam tota die.
Nay, against me has he turned his hand all the day.
4 Beth Vetustam fecit pellem meam et carnem meam; contrivit ossa mea.
He has made old my flesh and my skin; he has broken my bones.
5 Beth Ædificavit in gyro meo, et circumdedit me felle et labore.
BETH. He has built against me, and compassed my head, and brought travail [upon me].
6 Beth In tenebrosis collocavit me, quasi mortuos sempiternos.
He has set me in dark places, as them that have long been dead.
7 Ghimel Circumædificavit adversum me, ut non egrediar; aggravavit compedem meum.
He has builded against me, and I can’t come forth: he has made my brazen [chain] heavy.
8 Ghimel Sed et cum clamavero, et rogavero, exclusit orationem meam.
GIMEL. Yes, [though] I cry and shout, he shuts out my prayer.
9 Ghimel Conclusit vias meas lapidibus quadris; semitas meas subvertit.
DALETH. He has built up my ways, he has hedged my paths;
10 Daleth Ursus insidians factus est mihi, leo in absconditis.
he has troubled me, [as] a she-bear lying in wait: he is to me [as] a lion in secret places.
11 Daleth Semitas meas subvertit, et confregit me; posuit me desolatam.
He pursued [me] after I departed, and brought me to a stand: he has utterly ruined me.
12 Daleth Tetendit arcum suum, et posuit me quasi signum ad sagittam.
HE. He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
13 He Misit in renibus meis filias pharetræ suæ.
He has caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
14 He Factus sum in derisum omni populo meo, canticum eorum tota die.
I became a laughing stock to all my people; and their song all the day.
15 He Replevit me amaritudinibus; inebriavit me absinthio.
VAU. He has filled me with bitterness, he has drenched me with gall.
16 Vau Et fregit ad numerum dentes meos; cibavit me cinere.
And he has dashed out my teeth with gravel, he has fed me with ashes.
17 Vau Et repulsa est a pace anima mea; oblitus sum bonorum.
He has also removed my soul from peace: I forgot prosperity.
18 Vau Et dixi: Periit finis meus, et spes mea a Domino.
Therefore my success has perished, and my hope from the Lord.
19 Zain Recordare paupertatis, et transgressionis meæ, absinthii et fellis.
ZAIN. I remembered by reason of my poverty, and because of persecution my bitterness and gall shall be remembered;
20 Zain Memoria memor ero, et tabescet in me anima mea.
and my soul shall meditate with me.
21 Zain Hæc recolens in corde meo, ideo sperabo.
This will I lay up in my heart, therefore I will endure.
22 Heth Misericordiæ Domini, quia non sumus consumpti; quia non defecerunt miserationes ejus.
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 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 will I wait for him.
25 Teth Bonus est Dominus sperantibus in eum, animæ quærenti illum.
TETH. The Lord is good to them that wait for him: the soul which shall seek him
26 Teth Bonum est præstolari cum silentio salutare Dei.
[is] good, and shall wait for, and quietly expect salvation of the Lord.
27 Teth Bonum est viro cum portaverit jugum ab adolescentia sua.
TETH. [It is] good for a man when he bears a yoke in his youth.
28 Jod Sedebit solitarius, et tacebit, quia levavit super se.
He will sit alone, and be silent, because he has borne [it] upon him.
29 Jod Ponet in pulvere os suum, si forte sit spes.
30 Jod Dabit percutienti se maxillam: saturabitur opprobriis.
JOD. He will give [his] cheek to him that smites him: he will be filled full with reproaches.
31 Caph Quia non repellet in sempiternum Dominus.
For the Lord will not reject for ever.
32 Caph Quia si abjecit, et miserebitur, secundum multitudinem misericordiarum suarum.
CHAPH. For he that has brought down will pity, and [that] according to the abundance of his mercy.
33 Caph Non enim humiliavit ex corde suo et abjecit filios hominum.
He has not answered [in anger] from his heart, though he has brought low the children of a man.
34 Lamed Ut conteret sub pedibus suis omnes vinctos terræ.
LAMED. To bring down under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,
35 Lamed Ut declinaret judicium viri in conspectu vultus Altissimi.
to turn aside the judgement of a man before the face of the Most High,
36 Lamed Ut perverteret hominem in judicio suo; Dominus ignoravit.
to condemn a man [unjustly] in his judgement, the Lord has not given commandment.
