Lamentationes 3
1 ALEPH ego vir videns paupertatem meam in virga indignationis eius
I am the man who has experienced suffering under the rod of God's anger.
2 ALEPH me minavit et adduxit in tenebris et non in lucem
He has driven me away, forcing me to walk in darkness instead of the light.
3 ALEPH tantum in me vertit et convertit manum suam tota die
In fact he hits me again and again all day long.
4 BETH vetustam fecit pellem meam et carnem meam contrivit ossa mea
He has worn me out; he has broken me in pieces.
5 BETH aedificavit in gyro meo et circumdedit me felle et labore
He has besieged me, surrounding me with bitterness and misery.
6 BETH in tenebrosis conlocavit me quasi mortuos sempiternos
He has forced me to live in darkness like those long dead.
7 GIMEL circumaedificavit adversum me ut non egrediar adgravavit conpedem meam
He has built a wall around me so I can't escape; he has bound me with heavy chains.
8 GIMEL sed et cum clamavero et rogavero exclusit orationem meam
Even when I keep on crying out for help, he refuses to listen to my prayer.
9 GIMEL conclusit vias meas lapidibus quadris semitas meas subvertit
He has put stone blocks in my way and sends me down crooked paths.
10 DELETH ursus insidians factus est mihi leo in absconditis
He is a bear that lies in wait for me, a lion in hiding ready to attack,
11 DELETH semitas meas subvertit et confregit me posuit me desolatam
He dragged me from my path and ripped me to pieces, leaving me helpless.
12 DELETH tetendit arcum suum et posuit me quasi signum ad sagittam
He loaded his bow with an arrow and used me as his target,
13 HE misit in renibus meis filias faretrae suae
He shot me in my kidneys with his arrows.
14 HE factus sum in derisu omni populo meo canticum eorum tota die
Now everyone laughs at me, singing songs that mock me all day long.
15 HE replevit me amaritudinibus inebriavit me absinthio
He has filled me with bitterness; he has filled me up with bitter wormwood.
16 VAV et fregit ad numerum dentes meos cibavit me cinere
He has broken my teeth with grit; he has trampled me in the dust.
17 VAV et repulsa est anima mea oblitus sum bonorum
Peace has been torn away from me; I've forgotten all that's good in life.
18 VAV et dixi periit finis meus et spes mea a Domino
That's why I say, “My expectation of a long life is gone, along with all that I hoped for from Lord.
19 ZAI recordare paupertatis et transgressionis meae absinthii et fellis
Don't forget everything I've suffered in my wandering, as bitters as wormwood and poison.
20 ZAI memoria memor ero et tabescet in me anima mea
I certainly haven't forgotten. I remember it all too well, so I sink into depression.
21 ZAI hoc recolens in corde meo ideo sperabo
But I still hope when I think about this:
22 HETH misericordiae Domini quia non sumus consumpti quia non defecerunt miserationes eius
It's because of the Lord's trustworthy love that our lives are not finished, for through his merciful actions he never lets us down.
23 HETH novae diluculo multa est fides tua
He renews them every morning. How wonderfully trustworthy you are, Lord!
24 HETH pars mea Dominus dixit anima mea propterea expectabo eum
The Lord is all I need,” I tell myself, “so I will put my hope in him.”
25 TETH bonus est Dominus sperantibus in eum animae quaerenti illum
The Lord is good to those who trust in him, to anyone who seeks to follow him.
26 TETH bonum est praestolari cum silentio salutare Domini
It is good to wait quietly for the Lord's salvation.
27 TETH bonum est viro cum portaverit iugum ab adulescentia sua
It is good for people to learn to patiently bear discipline while they're still young.
28 IOTH sedebit solitarius et tacebit quia levavit super se
They should sit by themselves in silence, because it's God who has disciplined them.
29 IOTH ponet in pulvere os suum si forte sit spes
They should bow low with their faces to the ground, for there may still be hope.
30 IOTH dabit percutienti se maxillam saturabitur obprobriis
They should turn a cheek to someone who wants to slap them; they should take the insults of others.
31 CAPH quia non repellet in sempiternum Dominus
For the Lord won't abandon us forever.
32 CAPH quia si abiecit et miserebitur secundum multitudinem misericordiarum suarum
Even though he may bring sadness, he shows us mercy because his trustworthy love is so great.
33 CAPH non enim humiliavit ex corde suo et abiecit filios hominis
For he doesn't willingly hurt people, or cause them grief.
