Lamentationes 3
1 ALEPH ego vir videns paupertatem meam in virga indignationis eius
[ALEPH-BET] I [am] the man [who] has seen affliction By the rod of His wrath.
2 ALEPH me minavit et adduxit in tenebris et non in lucem
He has led me, and causes to go [in] darkness, and without light.
3 ALEPH tantum in me vertit et convertit manum suam tota die
Surely against me He turns back, He turns His hand all the day.
4 BETH vetustam fecit pellem meam et carnem meam contrivit ossa mea
He has worn out my flesh and my skin. He has broken my bones.
5 BETH aedificavit in gyro meo et circumdedit me felle et labore
He has built up against me, And sets around poverty and weariness.
6 BETH in tenebrosis conlocavit me quasi mortuos sempiternos
In dark places He has caused me to dwell, As the dead of old.
7 GIMEL circumaedificavit adversum me ut non egrediar adgravavit conpedem meam
He has hedged me in, and I do not go out, He has made heavy my chain.
8 GIMEL sed et cum clamavero et rogavero exclusit orationem meam
Also when I call and cry out, He has shut out my prayer.
9 GIMEL conclusit vias meas lapidibus quadris semitas meas subvertit
He has hedged my ways with hewn work, My paths He has made crooked.
10 DELETH ursus insidians factus est mihi leo in absconditis
A bear lying in wait He [is] to me, A lion in secret hiding places.
11 DELETH semitas meas subvertit et confregit me posuit me desolatam
My ways He is turning aside, and He pulls me in pieces, He has made me a desolation.
12 DELETH tetendit arcum suum et posuit me quasi signum ad sagittam
He has bent His bow, And sets me up as a mark for an arrow.
13 HE misit in renibus meis filias faretrae suae
He has caused to enter into my reins The sons of His quiver.
14 HE factus sum in derisu omni populo meo canticum eorum tota die
I have been a derision to all my people, Their song all the day.
15 HE replevit me amaritudinibus inebriavit me absinthio
He has filled me with bitter things, He has filled me [with] wormwood.
16 VAV et fregit ad numerum dentes meos cibavit me cinere
And He breaks with gravel my teeth, He has covered me with ashes.
17 VAV et repulsa est anima mea oblitus sum bonorum
And You cast off my soul from peace, I have forgotten prosperity.
18 VAV et dixi periit finis meus et spes mea a Domino
And I say, My strength and my hope have perished from YHWH.
19 ZAI recordare paupertatis et transgressionis meae absinthii et fellis
Remember my affliction and my mourning, Wormwood and gall!
20 ZAI memoria memor ero et tabescet in me anima mea
Remember well, and my soul bows down in me.
21 ZAI hoc recolens in corde meo ideo sperabo
This I turn to my heart—therefore I hope.
22 HETH misericordiae Domini quia non sumus consumpti quia non defecerunt miserationes eius
The kindnesses of YHWH! For we have not been consumed, For His mercies have not ended.
23 HETH novae diluculo multa est fides tua
New every morning, abundant [is] Your faithfulness.
24 HETH pars mea Dominus dixit anima mea propterea expectabo eum
My portion [is] YHWH, my soul has said, Therefore I hope for Him.
25 TETH bonus est Dominus sperantibus in eum animae quaerenti illum
YHWH [is] good to those waiting for Him, To the soul [that] seeks Him.
26 TETH bonum est praestolari cum silentio salutare Domini
[It is] good when one stays and stands still For the salvation of YHWH.
27 TETH bonum est viro cum portaverit iugum ab adulescentia sua
[It is] good for a man that he bears a yoke in his youth.
28 IOTH sedebit solitarius et tacebit quia levavit super se
He sits alone, and is silent, For He has laid [it] on him.
29 IOTH ponet in pulvere os suum si forte sit spes
He puts his mouth in the dust, if so be, there is hope.
30 IOTH dabit percutienti se maxillam saturabitur obprobriis
He gives to his striker the cheek, He is filled with reproach.
31 CAPH quia non repellet in sempiternum Dominus
For the Lord does not cast off for all time.
32 CAPH quia si abiecit et miserebitur secundum multitudinem misericordiarum suarum
For though He afflicted, yet He has pitied, According to the abundance of His kindness.
33 CAPH non enim humiliavit ex corde suo et abiecit filios hominis
For He has not afflicted with His heart, Nor does He grieve the sons of men.
