Lamentationes 5
1 Recordare Domine quid acciderit nobis: intuere, et respice opprobrium nostrum.
Keep in mind, O Lord, what has come to us: take note and see our shame.
2 Hereditas nostra versa est ad alienos: domus nostrae ad extraneos.
Our heritage is given up to men of strange lands, our houses to those who are not our countrymen.
3 Pupilli facti sumus absque patre, matres nostrae quasi viduae.
We are children without fathers, our mothers are like widows.
4 Aquam nostram pecunia bibimus: ligna nostra pretio comparavimus.
We give money for a drink of water, we get our wood for a price.
5 Cervicibus nostris minabamur, lassis non dabatur requies.
Our attackers are on our necks: overcome with weariness, we have no rest.
6 Aegypto dedimus manum, et Assyriis ut saturaremur pane.
We have given our hands to the Egyptians and to the Assyrians so that we might have enough bread.
7 Patres nostri peccaverunt, et non sunt: et nos iniquitates eorum portavimus.
Our fathers were sinners and are dead; and the weight of their evil-doing is on us.
8 Servi dominati sunt nostri: non fuit qui redimeret de manu eorum.
Servants are ruling over us, and there is no one to make us free from their hands.
9 In animabus nostris afferebamus panem nobis, a facie gladii in deserto.
We put our lives in danger to get our bread, because of the sword of the waste land.
10 Pellis nostra, quasi clibanus exusta est a facie tempestatum famis.
Our skin is heated like an oven because of our burning heat from need of food.
11 Mulieres in Sion humiliaverunt, et virgines in civitatibus Iuda.
They took by force the women in Zion, the virgins in the towns of Judah.
12 Principes manu suspensi sunt: facies senum non erubuerunt.
Their hands put princes to death by hanging: the faces of old men were not honoured.
13 Adolescentibus impudice abusi sunt: et pueri in ligno corruerunt.
The young men were crushing the grain, and the boys were falling under the wood.
14 Senes defecerunt de portis: iuvenes de choro psallentium.
The old men are no longer seated in the doorway, and the music of the young men has come to an end.
15 Defecit gaudium cordis nostri: versus est in luctum chorus noster.
The joy of our hearts is ended; our dancing is changed into sorrow.
16 Cecidit corona capitis nostri: vae nobis, quia peccavimus.
The crown has been taken from our head: sorrow is ours, for we are sinners.
17 Propterea moestum factum est cor nostrum, ideo contenebrati sunt oculi nostri.
Because of this our hearts are feeble; for these things our eyes are dark;
18 Propter montem Sion quia disperiit, vulpes ambulaverunt in eo.
Because of the mountain of Zion which is a waste; jackals go over it.
19 Tu autem Domine in aeternum permanebis, solium tuum in generatione et generationem.
You, O Lord, are seated as King for ever; the seat of your power is eternal.
20 Quare in perpetuum oblivisceris nostri? derelinques nos in longitudine dierum?
Why have we gone from your memory for ever? why have you been turned away from us for so long?
21 Converte nos Domine ad te, et convertemur: innova dies nostros, sicut a principio.
Make us come back to you, O Lord, and let us be turned; make our days new again as in the past.
22 Sed proiiciens repulisti nos, iratus es contra nos vehementer.
But you have quite given us up; you are full of wrath against us.
