Lamentationes 1
1 Et factum est, postquam in captivitatem redactus est Israel, et Ierusalem deserta est, sedit Ieremias propheta flens, et planxit lamentatione hac in Ierusalem, et amaro animo suspirans, et eiulans dixit: ALEPH. Quomodo sedet sola civitas plena populo: facta est quasi vidua domina Gentium: princeps provinciarum facta est sub tributo.
How lonely lies the city, once so full of people! She who was great among the nations has become a widow. The princess of the provinces has become a slave.
2 BETH. Plorans ploravit in nocte, et lacrymae 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 aloud in the night, with tears upon her cheeks. Among all her lovers there is no one to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies.
3 GHIMEL. Migravit Iuda propter afflictionem, et multitudinem servitutis: habitavit inter gentes, nec invenit requiem: omnes persecutores eius apprehenderunt eam inter angustias.
Judah has gone into exile under affliction and harsh slavery; she dwells among the nations but finds no place to rest. All her pursuers have overtaken her in the midst of her distress.
4 DALETH. Viae Sion lugent eo quod non sint qui veniant ad sollemnitatem: omnes portae eius destructae: sacerdotes eius gementes: virgines eius squalidae, et ipsa oppressa amaritudine.
The roads to Zion mourn, because no one comes to her appointed feasts. All her gates are deserted; her priests groan, her maidens grieve, and she herself is bitter with anguish.
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 foes have become her masters; her enemies are at ease. For the LORD has brought her grief because of her many transgressions. Her children have gone away as captives before the enemy.
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 the splendor has departed from the Daughter of Zion. Her princes are like deer that find no pasture; they lack the strength to flee in the face of the hunter.
7 ZAIN. Recordata est Ierusalem dierum afflictionis suae, et praevaricationis omnium desiderabilium suorum, quae habuerat a diebus antiquis, cum caderet populus eius in manu hostili, et non esset auxiliator: viderunt eam hostes, et deriserunt sabbata eius.
In the days of her affliction and wandering Jerusalem remembers all the treasures that were hers in days of old. When her people fell into enemy hands she received no help. Her enemies looked upon her, laughing at her downfall.
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 sinned greatly; therefore she has become an object of scorn. All who honored her now despise her, for they have seen her nakedness; she herself 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 uncleanness stains her skirts; she did not consider her end. Her downfall was astounding; there was no one to comfort her. Look, O LORD, on my affliction, for the enemy has triumphed!
10 IOD. Manum suam misit hostis ad omnia desiderabilia eius: quia vidit Gentes ingressas sanctuarium suum, de quibus praeceperas ne intrarent in ecclesiam tuam.
The adversary has seized all her treasures. For she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary— those You had forbidden to enter Your assembly.
11 CAPH. Omnis populus eius gemens, et quaerens panem: dederunt pretiosa quaeque pro cibo ad refocillandam animam. vide Domine et considera, quoniam facta sum vilis.
All her people groan as they search for bread. They have traded their treasures for food to keep themselves alive. Look, O LORD, and consider, for I have become 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 irae furoris sui.
Is this nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around and see! Is there any sorrow like mine, which was inflicted on me, which the LORD made me suffer on 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 moerore confectam.
He sent fire from on high, and it overpowered my bones. He spread a net for my feet and turned me back. He made me desolate, faint all the day long.
14 NUN. Vigilavit iugum iniquitatum mearum: in manu eius convolutae sunt, et impositae collo meo: Infirmata est virtus mea: dedit me Dominus in manu, de qua non potero surgere.
My transgressions are bound into a yoke, knit together by His hand; they are draped over my neck, and the Lord has broken my strength. He has delivered me into the hands of those I cannot withstand.
15 SAMECH. Abstulit omnes magnificos meos Dominus de medio mei: vocavit adversum me tempus, ut contereret electos meos: torcular calcavit Dominus virgini filiae Iuda.
The Lord has rejected all the mighty men in my midst; He has summoned an army against me to crush my young warriors. Like grapes in a winepress, the Lord has trampled 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. For there is no one nearby to comfort me, no one to revive my soul. My children are destitute 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 stretches out her hands, but there is no one to comfort her. The LORD has decreed against Jacob that his neighbors become his foes. Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them.
18 SADE. Iustus est Dominus, quia os eius ad iracundiam provocavi. audite obsecro universi populi, et videte dolorem meum: virgines meae, et iuvenes mei abierunt in captivitatem.
The LORD is righteous, for I have rebelled against His command. Listen, all you people; look upon my suffering. My young men and maidens have gone into captivity.
19 COPH. Vocavi amicos meos, et ipsi deceperunt me: sacerdotes mei, et senes mei in urbe consumpti sunt: quia quaesierunt cibum sibi ut refocillarent animam suam.
I called out to my lovers, but they have betrayed me. My priests and elders perished in the city while they searched for food to keep themselves alive.
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, O LORD, how distressed I am! I am churning within; my heart is pounding within me, for I have been most rebellious. Outside, the sword bereaves; inside, there is death.
21 SIN. Audierunt quia ingemisco ego, et non est qui consoletur me: omnes inimici mei audierunt malum meum laetati sunt, quoniam tu fecisti: adduxisti diem consolationis, et fient similes mei.
People have heard my groaning, but there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that You have caused it. May You bring the day You have announced, so that they may become 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 moerens.
Let all their wickedness come before You, and deal with them as You have dealt with me because of all my transgressions. For my groans are many, and my heart is faint.