34 LAMED ut contereret sub pedibus suis omnes vinctos terrae
To bruise under one’s feet any bound ones of earth,
35 LAMED ut declinaret iudicium viri in conspectu vultus Altissimi
To turn aside the judgment of a man, 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 has not approved.
37 MEM quis est iste qui dixit ut fieret Domino non iubente
Who [is] this—he has spoken, and it is, [And] the Lord has not commanded [it]?
38 MEM ex ore Altissimi non egredientur nec mala nec bona
From the mouth of the Most High does not go forth the evils and the good.
39 MEM quid murmuravit homo vivens vir pro peccatis suis
Why does a living man sigh habitually, A man for his sin?
40 NUN scrutemur vias nostras et quaeramus et revertamur ad Dominum
We search our ways, and investigate, And turn back to YHWH.
41 NUN levemus corda nostra cum manibus ad Dominum in caelos
We lift up our heart on the hands to God in the heavens.
42 NUN nos inique egimus et ad iracundiam provocavimus idcirco tu inexorabilis es
We have transgressed and been rebellious, You have not forgiven.
43 SAMECH operuisti in furore et percussisti nos occidisti nec pepercisti
You have covered Yourself with anger, And pursue us; You have slain—You have not pitied.
44 SAMECH opposuisti nubem tibi ne transeat oratio
You have covered Yourself with a cloud, So that prayer does not pass through.
45 SAMECH eradicationem et abiectionem posuisti me in medio populorum
Outcast and refuse You make us In the midst of the peoples.
46 FE aperuerunt super nos os suum omnes inimici
Opened against us their mouth have all our enemies.
47 FE formido et laqueus facta est nobis vaticinatio et contritio
Fear and a snare has been for us, Desolation and destruction.
48 FE divisiones aquarum deduxit oculus meus in contritione filiae populi mei
Streams of water go down my eye, For the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 AIN oculus meus adflictus est nec tacuit eo quod non esset requies
My eye is poured out, And does not cease without intermission,
50 AIN donec respiceret et videret Dominus de caelis
Until YHWH looks and sees from the heavens,
51 AIN oculus meus depraedatus est animam meam in cunctis filiabus urbis meae
My eye affects my soul, Because of all the daughters of my city.
52 SADE venatione ceperunt me quasi avem inimici mei gratis
Hunting—my enemies have hunted me without cause like the bird.
53 SADE lapsa est in lacu vita mea et posuerunt lapidem super me
They have cut off my life in a pit, And they cast a stone against me.
54 SADE inundaverunt aquae super caput meum dixi perii
Waters have flowed over my head, I have said, I have been cut off.
55 COPH invocavi nomen tuum Domine de lacis novissimis
I called Your Name, O YHWH, from the lower pit.
56 COPH vocem meam audisti ne avertas aurem tuam a singultu meo et clamoribus
You have heard my voice, do not hide Your ear at my breathing—at my cry.
57 COPH adpropinquasti in die quando invocavi te dixisti ne timeas
You have drawn near in the day I call You, You have said, Do not fear.
58 RES iudicasti Domine causam animae meae redemptor vitae meae
You have pleaded, O Lord, the pleadings of my soul, You have redeemed my life.
59 RES vidisti Domine iniquitatem adversum me iudica iudicium meum
You have seen, O YHWH, my overthrow, Judge my cause.
60 RES vidisti omnem furorem universas cogitationes eorum adversum me
You have seen all their vengeance, All their thoughts of me.
61 SEN audisti obprobria eorum Domine omnes cogitationes eorum adversum me
You have heard their reproach, O YHWH, All their thoughts against me,
62 SEN labia insurgentium mihi et meditationes eorum adversum me tota die
The lips of my withstanders, Even their meditation against me all the day.
63 SEN sessionem eorum et resurrectionem eorum vide ego sum psalmus eorum
Their sitting down, and their rising up, Behold attentively, I [am] their song.
64 THAU reddes eis vicem Domine iuxta opera manuum suarum
You return to them the deed, O YHWH, According to the work of their hands.
65 THAU dabis eis scutum cordis laborem tuum
You give to them a covered heart, Your curse to them.
66 THAU persequeris in furore et conteres eos sub caelis Domine
You pursue in anger, and destroy them, From under the heavens of YHWH!
