Lamentationes 3
1 ALEPH. Ego vir videns paupertatem meam in virga indignationis eius.
I am the man that has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
2 ALEPH. Me minavit, et adduxit in tenebras, et non in lucem.
He has 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 turns 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 he has made old; he has broken my bones.
5 BETH. Aedificavit in gyro meo, et circumdedit me felle, et labore.
He has built against me, and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.
6 BETH. In tenebrosis collocavit me, quasi mortuos sempiternos.
He has made me to dwell in dark places, like those that have been long dead.
7 GHIMEL. Circumaedificavit adversum me, ut non egrediar: aggravavit compedem meum.
He has walled me in, so I can't escape; he has made my chains heavy.
8 GHIMEL. Sed et cum clamavero, et rogavero, exclusit orationem meam.
Yes, when I cry, and call for help, he shuts out my prayer.
9 GHIMEL. Conclusit vias meas lapidibus quadris, semitas meas subvertit.
He has walled up my ways with cut stone; he has made my paths crooked.
10 DALETH. Ursus insidians factus est mihi: leo in absconditis.
He is to me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in hiding.
11 DALETH. Semitas meas subvertit, et confregit me: posuit me desolatam.
He has obstructed my path, and torn me in pieces; he has made me desolate.
12 DALETH. Tetendit arcum suum, et posuit me quasi signum ad sagittam.
He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
13 HE. Misit in renibus meis filias pharetrae suae.
He has caused the arrows of his quiver to pierce my inward parts.
14 HE. Factus sum in derisum omni populo meo, canticum eorum tota die.
I have become a laughingstock to all peoples, and their song all the day.
15 HE. Replevit me amaritudinibus, inebriavit me absynthio.
He has filled me with bitterness, he has given me in full measure wormwood.
16 VAU. Et fregit ad numerum dentes meos, cibavit me cinere.
He has also broken my teeth with gravel; he has pressed me down in the dust.
17 VAU. Et repulsa est a pace anima mea, oblitus sum bonorum.
You have removed my soul far away from peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is.
18 VAU. Et dixi: Periit finis meus, et spes mea a Domino.
And I said, "My strength and my hope has perished from the LORD."
19 ZAIN. Recordare paupertatis, et transgressionis meae, absinthii, et fellis.
Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
20 ZAIN. Memoria memor ero, et tabescet in me anima mea.
My soul considers them, and is depressed.
21 ZAIN. Haec recolens in corde meo, ideo sperabo.
But this I call to my mind; therefore I have hope:
22 HETH. Misericordiae Domini quia non sumus consumpti: quia non defecerunt miserationes eius.
The LORD's faithful love does not cease; his compassion does not fail.
23 HETH. Novi diluculo, multa est fides tua.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
24 HETH. Pars mea Dominus, dixit anima mea: propterea expectabo eum.
"The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him."
25 TETH. Bonus est Dominus sperantibus in eum, animae quaerenti illum.
The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.
26 TETH. Bonum est praestolari 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 while he is young.
28 IOD. Sedebit solitarius, et tacebit: quia levavit se super se.
Let him sit alone and keep silence when he is disciplining him.
29 IOD. Ponet in pulvere os suum, si forte sit spes.
Let him put his mouth to the dust, there may yet be hope.
30 IOD. Dabit percutienti se maxillam, saturabitur opprobriis.
Let him give his cheek to him who strikes him; let him be filled with insults.
31 CAPH. Quia non repellet in sempiternum Dominus.
For the LORD will not reject forever.
32 CAPH. Quia si abiecit, miserebitur secundum multitudinem misericordiarum suarum.
For though he may cause grief, yet he will have compassion according to the abundance of his loving kindness.
33 CAPH. Non enim humiliavit ex corde suo, et abiecit filios hominum,
For he is not predisposed to bring affliction or suffering to human beings.
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 deprive a man of justice 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 does not approve.
37 MEM. Quis est iste, qui dixit ut fieret, Domino non iubente?
Who can speak a thing and have it come to pass, unless the LORD has commanded it?
38 MEM. Ex ore Altissimi non egredientur nec mala nec bona?
Doesn't both calamity and good come out of the mouth of the Most High?
39 MEM. Quid murmuravit homo vivens, vir pro peccatis suis?
Why does 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 examine and search our ways, and return to the LORD.
41 NUN. Levemus corda nostra cum manibus ad Dominum in caelos.
Let us lift up our heart with our hands to God in the heavens.
42 NUN. Nos inique egimus, et ad iracundiam provocavimus: idcirco tu inexorabilis es.
We have transgressed and have rebelled, and you have not forgiven.
43 SAMECH. Operuisti in furore, et percussisti nos: occidisti, nec pepercisti.
You have covered yourself with anger and pursued us; you killed without sparing.
44 SAMECH. Opposuisti nubem tibi, ne transeat oratio.
You have covered yourself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.
45 SAMECH. Eradicationem, et abiectionem posuisti me in medio populorum.
You have made us rubbish 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 have come on us, devastation and destruction.
48 PHE. Divisiones aquarum deduxit oculus meus, in contritione filiae populi mei.
Streams of tears run down from my eyes because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 AIN. Oculus meus afflictus est, nec tacuit, eo quod non esset requies,
My tears flow and do not cease, without respite,
50 AIN. Donec respiceret et videret Dominus de caelis.
until the LORD looks down and sees from heaven.
51 AIN. Oculus meus depraedatus est animam meam in cunctis filiabus urbis meae.
My eyes bring my soul grief, because of all the daughters of my city.
52 SADE. Venatione ceperunt me quasi avem inimici mei gratis.
They have chased me relentlessly like a bird, those who are my enemies without cause.
53 SADE. Lapsa est in lacum vita mea, et posuerunt lapidem super me.
They have cut off my life in a pit, and have cast a stone on me.
54 SADE. Inundaverunt aquae super caput meum: dixi: Perii.
Waters flowed over my head; I said, 'I am finished.'
55 COPH. Invocavi nomen tuum Domine de lacu novissimo.
I called on your name, LORD, out of the depths of the pit.
56 COPH. Vocem meam audisti: ne avertas aurem tuam a singultu meo, et clamoribus.
You heard my voice; do not hide your ear at my sighs, to my cry.
57 COPH. Appropinquasti in die, quando invocavi te: dixisti: Ne timeas.
You drew near in the day that I called on you; you said, "Do not be afraid."
58 RES. Iudicasti Domine causam animae meae, redemptor vitae meae.
LORD, you have taken up the case for my soul; you have redeemed my life.
59 RES. Vidisti Domine iniquitatem illorum adversum me: iudica iudicium meum.
You have seen, LORD, the wrong done to me; judge my case.
60 RES. Vidisti omnem furorem, universas cogitationes eorum adversum me.
You have seen all their vengeance and all their plots against me.
61 SIN. Audisti opprobrium eorum Domine, omnes cogitationes eorum adversum me:
You have heard their insults, LORD, and all their plots 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 plots against me all day long.
63 SIN. Sessionem eorum, et resurrectionem eorum vide, ego sum psalmus eorum.
Look their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their mocking song.
64 THAU. Redes eis vicem Domine iuxta opera manuum suarum.
You will render to them what they deserve, LORD, according to the work of their hands.
65 THAU. Dabis eis scutum cordis laborem tuum.
You will give them hardness of heart as your curse to them.
66 THAU. Persequeris in furore, et conteres eos sub caelis Domine.
You will pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of the LORD.
