Lamentationes 3
1 [Aleph Ego vir videns paupertatem meam in virga indignationis ejus.
I am a man who has seen misery under the rod of Yahweh's fury.
2 Aleph Me minavit, et adduxit in tenebras, et non in lucem.
He drove me away and caused me to walk in darkness rather than light.
3 Aleph Tantum in me vertit et convertit manum suam tota die.
Surely he turned his hand against me again and again, the whole day long.
4 Beth Vetustam fecit pellem meam et carnem meam; contrivit ossa mea.
He made my flesh and my skin waste away; he broke my bones.
5 Beth Ædificavit in gyro meo, et circumdedit me felle et labore.
He built up siege works against me, and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.
6 Beth In tenebrosis collocavit me, quasi mortuos sempiternos.
He made me live in dark places, like those who died long ago.
7 Ghimel Circumædificavit adversum me, ut non egrediar; aggravavit compedem meum.
He built a wall around me and I cannot escape. He made my chains heavy
8 Ghimel Sed et cum clamavero, et rogavero, exclusit orationem meam.
and though I call out and cry for help, he shut out my prayer.
9 Ghimel Conclusit vias meas lapidibus quadris; semitas meas subvertit.
He blocked my path with a wall of hewn stone; he made my paths crooked.
10 Daleth Ursus insidians factus est mihi, leo in absconditis.
He is like a bear waiting to ambush me, a lion in hiding;
11 Daleth Semitas meas subvertit, et confregit me; posuit me desolatam.
he turned aside my paths, he has made me desolate.
12 Daleth Tetendit arcum suum, et posuit me quasi signum ad sagittam.
He bent his bow and set me as a target for his arrow.
13 He Misit in renibus meis filias pharetræ suæ.
He pierced my kidneys with the arrows of his quiver.
14 He Factus sum in derisum omni populo meo, canticum eorum tota die.
I became a laughingstock to all my people, the object of their taunting all day long.
15 He Replevit me amaritudinibus; inebriavit me absinthio.
He filled me with bitterness and forced me to drink wormwood.
16 Vau Et fregit ad numerum dentes meos; cibavit me cinere.
He has made my teeth grind with gravel, and he made me cower in the ashes.
17 Vau Et repulsa est a pace anima mea; oblitus sum bonorum.
My soul is deprived of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is.
18 Vau Et dixi: Periit finis meus, et spes mea a Domino.
So I say, “My endurance has perished and so has my hope in Yahweh.”
19 Zain Recordare paupertatis, et transgressionis meæ, absinthii et fellis.
Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and bitterness.
20 Zain Memoria memor ero, et tabescet in me anima mea.
I continually remember it and I am bowed down within me.
21 Zain Hæc recolens in corde meo, ideo sperabo.
But I call this to mind and therefore I have hope:
22 Heth Misericordiæ Domini, quia non sumus consumpti; quia non defecerunt miserationes ejus.
The steadfast love of Yahweh never ceases and his compassions never end,
23 Heth Novi diluculo, multa est fides tua.
they are new every morning; your faithfulness is great.
24 Heth Pars mea Dominus, dixit anima mea; propterea exspectabo eum.
“Yahweh is my inheritance,” I said, therefore I will hope in him.
25 Teth Bonus est Dominus sperantibus in eum, animæ quærenti illum.
Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the one who seeks him.
26 Teth Bonum est præstolari cum silentio salutare Dei.
It is good to wait silently for the salvation of Yahweh.
27 Teth Bonum est viro cum portaverit jugum ab adolescentia sua.
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
28 Jod Sedebit solitarius, et tacebit, quia levavit super se.
Let him sit alone in silence, when it is laid upon him.
29 Jod Ponet in pulvere os suum, si forte sit spes.
Let him put his mouth in the dust—there may yet be hope.
30 Jod Dabit percutienti se maxillam: saturabitur opprobriis.
Let him offer his cheek to the one who strikes him, and let him be filled to the full with reproach.
31 Caph Quia non repellet in sempiternum Dominus.
For the Lord will not reject us forever,
32 Caph Quia si abjecit, et miserebitur, secundum multitudinem misericordiarum suarum.
but though he causes grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
33 Caph Non enim humiliavit ex corde suo et abjecit filios hominum.
For he does not afflict from his heart or torment the children of mankind.
