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.
Me hath he led, and brought into darkness, and not into light.
3 ALEPH. Tantum in me vertit, et convertit manum suam tota die.
Surely against me hath he turned again and again his hand all the day.
4 BETH. Vetustam fecit pellem meam, et carnem meam, contrivit ossa mea.
My flesh and my skin hath he wasted away, he hath broken my bones.
5 BETH. Aedificavit in gyro meo, et circumdedit me felle, et labore.
He hath built against me, and encompassed [me] with gall and toil.
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. Circumaedificavit adversum me, ut non egrediar: aggravavit compedem meum.
He hath hedged me about that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
8 GHIMEL. Sed et cum clamavero, et rogavero, exclusit orationem meam.
Even when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
9 GHIMEL. Conclusit vias meas lapidibus quadris, semitas meas subvertit.
He hath inclosed 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, 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 pharetrae suae.
He hath 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 am become a derision to all my people; their song all the day.
15 HE. Replevit me amaritudinibus, inebriavit me absynthio.
He hath sated me with bitterness, he hath made me drunk 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 have forgotten prosperity.
18 VAU. Et dixi: Periit finis meus, et spes mea a Domino.
And I said, My strength is perished, and my hope in Jehovah.
19 ZAIN. Recordare paupertatis, et transgressionis meae, absinthii, et fellis.
Remember thou mine affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and the gall.
20 ZAIN. Memoria memor ero, et tabescet in me anima mea.
My soul hath [them] constantly in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
21 ZAIN. Haec recolens in corde meo, ideo sperabo.
— This I recall to heart, therefore have I hope.
22 HETH. Misericordiae Domini quia non sumus consumpti: quia non defecerunt miserationes eius.
It is of Jehovah's loving-kindness 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.
Jehovah is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25 TETH. Bonus est Dominus sperantibus in eum, animae quaerenti illum.
Jehovah is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul [that] seeketh him.
26 TETH. Bonum est praestolari cum silentio salutare Dei.
It is good that one should both wait, and that in silence, for the salvation of Jehovah.
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 se super se.
He sitteth solitary and keepeth silence, because he hath laid it upon him;
29 IOD. Ponet in pulvere os suum, si forte sit spes.
he putteth his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope;
30 IOD. Dabit percutienti se maxillam, saturabitur opprobriis.
he giveth his cheek to him that smiteth 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, miserebitur secundum multitudinem misericordiarum suarum.
but if he have caused grief, he will have compassion according to the multitude of his loving-kindnesses:
33 CAPH. Non enim humiliavit ex corde suo, et abiecit filios hominum,
for he doth not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men.
34 LAMED. Ut conteret sub pedibus suis omnes vinctos terrae,
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 wrong a man in his cause, — will not the Lord see it?
37 MEM. Quis est iste, qui dixit ut fieret, Domino non iubente?
Who is he that saith, and there cometh to pass, what the Lord hath not commanded?
38 MEM. Ex ore Altissimi non egredientur nec mala nec bona?
Out of the mouth of the Most High doth not there proceed 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 quaeramus, et revertamur ad Dominum.
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Jehovah.
41 NUN. Levemus corda nostra cum manibus ad Dominum in caelos.
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 thyself with anger, and pursued us; thou hast slain, thou hast not spared.
44 SAMECH. Opposuisti nubem tibi, ne transeat oratio.
Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that prayer should not pass through.
45 SAMECH. Eradicationem, et abiectionem posuisti me in medio populorum.
Thou hast made us 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 against us.
47 PHE. Formido, et laqueus facta est nobis vaticinatio, et contritio.
Fear and the pit are come upon us, devastation and ruin.
48 PHE. Divisiones aquarum deduxit oculus meus, in contritione filiae populi mei.
Mine eye runneth down with streams of water for the ruin 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 caelis.
till Jehovah look down and behold from the heavens.
51 AIN. Oculus meus depraedatus est animam meam in cunctis filiabus urbis meae.
Mine eye affecteth my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.
52 SADE. Venatione ceperunt me quasi avem inimici mei gratis.
They that are mine enemies without cause have chased me sore like a bird.
53 SADE. Lapsa est in lacum vita mea, et posuerunt lapidem super me.
They have cut off my life in a pit, and cast a stone upon me.
54 SADE. Inundaverunt aquae super caput meum: dixi: Perii.
Waters streamed over my head; I said, I am cut off.
55 COPH. Invocavi nomen tuum Domine de lacu novissimo.
I called upon thy name, Jehovah, out of the lowest pit.
56 COPH. Vocem meam audisti: ne avertas aurem tuam a singultu meo, et clamoribus.
Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my sighing, 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 animae meae, redemptor vitae meae.
Lord, thou hast pleaded the cause of my soul, thou hast redeemed my life.
59 RES. Vidisti Domine iniquitatem illorum adversum me: iudica iudicium meum.
Jehovah, 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, all their imaginations against me.
61 SIN. Audisti opprobrium eorum Domine, omnes cogitationes eorum adversum me:
Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, all their imaginations against me;
62 SIN. Labia insurgentium mihi; et meditationes eorum adversum me tota die.
the lips of those that rise up against me and their meditation 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.
Render unto them a recompence, O Jehovah, according to the work of their hands;
65 THAU. Dabis eis scutum cordis laborem tuum.
give them obduracy of heart, thy curse unto them;
66 THAU. Persequeris in furore, et conteres eos sub caelis Domine.
pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Jehovah.
