Lamentationes 3
1 Ego vir videns paupertatem meam in virga indignationis ejus.
I am the man that hath seen affliction under the rod of His wrath;
2 Me minavit, et adduxit in tenebras, et non in lucem.
He hath led me and brought me into darkness, and not into light;
3 Tantum in me vertit et convertit manum suam tota die.
Yea, against me doth he again and again turn his hand all the day long.
4 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 Ædificavit in gyro meo, et circumdedit me felle et labore.
He hath builded against me, and encompassed me with bitterness and woe.
6 In tenebrosis collocavit me, quasi mortuos sempiternos.
He hath set me in dark places, as those that have long been dead.
7 Circumædificavit adversum me, ut non egrediar; aggravavit compedem meum.
He hath hedged me about, so that I cannot get out; he hath made my chain heavy;
8 Sed et cum clamavero, et rogavero, exclusit orationem meam.
Yea, when I cry and call aloud, he shutteth out my prayer.
9 Conclusit vias meas lapidibus quadris; semitas meas subvertit.
He blocketh up my way with hewn stone; he maketh my paths crooked.
10 Ursus insidians factus est mihi, leo in absconditis.
A bear lying in wait hath he been to me, a lion in lurking-places.
11 Semitas meas subvertit, et confregit me; posuit me desolatam.
He hath turned aside my ways, and torn me in pieces; he hath made me desolate.
12 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 Misit in renibus meis filias pharetræ suæ.
He hath caused the sons of his quiver to pierce my reins.
14 Factus sum in derisum omni populo meo, canticum eorum tota die.
I have been a laughing-stock to all my people, their song all the day.
15 Replevit me amaritudinibus; inebriavit me absinthio.
He hath filled me with bitterness; he hath made me drunk with wormwood.
16 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 Et repulsa est a pace anima mea; oblitus sum bonorum.
Yea, thou hast removed my soul far from peace; I have forgotten prosperity.
18 Et dixi: Periit finis meus, et spes mea a Domino.
And I say, “My confidence and my hope in Jehovah are gone!”
19 Recordare paupertatis, et transgressionis meæ, absinthii et fellis.
Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall!
20 Memoria memor ero, et tabescet in me anima mea.
Yea, thou wilt remember them, for my soul sinketh within me!
21 Hæc recolens in corde meo, ideo sperabo.
This I recall to my mind; therefore have I hope;
22 Misericordiæ Domini, quia non sumus consumpti; quia non defecerunt miserationes ejus.
It is of the mercy of Jehovah that we are not consumed; yea, his compassion faileth not;
23 Novi diluculo, multa est fides tua.
It is new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.
24 Pars mea Dominus, dixit anima mea; propterea exspectabo eum.
Jehovah is my portion, saith my soul, therefore do I hope in him.
25 Bonus est Dominus sperantibus in eum, animæ quærenti illum.
Jehovah is good to them that trust in him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26 Bonum est præstolari cum silentio salutare Dei.
It is good that a man hope, and quietly wait for salvation from Jehovah.
27 Bonum est viro cum portaverit jugum ab adolescentia sua.
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth;
28 Sedebit solitarius, et tacebit, quia levavit super se.
That he sit alone and keep silence, since He layeth it upon him;
29 Ponet in pulvere os suum, si forte sit spes.
That he put his mouth in the dust, [[saying to himself, ]] “Perhaps there may be hope!”
30 Dabit percutienti se maxillam: saturabitur opprobriis.
That he offer his cheek to the smiter; that he be filled with reproach.
31 Quia non repellet in sempiternum Dominus.
For the Lord will not cast off forever;
32 Quia si abjecit, et miserebitur, secundum multitudinem misericordiarum suarum.
For though he cause grief, yet doth he have compassion according to his great mercy;
33 Non enim humiliavit ex corde suo et abjecit filios hominum.
For he doth not willingly afflict and grieve the children of men.
34 Ut conteret sub pedibus suis omnes vinctos terræ.
Doth one trample under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
35 Ut declinaret judicium viri in conspectu vultus Altissimi.
Doth he bend the right of a man before the face of the Most High,
36 Ut perverteret hominem in judicio suo; Dominus ignoravit.
Doth he subvert a man in his cause, and shall not the Lord behold it?