37 Mem Quis est iste qui dixit ut fieret, Domino non jubente?
Who has thus spoken, and it has come to pass? the Lord has not commanded it.
38 Mem Ex ore Altissimi non egredientur nec mala nec bona?
Out of the mouth of the Most High there shall not come forth evil and good.
39 Mem Quid murmuravit homo vivens, vir pro peccatis suis?
MEM. Why should a living man complain, a man concerning his sin?
40 Nun Scrutemur vias nostras, et quæramus, et revertamur ad Dominum.
NUN. Our way has been searched out and examined, and we will turn to the Lord.
41 Nun Levemus corda nostra cum manibus ad Dominum in cælos.
Let us lift up our hearts with [our] hand to the lofty One in heaven.
42 Nun Nos inique egimus, et ad iracundiam provocavimus; idcirco tu inexorabilis es.
We have sinned, we have transgressed; and you have not pardoned.
43 Samech Operuisti in furore, et percussisti nos; occidisti, nec pepercisti.
SAMECH. You has visited [us] in wrath, and driven us away: you has slain, you has not pitied.
44 Samech Opposuisti nubem tibi, ne transeat oratio.
You have veiled yourself with a cloud because of prayer, that I might be blind,
45 Samech Eradicationem et abjectionem posuisti me in medio populorum.
and be cast off. AIN. You have set us [alone] in the midst of the nations.
46 Phe Aperuerunt super nos os suum omnes inimici.
All our enemies have opened their mouth against us.
47 Phe Formido et laqueus facta est nobis vaticinatio, et contritio.
Fear and wrath are come upon us, suspense and destruction.
48 Phe Divisiones aquarum deduxit oculus meus, in contritione filiæ populi mei.
Mine eye shall pour down torrents of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 Ain Oculus meus afflictus est, nec tacuit, eo quod non esset requies.
PHE. Mine eye is drowned [with tears], and I will not be silent, so that there shall be no rest,
50 Ain Donec respiceret et videret Dominus de cælis.
until the Lord look down, and behold from heaven.
51 Ain Oculus meus deprædatus est animam meam in cunctis filiabus urbis meæ.
Mine eye shall prey upon my soul, because of all the daughters of the city.
52 Sade Venatione ceperunt me quasi avem inimici mei gratis.
TSADE. The fowlers chased me as a sparrow, all mine enemies destroyed my life in a pit without cause,
53 Sade Lapsa est in lacum vita mea, et posuerunt lapidem super me.
and laid a stone upon me.
54 Sade Inundaverunt aquæ super caput meum; dixi: Perii.
Water flowed over my head: I said, I am cut off.
55 Coph Invocavi nomen tuum, Domine, de lacu novissimo.
KOPH. I called upon your name, O Lord, out of the lowest dungeon.
56 Coph Vocem meam audisti; ne avertas aurem tuam a singultu meo et clamoribus.
You heard my voice: close not your ears to my supplication.
57 Coph Appropinquasti in die quando invocavi te; dixisti: Ne timeas.
You drew near to my help: in the day wherein I called upon you you said to me, Fear not.
58 Res Judicasti, Domine, causam animæ meæ, redemptor vitæ meæ.
RECHS. O Lord, you has pleaded the causes of my soul; you has redeemed my life.
59 Res Vidisti, Domine, iniquitatem illorum adversum me: judica judicium meum.
You have seen, O Lord, my troubles: you have judged my cause.
60 Res Vidisti omnem furorem, universas cogitationes eorum adversum me.
You have seen all their vengeance, [you have looked] on all their devices against me.
61 Sin Audisti opprobrium eorum, Domine, omnes cogitationes eorum adversum me.
CHSEN. You have heard their reproach [and] all their devices against me;
62 Sin Labia insurgentium mihi, et meditationes eorum adversum me tota die.
the lips of them that rose up against me, and their plots against me all the day;
63 Sin Sessionem eorum et resurrectionem eorum vide; ego sum psalmus eorum.
their sitting down and their rising up: look you upon their eyes.
64 Thau Redes eis vicem, Domine, juxta opera manuum suarum.
You will render them a recompense, O Lord, according to the works of their hands.
65 Thau Dabis eis scutum cordis, laborem tuum.
THAU. You will give them [as] a covering, the grief of my heart.
66 Thau Persequeris in furore, et conteres eos sub cælis, Domine.]
You will persecute them in anger, and will consume them from under the heaven, O Lord.
