Lamentationes 3
1 [Aleph Ego vir videns paupertatem meam in virga indignationis ejus.
I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
2 Aleph Me minavit, et adduxit in tenebras, et non in lucem.
He has led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light.
3 Aleph Tantum in me vertit et convertit manum suam tota die.
Surely he turns his hand against me again and again all day long.
4 Beth Vetustam fecit pellem meam et carnem meam; contrivit ossa mea.
He has made my flesh and my skin old. He has broken my bones.
5 Beth Ædificavit in gyro meo, et circumdedit me felle et labore.
He has built against me, and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.
6 Beth In tenebrosis collocavit me, quasi mortuos sempiternos.
He has made me dwell in dark places, as those who have been long dead.
7 Ghimel Circumædificavit adversum me, ut non egrediar; aggravavit compedem meum.
He has walled me about, so that I can’t go out. He has made my chain heavy.
8 Ghimel Sed et cum clamavero, et rogavero, exclusit orationem meam.
Yes, when I cry, and call for help, he shuts out my prayer.
9 Ghimel Conclusit vias meas lapidibus quadris; semitas meas subvertit.
He has walled up my ways with cut stone. He has made my paths crooked.
10 Daleth Ursus insidians factus est mihi, leo in absconditis.
He is to me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in hiding.
11 Daleth Semitas meas subvertit, et confregit me; posuit me desolatam.
He has turned away my path, and pulled me in pieces. He has made me desolate.
12 Daleth Tetendit arcum suum, et posuit me quasi signum ad sagittam.
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 shafts of his quiver to enter into my kidneys.
14 He Factus sum in derisum omni populo meo, canticum eorum tota die.
I have become a derision to all my people, and their song all day long.
15 He Replevit me amaritudinibus; inebriavit me absinthio.
He has filled me with bitterness. He has stuffed me with wormwood.
16 Vau Et fregit ad numerum dentes meos; cibavit me cinere.
He has also broken my teeth with gravel. He has covered me with ashes.
17 Vau Et repulsa est a pace anima mea; oblitus sum bonorum.
You have removed my soul far away from peace. I forgot prosperity.
18 Vau Et dixi: Periit finis meus, et spes mea a Domino.
I said, “My strength has perished, along with my expectation from the LORD.”
19 Zain Recordare paupertatis, et transgressionis meæ, absinthii et fellis.
Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the bitterness.
20 Zain Memoria memor ero, et tabescet in me anima mea.
My soul still remembers them, and is bowed down within me.
21 Zain Hæc recolens in corde meo, ideo sperabo.
This I recall to my mind; therefore I have hope.
22 Heth Misericordiæ Domini, quia non sumus consumpti; quia non defecerunt miserationes ejus.
It is because of the LORD’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his mercies don’t 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 that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
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 and keep silence, because he has laid it on him.
29 Jod Ponet in pulvere os suum, si forte sit spes.
Let him put his mouth in the dust, if it is so that there may be hope.
30 Jod Dabit percutienti se maxillam: saturabitur opprobriis.
Let him give his cheek to him who strikes him. Let him be filled full of reproach.
31 Caph Quia non repellet in sempiternum Dominus.
For the Lord will not cast off forever.
32 Caph Quia si abjecit, et miserebitur, secundum multitudinem misericordiarum suarum.
For though he causes grief, yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.
33 Caph Non enim humiliavit ex corde suo et abjecit filios hominum.
For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.
34 Lamed Ut conteret sub pedibus suis omnes vinctos terræ.
To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
35 Lamed Ut declinaret judicium viri in conspectu vultus Altissimi.
to turn away the right of a man before the face of the Most High,
36 Lamed Ut perverteret hominem in judicio suo; Dominus ignoravit.
to subvert a man in his cause, the Lord doesn’t approve.
37 Mem Quis est iste qui dixit ut fieret, Domino non jubente?
Who is he who says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord doesn’t command it?
38 Mem Ex ore Altissimi non egredientur nec mala nec bona?
Doesn’t evil and good come out of the mouth of the Most High?
39 Mem Quid murmuravit homo vivens, vir pro peccatis suis?
Why should a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
40 Nun Scrutemur vias nostras, et quæramus, et revertamur ad Dominum.
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
41 Nun Levemus corda nostra cum manibus ad Dominum in cælos.
Let’s lift up our heart with our hands to God in the heavens.
42 Nun Nos inique egimus, et ad iracundiam provocavimus; idcirco tu inexorabilis es.
“We have transgressed and have rebelled. You have not pardoned.
43 Samech Operuisti in furore, et percussisti nos; occidisti, nec pepercisti.
“You have covered us with anger and pursued us. You have killed. You have not pitied.
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 an off-scouring and refuse in the middle of the peoples.
46 Phe Aperuerunt super nos os suum omnes inimici.
“All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.
47 Phe Formido et laqueus facta est nobis vaticinatio, et contritio.
Terror and the pit have come on us, devastation and destruction.”
48 Phe Divisiones aquarum deduxit oculus meus, in contritione filiæ populi mei.
My eye runs down with streams of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 Ain Oculus meus afflictus est, nec tacuit, eo quod non esset requies.
My eye pours down and doesn’t cease, without any intermission,
50 Ain Donec respiceret et videret Dominus de cælis.
until the LORD looks down, and sees from heaven.
51 Ain Oculus meus deprædatus est animam meam in cunctis filiabus urbis meæ.
My eye affects my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.
52 Sade Venatione ceperunt me quasi avem inimici mei gratis.
They have chased me relentlessly like a bird, those who are my enemies without cause.
53 Sade Lapsa est in lacum vita mea, et posuerunt lapidem super me.
They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone on me.
54 Sade Inundaverunt aquæ super caput meum; dixi: Perii.
Waters flowed over my head. I said, “I am cut off.”
55 Coph Invocavi nomen tuum, Domine, de lacu novissimo.
I called on your name, LORD, out of the lowest dungeon.
56 Coph Vocem meam audisti; ne avertas aurem tuam a singultu meo et clamoribus.
You heard my voice: “Don’t hide your ear from my sighing, and my cry.”
57 Coph Appropinquasti in die quando invocavi te; dixisti: Ne timeas.
You came near in the day that I called on you. You said, “Don’t be afraid.”
58 Res Judicasti, Domine, causam animæ meæ, redemptor vitæ meæ.
Lord, you have pleaded the causes of my soul. You have redeemed my life.
59 Res Vidisti, Domine, iniquitatem illorum adversum me: judica judicium meum.
LORD, you have seen my wrong. Judge my cause.
60 Res Vidisti omnem furorem, universas cogitationes eorum adversum me.
You have seen all their vengeance and all their plans against me.
61 Sin Audisti opprobrium eorum, Domine, omnes cogitationes eorum adversum me.
You have heard their reproach, LORD, and all their plans against me,
62 Sin Labia insurgentium mihi, et meditationes eorum adversum me tota die.
the lips of those that rose up against me, and their plots against me all day long.
63 Sin Sessionem eorum et resurrectionem eorum vide; ego sum psalmus eorum.
You see their sitting down and their rising up. I am their song.
64 Thau Redes eis vicem, Domine, juxta opera manuum suarum.
You will pay them back, LORD, according to the work of their hands.
65 Thau Dabis eis scutum cordis, laborem tuum.
You will give them hardness of heart, your curse to them.
66 Thau Persequeris in furore, et conteres eos sub cælis, Domine.]
You will pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of the LORD.