37 Quis est iste qui dixit ut fieret, Domino non jubente?
Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord hath not commanded?
38 Ex ore Altissimi non egredientur nec mala nec bona?
Cometh not evil, as well as good, from the mouth of the Most High?
39 Quid murmuravit homo vivens, vir pro peccatis suis?
Wherefore then murmureth the living man? Let him murmur at his own sin!
40 Scrutemur vias nostras, et quæramus, et revertamur ad Dominum.
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Jehovah!
41 Levemus corda nostra cum manibus ad Dominum in cælos.
Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the heavens!
42 Nos inique egimus, et ad iracundiam provocavimus; idcirco tu inexorabilis es.
We have transgressed; we have rebelled; thou hast not forgiven!
43 Operuisti in furore, et percussisti nos; occidisti, nec pepercisti.
Thou hast hidden thyself in anger, and hast pursued us; thou hast slain and hast not spared;
44 Opposuisti nubem tibi, ne transeat oratio.
Thou hast hidden thyself in a cloud, that our prayer may not pass through;
45 Eradicationem et abjectionem posuisti me in medio populorum.
Thou hast made us the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the nations.
46 Aperuerunt super nos os suum omnes inimici.
All our enemies have opened their mouths against us;
47 Formido et laqueus facta est nobis vaticinatio, et contritio.
Terror and the pit have come upon us, desolation and destruction;
48 Divisiones aquarum deduxit oculus meus, in contritione filiæ populi mei.
Mine eye runneth down with streams of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 Oculus meus afflictus est, nec tacuit, eo quod non esset requies.
Mine eye trickleth down and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
50 Donec respiceret et videret Dominus de cælis.
Until Jehovah look down and behold from heaven.
51 Oculus meus deprædatus est animam meam in cunctis filiabus urbis meæ.
Mine eye is painful to me on account of all the daughters of my city.
52 Venatione ceperunt me quasi avem inimici mei gratis.
They that are my enemies without cause hunt me down like a bird;
53 Lapsa est in lacum vita mea, et posuerunt lapidem super me.
They take away my life in the dungeon; they cast a stone upon me;
54 Inundaverunt aquæ super caput meum; dixi: Perii.
Waters flow over my head; I say, “I am undone!”
55 Invocavi nomen tuum, Domine, de lacu novissimo.
I call upon thy name, O Jehovah, from the deep dungeon;
56 Vocem meam audisti; ne avertas aurem tuam a singultu meo et clamoribus.
Hear thou my voice! hide not thine ear from my cry for relief!
57 Appropinquasti in die quando invocavi te; dixisti: Ne timeas.
Be near to me, when I call upon thee! Say, “Fear not!”
58 Judicasti, Domine, causam animæ meæ, redemptor vitæ meæ.
Thou maintainest my cause, O Lord; thou redeemest my life!
59 Vidisti, Domine, iniquitatem illorum adversum me: judica judicium meum.
Thou, O Jehovah, seest the wrong done to me; Maintain thou my cause!
60 Vidisti omnem furorem, universas cogitationes eorum adversum me.
Thou seest all their vengeance, all their devices against me.
61 Audisti opprobrium eorum, Domine, omnes cogitationes eorum adversum me.
Thou hearest their reproach, O Jehovah, all their devices against me,
62 Labia insurgentium mihi, et meditationes eorum adversum me tota die.
The words of my adversaries, and their machinations against me all the day long!
63 Sessionem eorum et resurrectionem eorum vide; ego sum psalmus eorum.
Behold their sitting down and their rising up! I am their song.
64 Redes eis vicem, Domine, juxta opera manuum suarum.
Render to them a recompense, O Jehovah, according to the work of their hands!
65 Dabis eis scutum cordis, laborem tuum.
Give them blindness of mind! thy curse be upon them!
66 Persequeris in furore, et conteres eos sub cælis, Domine.
Pursue them in thine anger, and destroy them from under Jehovah's heaven!
