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 tenebras, 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. Ædificavit 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 collocavit me, quasi mortuos sempiternos.
In dark places He has caused me to dwell, As the dead of old.
7 GHIMEL. Circumædificavit adversum me, ut non egrediar: aggravavit compedem meum.
He has hedged me in, and I do not go out, He has made heavy my chain.
8 GHIMEL. Sed et cum clamavero, et rogavero, exclusit orationem meam.
Also when I call and cry out, He has shut out my prayer.
9 GHIMEL. Conclusit vias meas lapidibus quadris, semitas meas subvertit.
He has hedged my ways with hewn work, My paths He has made crooked.
10 DALETH. Ursus insidians factus est mihi: leo in absconditis.
A bear lying in wait He [is] to me, A lion in secret hiding places.
11 DALETH. 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 DALETH. 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 pharetræ suæ.
He has caused to enter into my reins The sons of His quiver.
14 HE. Factus sum in derisum 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 absynthio.
He has filled me with bitter things, He has filled me [with] wormwood.
16 VAU. Et fregit ad numerum dentes meos, cibavit me cinere.
And He breaks with gravel my teeth, He has covered me with ashes.
17 VAU. Et repulsa est a pace anima mea, oblitus sum bonorum.
And You cast off my soul from peace, I have forgotten prosperity.
18 VAU. Et dixi: Periit finis meus, et spes mea a Domino.
And I say, My strength and my hope have perished from YHWH.
19 ZAIN. Recordare paupertatis, et transgressionis meæ, absinthii, et fellis.
Remember my affliction and my mourning, Wormwood and gall!
20 ZAIN. Memoria memor ero, et tabescet in me anima mea.
Remember well, and my soul bows down in me.
21 ZAIN. Hæc recolens in corde meo, ideo sperabo.
This I turn to my heart—therefore I hope.
22 HETH. Misericordiæ 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. Novi 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, animæ quærenti illum.
YHWH [is] good to those waiting for Him, To the soul [that] seeks Him.
26 TETH. Bonum est præstolari cum silentio salutare Dei.
[It is] good when one stays and stands still For the salvation of YHWH.
27 TETH. Bonum est viro, cum portaverit iugum ab adolescentia sua.
[It is] good for a man that he bears a yoke in his youth.
28 IOD. Sedebit solitarius, et tacebit: quia levavit super se.
He sits alone, and is silent, For He has laid [it] on him.
29 IOD. Ponet in pulvere os suum, si forte sit spes.
He puts his mouth in the dust, if so be, there is hope.
30 IOD. Dabit percutienti se maxillam, saturabitur opprobriis.
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 hominum,
For He has not afflicted with His heart, Nor does He grieve the sons of men.
34 LAMED. Ut conteret sub pedibus suis omnes vinctos terræ,
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 quæramus, 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 cælos.
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 PHE. Aperuerunt super nos os suum omnes inimici.
Opened against us their mouth have all our enemies.
47 PHE. Formido, et laqueus facta est nobis vaticinatio, et contritio.
Fear and a snare has been for us, Desolation and destruction.
48 PHE. Divisiones aquarum deduxit oculus meus, in contritione filiæ populi mei.
Streams of water go down my eye, For the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 AIN. Oculus meus afflictus 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 cælis.
Until YHWH looks and sees from the heavens,
51 AIN. Oculus meus deprædatus est animam meam in cunctis filiabus urbis meæ.
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 lacum 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 aquæ 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 lacu novissimo.
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. Appropinquasti 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 animæ meæ, Redemptor vitæ meæ.
You have pleaded, O Lord, the pleadings of my soul, You have redeemed my life.
59 RES. Vidisti Domine iniquitatem illorum 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 SIN. Audisti opprobrium eorum Domine, omnes cogitationes eorum adversum me:
You have heard their reproach, O YHWH, All their thoughts against me,
62 SIN. Labia insurgentium mihi; et meditationes eorum adversum me tota die.
The lips of my withstanders, Even their meditation against me all the day.
63 SIN. 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. Redes 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 cælis Domine.
You pursue in anger, and destroy them, From under the heavens of YHWH!
