Lamentationes 1
1 ALEPH. Quomodo sedet sola civitas plena populo: facta est quasi vidua domina Gentium: princeps provinciarum facta est sub tributo.
How the city sits solitary, that was full of people. She has become as a widow, who was great among the nations. She who was a princess among the provinces has become a forced laborer.
2 BETH. Plorans ploravit in nocte, et lacrymæ eius in maxillis eius: non est qui consoletur eam et omnibus charis eius: omnes amici eius spreverunt eam, et facti sunt ei inimici.
She weeps bitterly in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; among all her lovers she has none to comfort her. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; they have become her enemies.
3 GHIMEL. Migravit Iudas propter afflictionem, et multitudinem servitutis: habitavit inter gentes, nec invenit requiem: omnes persecutores eius apprehenderunt eam inter angustias.
Judah has gone into exile because of affliction and harsh servitude; she dwells among the nations, she finds no rest: all her persecutors overtook her in the midst of her distress.
4 DALETH. Viæ Sion lugent eo quod non sint qui veniant ad sollemnitatem: omnes portæ eius destructæ: sacerdotes eius gementes: virgines eius squalidæ, et ipsa oppressa amaritudine.
The roads to Zion mourn, because no one comes to the solemn assembly; all her gates are desolate, her priests groan: her virgins are afflicted, and she herself is in bitterness.
5 HE. Facti sunt hostes eius in capite, inimici eius locupletati sunt: quia Dominus locutus est super eam propter multitudinem iniquitatum eius: parvuli eius ducti sunt in captivitatem ante faciem tribulantis.
Her adversaries have become the head, her enemies prosper; for the LORD has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her young children have gone into captivity before the adversary.
6 VAU. Et egressus est a filia Sion omnis decor eius: facti sunt principes eius velut arietes non invenientes pascua: et abierunt absque fortitudine ante faciem subsequentis.
All majesty has departed from the daughter of Zion: her leaders have become like deer that find no pasture, they fled exhausted before the pursuer.
7 ZAIN. Recordata est Ierusalem dierum afflictionis suæ, et prævaricationis omnium desiderabilium suorum, quæ habuerat a diebus antiquis, cum caderet populus eius in manu hostili, et non esset auxiliator: viderunt eam hostes, et deriserunt Sabbata eius.
Jerusalem remembers in the days of her affliction and wandering all her precious things that were from the days of old: when her people fell into the hand of the adversary, and no one helped her. The adversaries saw her, they mocked at her desolations.
8 HETH. Peccatum peccavit Ierusalem, propterea instabilis facta est: omnes, qui glorificabant eam, spreverunt illam, quia viderunt ignominiam eius: ipsa autem gemens conversa est retrorsum.
Jerusalem has grievously sinned; therefore she has become as an unclean thing; all who honored her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yes, she groans, and turns away.
9 TETH. Sordes eius in pedibus eius, nec recordata est finis sui: deposita est vehementer, non habens consolatorem: vide Domine afflictionem meam, quoniam erectus est inimicus.
Her filthiness was in her skirts; she did not remember her latter end; therefore her fall was astonishing; she has no comforter. "Look, LORD, on my affliction, for the enemy has magnified himself."
10 IOD. Manum suam misit hostis ad omnia desiderabilia eius: quia vidit Gentes ingressas sanctuarium suum, de quibus præceperas ne intrarent in ecclesiam tuam.
The adversary has spread out his hand on all her precious things: for she has seen that the nations have entered into her sanctuary, concerning whom you commanded that they should not enter into your assembly.
11 CAPH. Omnis populus eius gemens, et quærens panem: dederunt pretiosa quæque pro cibo ad refocillandam animam. Vide Domine et considera, quoniam facta sum vilis.
All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their precious things for food to refresh the soul. "Look, LORD, and see, for I am despised."
12 LAMED. O vos omnes, qui transitis per viam, attendite, et videte si est dolor sicut dolor meus: quoniam vindemiavit me ut locutus est Dominus in die iræ furoris sui.
Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look, and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which is brought on me, with which the LORD has afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.
13 MEM. De excelso misit ignem in ossibus meis, et erudivit me: expandit rete pedibus meis, convertit me retrorsum: posuit me desolatam, tota die mœrore confectam.
From on high he has sent fire into my bones, and it overcame them. He has spread a net for my feet, he has turned me back. He has made me desolate and faint all the day.
14 NUN. Vigilavit iugum iniquitatum mearum: in manu eius convolutæ sunt, et impositæ collo meo: Infirmata est virtus mea: dedit me Dominus in manu, de qua non potero surgere.
My transgressions are bound into a yoke; by his hand they are fastened together, they are set upon my neck; he has made my strength to fail. The LORD has delivered me into their hands, against whom I am not able to stand.
15 SAMECH. Abstulit omnes magnificos meos Dominus de medio mei: vocavit adversum me tempus, ut contereret electos meos: torcular calcavit Dominus virgini filiæ Iuda.
The LORD has rejected all my mighty men in my midst; he has called a solemn assembly against me to crush my young men. The LORD has trodden as in a winepress the virgin daughter of Judah.
16 AIN. Idcirco ego plorans, et oculus meus deducens aquas: quia longe factus est a me consolator, convertens animam meam: facti sunt filii mei perditi, quoniam invaluit inimicus.
For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears; because the comforter who should refresh my soul is far from me. My children are desolate, because the enemy has prevailed.
17 PHE. Expandit Sion manus suas, non est qui consoletur eam: mandavit Dominus adversum Iacob in circuitu eius hostes eius: facta est Ierusalem quasi polluta menstruis inter eos.
Zion spreads forth her hands; there is none to comfort her. The LORD has commanded concerning Jacob, that those who are around him should be his adversaries. Jerusalem is among them as an unclean thing.
18 SADE. Iustus est Dominus, quia os eius ad iracundiam provocavi. Audite obsecro universi populi, et videte dolorem meum: virgines meæ, et iuvenes mei abierunt in captivitatem.
The LORD is righteous, for I have rebelled against his commandment. Please listen all you people, and see my suffering. My virgins and my young men have gone into captivity.
19 COPH. Vocavi amicos meos, et ipsi deceperunt me: sacerdotes mei, et senes mei in urbe consumpti sunt: quia quæsierunt cibum sibi ut refocillarent animam suam.
I called for my lovers, but they deceived me. My priests and my elders perished in the city, while they searched for food to refresh their souls.
20 RES. Vide Domine quoniam tribulor: conturbatus est venter meus, subversum est cor meum in memetipsa, quoniam amaritudine plena sum. Foris interfecit gladius, et domi mors similis est.
See, LORD, for I am in distress; my stomach churns; my heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled. Outside the sword bereaves, in the house it is like death.
21 SIN. Audierunt quia ingemisco ego, et non est qui consoletur me: omnes inimici mei audierunt malum meum lætati sunt, quoniam tu fecisti: adduxisti diem consolationis, et fient similes mei.
They have heard that I groan; there is none to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that you have done it. Bring the day that you have proclaimed, so that they shall end up like me.
22 THAU. Ingrediatur omne malum eorum coram te: et vindemia eos sicut vindemiasti me propter omnes iniquitates meas: multi enim gemitus mei, et cor meum mœrens.
Let all their wickedness come before you. Do to them, as you have done to me for all my transgressions. For my groans are many, and my heart is faint.
