Lamentationes 3
1 ALEPH ego vir videns paupertatem meam in virga indignationis eius
I am the man that hath seen affliction under the rod of His wrath;
2 ALEPH me minavit et adduxit in tenebris et non in lucem
He hath led me and brought me into darkness, and not into light;
3 ALEPH tantum in me vertit et convertit manum suam tota die
Yea, against me doth he again and again turn his hand all the day long.
4 BETH vetustam fecit pellem meam et carnem meam contrivit ossa mea
My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
5 BETH aedificavit in gyro meo et circumdedit me felle et labore
He hath builded against me, and encompassed me with bitterness and woe.
6 BETH in tenebrosis conlocavit me quasi mortuos sempiternos
He hath set me in dark places, as those that have long been dead.
7 GIMEL circumaedificavit adversum me ut non egrediar adgravavit conpedem meam
He hath hedged me about, so that I cannot get out; he hath made my chain heavy;
8 GIMEL sed et cum clamavero et rogavero exclusit orationem meam
Yea, when I cry and call aloud, he shutteth out my prayer.
9 GIMEL conclusit vias meas lapidibus quadris semitas meas subvertit
He blocketh up my way with hewn stone; he maketh my paths crooked.
10 DELETH ursus insidians factus est mihi leo in absconditis
A bear lying in wait hath he been to me, a lion in lurking-places.
11 DELETH semitas meas subvertit et confregit me posuit me desolatam
He hath turned aside my ways, and torn me in pieces; he hath made me desolate.
12 DELETH tetendit arcum suum et posuit me quasi signum ad sagittam
He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
13 HE misit in renibus meis filias faretrae suae
He hath caused the sons of his quiver to pierce my reins.
14 HE factus sum in derisu omni populo meo canticum eorum tota die
I have been a laughing-stock to all my people, their song all the day.
15 HE replevit me amaritudinibus inebriavit me absinthio
He hath filled me with bitterness; he hath made me drunk with wormwood.
16 VAV et fregit ad numerum dentes meos cibavit me cinere
He hath also broken my teeth with gravel-stones; He hath covered me with ashes.
17 VAV et repulsa est anima mea oblitus sum bonorum
Yea, thou hast removed my soul far from peace; I have forgotten prosperity.
18 VAV et dixi periit finis meus et spes mea a Domino
And I say, “My confidence and my hope in Jehovah are gone!”
19 ZAI recordare paupertatis et transgressionis meae absinthii et fellis
Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall!
20 ZAI memoria memor ero et tabescet in me anima mea
Yea, thou wilt remember them, for my soul sinketh within me!
21 ZAI hoc recolens in corde meo ideo sperabo
This I recall to my mind; therefore have I hope;
22 HETH misericordiae Domini quia non sumus consumpti quia non defecerunt miserationes eius
It is of the mercy of Jehovah that we are not consumed; yea, his compassion faileth not;
23 HETH novae diluculo multa est fides tua
It is new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.
24 HETH pars mea Dominus dixit anima mea propterea expectabo eum
Jehovah is my portion, saith my soul, therefore do I hope in him.
25 TETH bonus est Dominus sperantibus in eum animae quaerenti illum
Jehovah is good to them that trust in him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26 TETH bonum est praestolari cum silentio salutare Domini
It is good that a man hope, and quietly wait for salvation from Jehovah.
27 TETH bonum est viro cum portaverit iugum ab adulescentia sua
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth;
28 IOTH sedebit solitarius et tacebit quia levavit super se
That he sit alone and keep silence, since He layeth it upon him;
29 IOTH ponet in pulvere os suum si forte sit spes
That he put his mouth in the dust, [[saying to himself, ]] “Perhaps there may be hope!”
30 IOTH dabit percutienti se maxillam saturabitur obprobriis
That he offer his cheek to the smiter; that he be filled with reproach.
31 CAPH quia non repellet in sempiternum Dominus
For the Lord will not cast off forever;
32 CAPH quia si abiecit et miserebitur secundum multitudinem misericordiarum suarum
For though he cause grief, yet doth he have compassion according to his great mercy;
33 CAPH non enim humiliavit ex corde suo et abiecit filios hominis
For he doth not willingly afflict and grieve the children of men.
