Lamentationes 3
1 ALEPH ego vir videns paupertatem meam in virga indignationis eius
I [am] the man [who] hath seen affliction By the rod of His wrath.
2 ALEPH me minavit et adduxit in tenebris et non in lucem
Me He hath led, and causeth to go [in] darkness, and without light.
3 ALEPH tantum in me vertit et convertit manum suam tota die
Surely against me He turneth back, He turneth His hand all the day.
4 BETH vetustam fecit pellem meam et carnem meam contrivit ossa mea
He hath worn out my flesh and my skin. He hath broken my bones.
5 BETH aedificavit in gyro meo et circumdedit me felle et labore
He hath built up against me, And setteth round poverty and weariness.
6 BETH in tenebrosis conlocavit me quasi mortuos sempiternos
In dark places He hath caused me to dwell, As the dead of old.
7 GIMEL circumaedificavit adversum me ut non egrediar adgravavit conpedem meam
He hath hedged me about, and I go not out, He hath made heavy my fetter.
8 GIMEL sed et cum clamavero et rogavero exclusit orationem meam
Also when I call and cry out, He hath shut out my prayer.
9 GIMEL conclusit vias meas lapidibus quadris semitas meas subvertit
He hath hedged my ways with hewn work, My paths He hath 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 pulleth me in pieces, He hath made me a desolation.
12 DELETH tetendit arcum suum et posuit me quasi signum ad sagittam
He hath trodden His bow, And setteth me up as a mark for an arrow.
13 HE misit in renibus meis filias faretrae suae
He hath 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 hath filled me with bitter things, He hath filled me [with] wormwood.
16 VAV et fregit ad numerum dentes meos cibavit me cinere
And He breaketh with gravel my teeth, He hath covered me with ashes.
17 VAV et repulsa est anima mea oblitus sum bonorum
And Thou castest off from peace my soul, I have forgotten prosperity.
18 VAV et dixi periit finis meus et spes mea a Domino
And I say, Perished hath my strength and my hope from Jehovah.
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 bow down doth my soul 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 Jehovah! For we have not been consumed, For not ended have His mercies.
23 HETH novae diluculo multa est fides tua
New every morning, abundant [is] thy faithfulness.
24 HETH pars mea Dominus dixit anima mea propterea expectabo eum
My portion [is] Jehovah, hath my soul said, Therefore I hope for Him.
25 TETH bonus est Dominus sperantibus in eum animae quaerenti illum
Good [is] Jehovah to those waiting for Him, To the soul [that] seeketh Him.
26 TETH bonum est praestolari cum silentio salutare Domini
Good! when one doth stay and stand still For the salvation of Jehovah.
27 TETH bonum est viro cum portaverit iugum ab adulescentia sua
Good for a man that he beareth a yoke in his youth.
28 IOTH sedebit solitarius et tacebit quia levavit super se
He sitteth alone, and is silent, For He hath laid [it] upon him.
29 IOTH ponet in pulvere os suum si forte sit spes
He putteth in the dust his mouth, if so be there is hope.
30 IOTH dabit percutienti se maxillam saturabitur obprobriis
He giveth to his smiter the cheek, He is filled with reproach.
31 CAPH quia non repellet in sempiternum Dominus
For the Lord doth not cast off to the age.
32 CAPH quia si abiecit et miserebitur secundum multitudinem misericordiarum suarum
For though He afflicted, yet He hath pitied, According to the abundance of His kindness.
33 CAPH non enim humiliavit ex corde suo et abiecit filios hominis
For He hath not afflicted with His heart, Nor doth 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, Over-against 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 hath not approved.
37 MEM quis est iste qui dixit ut fieret Domino non iubente
Who [is] this — he hath said, and it is, [And] the Lord hath not commanded [it]?
38 MEM ex ore Altissimi non egredientur nec mala nec bona
From the mouth of the Most High Go not forth the evils and the good.
39 MEM quid murmuravit homo vivens vir pro peccatis suis
What — sigh habitually doth a living man, 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 unto Jehovah.
41 NUN levemus corda nostra cum manibus ad Dominum in caelos
We lift up our heart on the hands unto God in the heavens.
42 NUN nos inique egimus et ad iracundiam provocavimus idcirco tu inexorabilis es
We — we have transgressed and rebelled, Thou — Thou hast not forgiven.
43 SAMECH operuisti in furore et percussisti nos occidisti nec pepercisti
Thou hast covered Thyself with anger, And dost pursue us; Thou hast slain — Thou hast not pitied.
44 SAMECH opposuisti nubem tibi ne transeat oratio
Thou hast covered Thyself with a cloud, So that prayer doth not pass through.
45 SAMECH eradicationem et abiectionem posuisti me in medio populorum
Offscouring and refuse Thou dost 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 hath been for us, Desolation and destruction.
48 FE divisiones aquarum deduxit oculus meus in contritione filiae populi mei
Rivulets 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
Mine eye is poured out, And doth not cease without intermission,
50 AIN donec respiceret et videret Dominus de caelis
Till Jehovah looketh and seeth from the heavens,
51 AIN oculus meus depraedatus est animam meam in cunctis filiabus urbis meae
My eye affecteth my soul, Because of all the daughters of my city.
52 SADE venatione ceperunt me quasi avem inimici mei gratis
Hunted me sore as a bird have my enemies without cause.
53 SADE lapsa est in lacu vita mea et posuerunt lapidem super me
They have cut off in a pit my life, And they cast a stone against me.
54 SADE inundaverunt aquae super caput meum dixi perii
Flowed have waters over my head, I have said, I have been cut off.
55 COPH invocavi nomen tuum Domine de lacis novissimis
I called Thy name, O Jehovah, from the lower pit.
56 COPH vocem meam audisti ne avertas aurem tuam a singultu meo et clamoribus
My voice Thou hast heard, Hide not Thine ear at my breathing — at my cry.
57 COPH adpropinquasti in die quando invocavi te dixisti ne timeas
Thou hast drawn near in the day I call Thee, Thou hast said, Fear not.
58 RES iudicasti Domine causam animae meae redemptor vitae meae
Thou hast pleaded, O Lord, the pleadings of my soul, Thou hast redeemed my life.
59 RES vidisti Domine iniquitatem adversum me iudica iudicium meum
Thou hast seen, O Jehovah, my overthrow, Judge Thou my cause.
60 RES vidisti omnem furorem universas cogitationes eorum adversum me
Thou hast seen all their vengeance, All their thoughts of me.
61 SEN audisti obprobria eorum Domine omnes cogitationes eorum adversum me
Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, 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
Thou returnest to them the deed, O Jehovah, According to the work of their hands.
65 THAU dabis eis scutum cordis laborem tuum
Thou givest to them a covered heart, Thy curse to them.
66 THAU persequeris in furore et conteres eos sub caelis Domine
Thou pursuest in anger, and destroyest them, From under the heavens of Jehovah!
