Lamentationes 3
1 ALEPH. Ego vir videns paupertatem meam in virga indignationis eius.
I AM the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
2 ALEPH. Me minavit, et adduxit in tenebras, et non in lucem.
He hath 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 against me he turneth his hand again and again all the day.
4 BETH. Vetustam fecit pellem meam, et carnem meam, contrivit ossa mea.
My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
5 BETH. Ædificavit in gyro meo, et circumdedit me felle, et labore.
He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
6 BETH. In tenebrosis collocavit me, quasi mortuos sempiternos.
He hath made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.
7 GHIMEL. Circumædificavit adversum me, ut non egrediar: aggravavit compedem meum.
He hath fenced me about, that I cannot go forth; he hath made my chain heavy.
8 GHIMEL. Sed et cum clamavero, et rogavero, exclusit orationem meam.
Yea, when I cry and call for help, he shutteth out my prayer.
9 GHIMEL. Conclusit vias meas lapidibus quadris, semitas meas subvertit.
He hath fenced up my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
10 DALETH. Ursus insidians factus est mihi: leo in absconditis.
He is unto me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places.
11 DALETH. Semitas meas subvertit, et confregit me: posuit me desolatam.
He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he hath made me desolate.
12 DALETH. Tetendit arcum suum, et posuit me quasi signum ad sagittam.
He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
13 HE. Misit in renibus meis filias pharetræ suæ.
He hath caused the shafts of his quiver to enter into my reins.
14 HE. Factus sum in derisum omni populo meo, canticum eorum tota die.
I am become a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
15 HE. Replevit me amaritudinibus, inebriavit me absynthio.
He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath sated me with wormwood.
16 VAU. Et fregit ad numerum dentes meos, cibavit me cinere.
He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
17 VAU. Et repulsa est a pace anima mea, oblitus sum bonorum.
And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace; I forgat prosperity.
18 VAU. Et dixi: Periit finis meus, et spes mea a Domino.
And I said, My strength is perished, and mine expectation from the LORD.
19 ZAIN. Recordare paupertatis, et transgressionis meæ, absinthii, et fellis.
Remember mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
20 ZAIN. Memoria memor ero, et tabescet in me anima mea.
My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is bowed down within 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 thy faithfulness.
24 HETH. Pars mea Dominus, dixit anima mea: propterea expectabo eum.
The LORD is my portion, saith 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 seeketh 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 iugum ab adolescentia sua.
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
28 IOD. Sedebit solitarius, et tacebit: quia levavit super se.
Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he hath laid it upon him.
29 IOD. Ponet in pulvere os suum, si forte sit spes.
Let him put his mouth in the dust; if so be there may he hope.
30 IOD. Dabit percutienti se maxillam, saturabitur opprobriis.
Let him give his cheek to him that smiteth him; let him be 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.
For 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 doth 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 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 approveth not.
37 MEM. Quis est iste, qui dixit ut fieret, Domino non iubente?
Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
38 MEM. Ex ore Altissimi non egredientur nec mala nec bona?
Out of the mouth of the Most High cometh there not evil and good?
39 MEM. Quid murmuravit homo vivens, vir pro peccatis suis?
Wherefore doth 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 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; thou hast not pardoned.
43 SAMECH. Operuisti in furore, et percussisti nos: occidisti, nec pepercisti.
Thou hast covered with anger and pursued us; thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
44 SAMECH. Opposuisti nubem tibi, ne transeat oratio.
Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that [our] prayer should not pass through.
45 SAMECH. Eradicationem, et abiectionem posuisti me in medio populorum.
Thou hast made us [as] the offscouring and refuse in the midst 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.
Fear and the pit are come upon us, devastation and destruction.
48 PHE. Divisiones aquarum deduxit oculus meus, in contritione filiæ populi mei.
Mine eye runneth 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 poureth down, and ceaseth 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 affecteth my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.
52 SADE. Venatione ceperunt me quasi avem inimici mei gratis.
They have chased me sore like a bird, that are mine 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 upon me.
54 SADE. Inundaverunt aquæ super caput meum: dixi: Perii.
Waters flowed over mine head; I said, I am cut off.
55 COPH. Invocavi nomen tuum Domine de lacu novissimo.
I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the lowest dungeon.
56 COPH. Vocem meam audisti: ne avertas aurem tuam a singultu meo, et clamoribus.
Thou heardest my voice; hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.
57 COPH. Appropinquasti in die, quando invocavi te: dixisti: Ne timeas.
Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
58 RES. Iudicasti Domine causam animæ meæ, Redemptor vitæ meæ.
O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.
59 RES. Vidisti Domine iniquitatem illorum adversum me: iudica iudicium meum.
O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong; judge thou my cause.
60 RES. Vidisti omnem furorem, universas cogitationes eorum adversum me.
Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their devices against me.
61 SIN. Audisti opprobrium eorum Domine, omnes cogitationes eorum adversum me:
Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their devices 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 imagination against me all the day.
63 SIN. Sessionem eorum, et resurrectionem eorum vide, ego sum psalmus eorum.
Behold thou their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their song.
64 THAU. Redes eis vicem Domine iuxta opera manuum suarum.
Thou wilt render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.
65 THAU. Dabis eis scutum cordis laborem tuum.
Thou wilt give them hardness of heart, thy curse unto them.
66 THAU. Persequeris in furore, et conteres eos sub cælis Domine.
Thou wilt pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of the LORD.