34 LAMED ut contereret sub pedibus suis omnes vinctos terrae
Doth one trample under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
35 LAMED ut declinaret iudicium viri in conspectu vultus Altissimi
Doth he bend the right of a man before the face of the Most High,
36 LAMED ut perverteret hominem in iudicio suo Dominus ignoravit
Doth he subvert a man in his cause, and shall not the Lord behold it?
37 MEM quis est iste qui dixit ut fieret Domino non iubente
Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord hath not commanded?
38 MEM ex ore Altissimi non egredientur nec mala nec bona
Cometh not evil, as well as good, from the mouth of the Most High?
39 MEM quid murmuravit homo vivens vir pro peccatis suis
Wherefore then murmureth the living man? Let him murmur at his own sin!
40 NUN scrutemur vias nostras et quaeramus et revertamur ad Dominum
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Jehovah!
41 NUN levemus corda nostra cum manibus ad Dominum in caelos
Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the heavens!
42 NUN nos inique egimus et ad iracundiam provocavimus idcirco tu inexorabilis es
We have transgressed; we have rebelled; thou hast not forgiven!
43 SAMECH operuisti in furore et percussisti nos occidisti nec pepercisti
Thou hast hidden thyself in anger, and hast pursued us; thou hast slain and hast not spared;
44 SAMECH opposuisti nubem tibi ne transeat oratio
Thou hast hidden thyself in a cloud, that our prayer may not pass through;
45 SAMECH eradicationem et abiectionem posuisti me in medio populorum
Thou hast made us the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the nations.
46 FE aperuerunt super nos os suum omnes inimici
All our enemies have opened their mouths against us;
47 FE formido et laqueus facta est nobis vaticinatio et contritio
Terror and the pit have come upon us, desolation and destruction;
48 FE divisiones aquarum deduxit oculus meus in contritione filiae populi mei
Mine eye runneth down with streams of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 AIN oculus meus adflictus est nec tacuit eo quod non esset requies
Mine eye trickleth down and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
50 AIN donec respiceret et videret Dominus de caelis
Until Jehovah look down and behold from heaven.
51 AIN oculus meus depraedatus est animam meam in cunctis filiabus urbis meae
Mine eye is painful to me on account of all the daughters of my city.
52 SADE venatione ceperunt me quasi avem inimici mei gratis
They that are my enemies without cause hunt me down like a bird;
53 SADE lapsa est in lacu vita mea et posuerunt lapidem super me
They take away my life in the dungeon; they cast a stone upon me;
54 SADE inundaverunt aquae super caput meum dixi perii
Waters flow over my head; I say, “I am undone!”
55 COPH invocavi nomen tuum Domine de lacis novissimis
I call upon thy name, O Jehovah, from the deep dungeon;
56 COPH vocem meam audisti ne avertas aurem tuam a singultu meo et clamoribus
Hear thou my voice! hide not thine ear from my cry for relief!
57 COPH adpropinquasti in die quando invocavi te dixisti ne timeas
Be near to me, when I call upon thee! Say, “Fear not!”
58 RES iudicasti Domine causam animae meae redemptor vitae meae
Thou maintainest my cause, O Lord; thou redeemest my life!
59 RES vidisti Domine iniquitatem adversum me iudica iudicium meum
Thou, O Jehovah, seest the wrong done to me; Maintain thou my cause!
60 RES vidisti omnem furorem universas cogitationes eorum adversum me
Thou seest all their vengeance, all their devices against me.
61 SEN audisti obprobria eorum Domine omnes cogitationes eorum adversum me
Thou hearest their reproach, O Jehovah, all their devices against me,
62 SEN labia insurgentium mihi et meditationes eorum adversum me tota die
The words of my adversaries, and their machinations against me all the day long!
63 SEN sessionem eorum et resurrectionem eorum vide ego sum psalmus eorum
Behold their sitting down and their rising up! I am their song.
64 THAU reddes eis vicem Domine iuxta opera manuum suarum
Render to them a recompense, O Jehovah, according to the work of their hands!
65 THAU dabis eis scutum cordis laborem tuum
Give them blindness of mind! thy curse be upon them!
66 THAU persequeris in furore et conteres eos sub caelis Domine
Pursue them in thine anger, and destroy them from under Jehovah's heaven!
