Lamentationes 3
1 ALEPH. Ego vir videns paupertatem meam in virga indignationis eius.
I AM the man that 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 brought me into darkness, but not into light.
3 ALEPH. Tantum in me vertit, et convertit manum suam tota die.
Surely against me is he turned; he turns his hand against me all the day.
4 BETH. Vetustam fecit pellem meam, et carnem meam, contrivit ossa mea.
My flesh and my skin has he made old; he has broken my bones.
5 BETH. Ædificavit in gyro meo, et circumdedit me felle, et labore.
He has built against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
6 BETH. In tenebrosis collocavit me, quasi mortuos sempiternos.
He has set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
7 GHIMEL. Circumædificavit adversum me, ut non egrediar: aggravavit compedem meum.
He has hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he has made my chain heavy.
8 GHIMEL. Sed et cum clamavero, et rogavero, exclusit orationem meam.
Also when I cry and shout, he shuts out my prayer.
9 GHIMEL. Conclusit vias meas lapidibus quadris, semitas meas subvertit.
He has enclosed my ways with hewn stone, he has made my paths crooked.
10 DALETH. Ursus insidians factus est mihi: leo in absconditis.
He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
11 DALETH. Semitas meas subvertit, et confregit me: posuit me desolatam.
He has turned aside my ways, 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 arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
14 HE. Factus sum in derisum omni populo meo, canticum eorum tota die.
I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
15 HE. Replevit me amaritudinibus, inebriavit me absynthio.
He has filled me with bitterness, he has made me drunken with wormwood.
16 VAU. Et fregit ad numerum dentes meos, cibavit me cinere.
He has also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he has covered me with ashes.
17 VAU. Et repulsa est a pace anima mea, oblitus sum bonorum.
And you have removed my soul far off from peace: I forgotten about prosperity.
18 VAU. Et dixi: Periit finis meus, et spes mea a Domino.
And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:
19 ZAIN. Recordare paupertatis, et transgressionis meæ, absinthii, et fellis.
Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
20 ZAIN. Memoria memor ero, et tabescet in me anima mea.
My soul has them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
21 ZAIN. Hæc recolens in corde meo, ideo sperabo.
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
22 HETH. Misericordiæ Domini quia non sumus consumpti: quia non defecerunt miserationes eius.
It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
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 expectabo eum.
The LORD is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25 TETH. Bonus est Dominus sperantibus in eum, animæ quærenti illum.
The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.
26 TETH. Bonum est præstolari cum silentio salutare Dei.
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
27 TETH. Bonum est viro, cum portaverit iugum ab adolescentia sua.
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke of his youth.
28 IOD. Sedebit solitarius, et tacebit: quia levavit super se.
He sits alone and keeps silence, because he has borne it upon him.
29 IOD. Ponet in pulvere os suum, si forte sit spes.
He puts his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
30 IOD. Dabit percutienti se maxillam, saturabitur opprobriis.
He gives his cheek to him that strikes him: he is filled full with reproach.
31 CAPH. Quia non repellet in sempiternum Dominus.
For the LORD will not cast off for ever:
32 CAPH. Quia si abiecit, et miserebitur secundum multitudinem misericordiarum suarum.
But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
33 CAPH. Non enim humiliavit ex corde suo, et abiecit 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 his feet all the prisoners of the earth.
35 LAMED. Ut declinaret iudicium viri in conspectu vultus Altissimi.
To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,
36 LAMED. Ut perverteret hominem in iudicio suo, Dominus ignoravit.
To subvert a man in his cause, the LORD approves not.
37 MEM. Quis est iste, qui dixit ut fieret, Domino non iubente?
Who is he that says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord commands it not?
38 MEM. Ex ore Altissimi non egredientur nec mala nec bona?
Out of the mouth of the most High proceeds not evil and good?
39 MEM. Quid murmuravit homo vivens, vir pro peccatis suis?
Wherefore does 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 return to the LORD.
41 NUN. Levemus corda nostra cum manibus ad Dominum in cælos.
Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto 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 with anger, and persecuted us: you have slain, you have not pitied.
44 SAMECH. Opposuisti nubem tibi, ne transeat oratio.
You have covered yourself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.
45 SAMECH. Eradicationem, et abiectionem posuisti me in medio populorum.
You have made us as the waste and refuse in the midst of the people.
46 PHE. Aperuerunt super nos os suum omnes inimici.
All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
47 PHE. Formido, et laqueus facta est nobis vaticinatio, et contritio.
Fear and a snare has come upon us, desolation and destruction.
48 PHE. Divisiones aquarum deduxit oculus meus, in contritione filiæ populi mei.
Mine eye runs down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 AIN. Oculus meus afflictus est, nec tacuit, eo quod non esset requies,
Mine eye trickes down, and ceases not, without any intermission.
50 AIN. Donec respiceret et videret Dominus de cælis.
Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.
51 AIN. Oculus meus deprædatus est animam meam in cunctis filiabus urbis meæ.
Mine eye affects mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.
52 SADE. Venatione ceperunt me quasi avem inimici mei gratis.
Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, 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 cast a stone upon me.
54 SADE. Inundaverunt aquæ super caput meum: dixi: Perii.
Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.
55 COPH. Invocavi nomen tuum Domine de lacu novissimo.
I called upon your name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.
56 COPH. Vocem meam audisti: ne avertas aurem tuam a singultu meo, et clamoribus.
You have heard my voice: hide not your ear at my breathing, at my cry.
57 COPH. Appropinquasti in die, quando invocavi te: dixisti: Ne timeas.
You drew near in the day that I called upon you: you said, Fear not.
58 RES. Iudicasti Domine causam animæ meæ, Redemptor vitæ meæ.
O LORD, you have pleaded the causes of my soul; you have redeemed my life.
59 RES. Vidisti Domine iniquitatem illorum adversum me: iudica iudicium meum.
O LORD, you have seen my wrong: judge you my cause.
60 RES. Vidisti omnem furorem, universas cogitationes eorum adversum me.
You have seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.
61 SIN. Audisti opprobrium eorum Domine, omnes cogitationes eorum adversum me:
You have heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations 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 device against me all the day.
63 SIN. Sessionem eorum, et resurrectionem eorum vide, ego sum psalmus eorum.
Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their music.
64 THAU. Redes eis vicem Domine iuxta opera manuum suarum.
Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.
65 THAU. Dabis eis scutum cordis laborem tuum.
Give them sorrow of heart, your curse unto them.
66 THAU. Persequeris in furore, et conteres eos sub cælis Domine.
Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.
