Lamentationes 4
1 ALEPH. Quomodo obscuratum est aurum, mutatus est color optimus, dispersi sunt lapides sanctuarii in capite omnium platearum?
How dark has the gold become! how changed the best gold! the stones of the holy place are dropping out at the top of every street.
2 BETH. Filii Sion inclyti, et amicti auro primo: quomodo reputati sunt in vasa testea, opus manuum figuli?
The valued sons of Zion, whose price was the best gold, are looked on as vessels of earth, the work of the hands of the potter!
3 GHIMEL. Sed et lamiae nudaverunt mammam, lactaverunt catulos suos: filia populi mei crudelis, quasi struthio in deserto.
Even the beasts of the waste land have full breasts, they give milk to their young ones: the daughter of my people has become cruel like the ostriches in the waste land.
4 DALETH. Adhaesit lingua lactentis ad palatum eius in siti: parvuli petierunt panem, et non erat qui frangeret eis.
The tongue of the child at the breast is fixed to the roof of his mouth for need of drink: the young children are crying out for bread, and no man gives it to them.
5 HE. Qui vescebantur voluptuose, interierunt in viis: qui nutriebantur in croceis, amplexati sunt stercora.
Those who were used to feasting on delicate food are wasted in the streets: those who as children were dressed in purple are stretched out on the dust.
6 VAU. Et maior effecta est iniquitas filiae populi mei peccato Sodomorum, quae subversa est in momento, et non ceperunt in ea manus.
For the punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overturned suddenly without any hand falling on her.
7 ZAIN. Candidiores Nazaraei eius nive, nitidiores lacte, rubicundiores ebore antiquo, sapphiro pulchriores.
Her holy ones were cleaner than snow, they were whiter than milk, their bodies were redder than corals, their form was as the sapphire:
8 HETH. Denigrata est super carbones facies eorum, et non sunt cogniti in plateis: adhaesit cutis eorum ossibus: aruit, et facta est quasi lignum.
Their face is blacker than night; in the streets no one has knowledge of them: their skin is hanging on their bones, they are dry, they have become like wood.
9 TETH. Melius fuit occisis gladio, quam interfectis fame: quoniam isti extabuerunt consumpti a sterilitate terrae.
Those who have been put to the sword are better off than those whose death is caused by need of food; for these come to death slowly, burned up like the fruit of the field.
10 IOD. Manus mulierum misericordium coxerunt filios suos: facti sunt cibus earum in contritione filiae populi mei.
The hands of kind-hearted women have been boiling their children; they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 CAPH. Complevit Dominus furorem suum, effudit iram indignationis suae: et succendit ignem in Sion, et devoravit fundamenta eius.
The Lord has given full effect to his passion, he has let loose his burning wrath; he has made a fire in Zion, causing the destruction of its bases.
12 LAMED. Non crediderunt reges terrae, et universi habitatores orbis, quoniam ingrederetur hostis et inimicus per portas Ierusalem:
To the kings of the earth and to all the people of the world it did not seem possible that the attackers and the haters would go into the doors of Jerusalem.
13 MEM. Propter peccata prophetarum eius, et iniquitates sacerdotum eius, qui effuderunt in medio eius sanguinem iustorum.
It is because of the sins of her prophets and the evil-doing of her priests, by whom the blood of the upright has been drained out in her.
14 NUN. Erraverunt caeci in plateis, polluti sunt in sanguine: cumque non possent intrare, tenuerunt lacinias suas.
They are wandering like blind men in the streets, they are made unclean with blood, so that their robes may not be touched by men.
15 SAMECH. Recedite polluti, clamaverunt eis: recedite, abite, nolite tangere: iurgati quippe sunt, et commoti dixerunt inter Gentes: Non addet ultra ut habitet in eis.
Away! unclean! they were crying out to them, Away! away! let there be no touching: when they went away in flight and wandering, men said among the nations, There is no further resting-place for them.
16 PHE. Facies Domini divisit eos, non addet ut respiciat eos: facies sacerdotum non erubuerunt, neque senum miserti sunt.
The face of the Lord has sent them in all directions; he will no longer take care of them: they had no respect for the priests, they gave no honour to the old men.
17 AIN. Cum adhuc subsisteremus, defecerunt oculi nostri ad auxilium nostrum vanum, cum respiceremus attenti ad gentem, quae salvare non poterat.
Our eyes are still wasting away in looking for our false help: we have been watching for a nation unable to give salvation.
18 SADE. Lubricaverunt vestigia nostra in itinere platearum nostrarum, appropinquavit finis noster: completi sunt dies nostri, quia venit finis noster.
They go after our steps so that we may not go in our streets: our end is near, our days are numbered; for our end has come.
19 COPH. Velociores fuerunt persecutores nostri aquilis caeli: super montes persecuti sunt nos, in deserto insidiati sunt nobis.
Those who went after us were quicker than the eagles of the heaven, driving us before them on the mountains, waiting secretly for us in the waste land.
20 RES. Spiritus oris nostri Christus Dominus captus est in peccatis nostris: cui diximus: In umbra tua vivemus in Gentibus.
Our breath of life, he on whom the holy oil was put, was taken in their holes; of whom we said, Under his shade we will be living among the nations.
21 SIN. Gaude, et laetare filia Edom, quae habitas in Terra Hus: ad te quoque perveniet calix, inebriaberis, atque nudaberis.
Have joy and be glad, O daughter of Edom, living in the land of Uz: the cup will be given to you in your turn, and you will be overcome with wine and your shame will be seen.
22 THAU. Completa est iniquitas tua filia Sion, non addet ultra ut transmigret te: visitavit iniquitatem tuam filia Edom, discooperuit peccata tua.
The punishment of your evil-doing is complete, O daughter of Zion; never again will he take you away as a prisoner: he will give you the reward of your evil-doing, O daughter of Edom; he will let your sin be uncovered.