34 LAMED ut contereret sub pedibus suis omnes vinctos terrae
Whether it's mistreating all the prisoners of the land,
35 LAMED ut declinaret iudicium viri in conspectu vultus Altissimi
Or denying someone their rights as the Most High watches,
36 LAMED ut perverteret hominem in iudicio suo Dominus ignoravit
Or cheating someone in their legal case—these things the Lord doesn't approve of.
37 MEM quis est iste qui dixit ut fieret Domino non iubente
Who spoke and it came into existence? Wasn't it the Lord who commanded it?
38 MEM ex ore Altissimi non egredientur nec mala nec bona
When the Most High speaks it can be a disaster or a blessing.
39 MEM quid murmuravit homo vivens vir pro peccatis suis
Why should any human being complain about the results of their sins?
40 NUN scrutemur vias nostras et quaeramus et revertamur ad Dominum
We should look at ourselves, examine what we're doing, and return to the Lord.
41 NUN levemus corda nostra cum manibus ad Dominum in caelos
Let's not just hold up our hands to God in heaven, but our minds as well, saying,
42 NUN nos inique egimus et ad iracundiam provocavimus idcirco tu inexorabilis es
“We are the ones who sinned; we are the ones who rebelled; and you haven't forgiven us!”
43 SAMECH operuisti in furore et percussisti nos occidisti nec pepercisti
You have wrapped yourself in anger and chased us down, killing without mercy. You have killed without pity.
44 SAMECH opposuisti nubem tibi ne transeat oratio
You have wrapped yourself with a cloud that no prayer can penetrate.
45 SAMECH eradicationem et abiectionem posuisti me in medio populorum
You have made us waste and refuse to the nations around.
46 FE aperuerunt super nos os suum omnes inimici
All our enemies open their mouths to criticize us.
47 FE formido et laqueus facta est nobis vaticinatio et contritio
We're terrified and trapped, devastated and destroyed.
48 FE divisiones aquarum deduxit oculus meus in contritione filiae populi mei
Tears stream from my eyes over the death of my people.
49 AIN oculus meus adflictus est nec tacuit eo quod non esset requies
My eyes overflow with tears all the time. They won't stop
50 AIN donec respiceret et videret Dominus de caelis
Until the Lord looks down from heaven and sees what's going on.
51 AIN oculus meus depraedatus est animam meam in cunctis filiabus urbis meae
What I've seen torments me because of what's happened to all the women in my city.
52 SADE venatione ceperunt me quasi avem inimici mei gratis
For no reason my enemies trapped me like a bird.
53 SADE lapsa est in lacu vita mea et posuerunt lapidem super me
They tried to kill me by tossing me into a pit and throwing stones at me.
54 SADE inundaverunt aquae super caput meum dixi perii
Water flooded over my head, and I thought I was going to die.
55 COPH invocavi nomen tuum Domine de lacis novissimis
I called out for you, Lord, from deep inside the pit.
56 COPH vocem meam audisti ne avertas aurem tuam a singultu meo et clamoribus
You heard me when I prayed, “Please don't ignore my cry for help.”
57 COPH adpropinquasti in die quando invocavi te dixisti ne timeas
You came to me when I called you, and you told me, “Don't be afraid!”
58 RES iudicasti Domine causam animae meae redemptor vitae meae
You have taken my case and defended me; you have saved my life!
59 RES vidisti Domine iniquitatem adversum me iudica iudicium meum
Lord, you have seen the injustices done to me; please vindicate me!
60 RES vidisti omnem furorem universas cogitationes eorum adversum me
You have observed how vengeful they are and how often they've plotted against me.
61 SEN audisti obprobria eorum Domine omnes cogitationes eorum adversum me
Lord, you have heard how they've insulted me, and what they've plotted against me,
62 SEN labia insurgentium mihi et meditationes eorum adversum me tota die
How my enemies talk against me and complain about me all the time!
63 SEN sessionem eorum et resurrectionem eorum vide ego sum psalmus eorum
Just look! Whether they're sitting down and or standing up, they go on making fun of me in their songs.
64 THAU reddes eis vicem Domine iuxta opera manuum suarum
Pay them back as they deserve, Lord, for all they've done!
65 THAU dabis eis scutum cordis laborem tuum
Give them a covering for their minds! May your curse be on them!
66 THAU persequeris in furore et conteres eos sub caelis Domine
Chase them down in your anger, Lord, and get rid of them from the earth!