34 Lamed Ut conteret sub pedibus suis omnes vinctos terræ.
To crush underfoot all the prisoners of the earth,
35 Lamed Ut declinaret judicium viri in conspectu vultus Altissimi.
to deny a man justice in the presence of the Most High,
36 Lamed Ut perverteret hominem in judicio suo; Dominus ignoravit.
to deny justice to a person—the Lord would not approve such things!
37 Mem Quis est iste qui dixit ut fieret, Domino non jubente?
Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord decreed it?
38 Mem Ex ore Altissimi non egredientur nec mala nec bona?
Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and the good come?
39 Mem Quid murmuravit homo vivens, vir pro peccatis suis?
How can any person alive complain? How can a person complain about the punishment for his sins?
40 Nun Scrutemur vias nostras, et quæramus, et revertamur ad Dominum.
Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to Yahweh.
41 Nun Levemus corda nostra cum manibus ad Dominum in cælos.
Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in the heavens:
42 Nun Nos inique egimus, et ad iracundiam provocavimus; idcirco tu inexorabilis es.
“We have transgressed and rebelled, and you have not forgiven.
43 Samech Operuisti in furore, et percussisti nos; occidisti, nec pepercisti.
You have covered yourself with anger and pursued us, you have killed and you have not spared.
44 Samech Opposuisti nubem tibi, ne transeat oratio.
You have covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can pass through.
45 Samech Eradicationem et abjectionem posuisti me in medio populorum.
You have made us like filthy scum and refuse among the nations.
46 Phe Aperuerunt super nos os suum omnes inimici.
All our enemies curse us,
47 Phe Formido et laqueus facta est nobis vaticinatio, et contritio.
panic and pitfall have come upon us, ruin and destruction.
48 Phe Divisiones aquarum deduxit oculus meus, in contritione filiæ populi mei.
My eyes flow with streams of tears because my people are destroyed.
49 Ain Oculus meus afflictus est, nec tacuit, eo quod non esset requies.
My eyes will shed tears without ceasing, without relief,
50 Ain Donec respiceret et videret Dominus de cælis.
until Yahweh from heaven looks down and sees.
51 Ain Oculus meus deprædatus est animam meam in cunctis filiabus urbis meæ.
My eyes cause me grief because of all the daughters of my city.
52 Sade Venatione ceperunt me quasi avem inimici mei gratis.
I have been hunted like a bird by those who were my enemies; they hunted me without a reason.
53 Sade Lapsa est in lacum vita mea, et posuerunt lapidem super me.
They cast me into a pit and they threw a stone on me,
54 Sade Inundaverunt aquæ super caput meum; dixi: Perii.
and they caused waters to overflow, covering my head. I said, 'I have been cut off!'
55 Coph Invocavi nomen tuum, Domine, de lacu novissimo.
I called on your name, Yahweh, from the depths of the pit.
56 Coph Vocem meam audisti; ne avertas aurem tuam a singultu meo et clamoribus.
You heard my voice when I said, 'Do not close your ear to my cry for help.'
57 Coph Appropinquasti in die quando invocavi te; dixisti: Ne timeas.
You came near on the day I called on you; you said, 'Do not fear.'
58 Res Judicasti, Domine, causam animæ meæ, redemptor vitæ meæ.
Lord, you defended my case, you saved my life!
59 Res Vidisti, Domine, iniquitatem illorum adversum me: judica judicium meum.
Yahweh, you have seen the wrong they have done to me; judge my case.
60 Res Vidisti omnem furorem, universas cogitationes eorum adversum me.
You have seen their insults, all their plots against me—
61 Sin Audisti opprobrium eorum, Domine, omnes cogitationes eorum adversum me.
You have heard their scorn, Yahweh, and all their plans regarding me.
62 Sin Labia insurgentium mihi, et meditationes eorum adversum me tota die.
The lips and the accusations of my enemies come against me all the day.
63 Sin Sessionem eorum et resurrectionem eorum vide; ego sum psalmus eorum.
Look at how they sit and then rise up; they mock me with their songs.
64 Thau Redes eis vicem, Domine, juxta opera manuum suarum.
Pay back to them, Yahweh, according to what they have done.
65 Thau Dabis eis scutum cordis, laborem tuum.
You will let their hearts be shameless! May your condemnation be upon them!
66 Thau Persequeris in furore, et conteres eos sub cælis, Domine.]
You pursue them in anger and destroy them from under the heavens, Yahweh!”
