Lamentations 3
1 I am the man who has experienced suffering under the rod of God's anger.
ALEPH. Ego vir videns paupertatem meam in virga indignationis eius.
2 He has driven me away, forcing me to walk in darkness instead of the light.
ALEPH. Me minavit, et adduxit in tenebras, et non in lucem.
3 In fact he hits me again and again all day long.
ALEPH. Tantum in me vertit, et convertit manum suam tota die.
4 He has worn me out; he has broken me in pieces.
BETH. Vetustam fecit pellem meam, et carnem meam, contrivit ossa mea.
5 He has besieged me, surrounding me with bitterness and misery.
BETH. Ædificavit in gyro meo, et circumdedit me felle, et labore.
6 He has forced me to live in darkness like those long dead.
BETH. In tenebrosis collocavit me, quasi mortuos sempiternos.
7 He has built a wall around me so I can't escape; he has bound me with heavy chains.
GHIMEL. Circumædificavit adversum me, ut non egrediar: aggravavit compedem meum.
8 Even when I keep on crying out for help, he refuses to listen to my prayer.
GHIMEL. Sed et cum clamavero, et rogavero, exclusit orationem meam.
9 He has put stone blocks in my way and sends me down crooked paths.
GHIMEL. Conclusit vias meas lapidibus quadris, semitas meas subvertit.
10 He is a bear that lies in wait for me, a lion in hiding ready to attack,
DALETH. Ursus insidians factus est mihi: leo in absconditis.
11 He dragged me from my path and ripped me to pieces, leaving me helpless.
DALETH. Semitas meas subvertit, et confregit me: posuit me desolatam.
12 He loaded his bow with an arrow and used me as his target,
DALETH. Tetendit arcum suum, et posuit me quasi signum ad sagittam.
13 He shot me in my kidneys with his arrows.
HE. Misit in renibus meis filias pharetræ suæ.
14 Now everyone laughs at me, singing songs that mock me all day long.
HE. Factus sum in derisum omni populo meo, canticum eorum tota die.
15 He has filled me with bitterness; he has filled me up with bitter wormwood.
HE. Replevit me amaritudinibus, inebriavit me absynthio.
16 He has broken my teeth with grit; he has trampled me in the dust.
VAU. Et fregit ad numerum dentes meos, cibavit me cinere.
17 Peace has been torn away from me; I've forgotten all that's good in life.
VAU. Et repulsa est a pace anima mea, oblitus sum bonorum.
18 That's why I say, “My expectation of a long life is gone, along with all that I hoped for from Lord.
VAU. Et dixi: Periit finis meus, et spes mea a Domino.
19 Don't forget everything I've suffered in my wandering, as bitters as wormwood and poison.
ZAIN. Recordare paupertatis, et transgressionis meæ, absinthii, et fellis.
20 I certainly haven't forgotten. I remember it all too well, so I sink into depression.
ZAIN. Memoria memor ero, et tabescet in me anima mea.
21 But I still hope when I think about this:
ZAIN. Hæc recolens in corde meo, ideo sperabo.
22 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.
HETH. Misericordiæ Domini quia non sumus consumpti: quia non defecerunt miserationes eius.
23 He renews them every morning. How wonderfully trustworthy you are, Lord!
HETH. Novi diluculo, multa est fides tua.
24 The Lord is all I need,” I tell myself, “so I will put my hope in him.”
HETH. Pars mea Dominus, dixit anima mea: propterea expectabo eum.
25 The Lord is good to those who trust in him, to anyone who seeks to follow him.
TETH. Bonus est Dominus sperantibus in eum, animæ quærenti illum.
26 It is good to wait quietly for the Lord's salvation.
TETH. Bonum est præstolari cum silentio salutare Dei.
27 It is good for people to learn to patiently bear discipline while they're still young.
TETH. Bonum est viro, cum portaverit iugum ab adolescentia sua.
28 They should sit by themselves in silence, because it's God who has disciplined them.
IOD. Sedebit solitarius, et tacebit: quia levavit super se.
29 They should bow low with their faces to the ground, for there may still be hope.
IOD. Ponet in pulvere os suum, si forte sit spes.
30 They should turn a cheek to someone who wants to slap them; they should take the insults of others.
IOD. Dabit percutienti se maxillam, saturabitur opprobriis.
31 For the Lord won't abandon us forever.
CAPH. Quia non repellet in sempiternum Dominus.
32 Even though he may bring sadness, he shows us mercy because his trustworthy love is so great.
CAPH. Quia si abiecit, et miserebitur secundum multitudinem misericordiarum suarum.
33 For he doesn't willingly hurt people, or cause them grief.
CAPH. Non enim humiliavit ex corde suo, et abiecit filios hominum,
34 Whether it's mistreating all the prisoners of the land,
LAMED. Ut conteret sub pedibus suis omnes vinctos terræ,
35 Or denying someone their rights as the Most High watches,
LAMED. Ut declinaret iudicium viri in conspectu vultus Altissimi.
36 Or cheating someone in their legal case—these things the Lord doesn't approve of.
LAMED. Ut perverteret hominem in iudicio suo, Dominus ignoravit.
37 Who spoke and it came into existence? Wasn't it the Lord who commanded it?
MEM. Quis est iste, qui dixit ut fieret, Domino non iubente?
38 When the Most High speaks it can be a disaster or a blessing.
MEM. Ex ore Altissimi non egredientur nec mala nec bona?
39 Why should any human being complain about the results of their sins?
MEM. Quid murmuravit homo vivens, vir pro peccatis suis?
40 We should look at ourselves, examine what we're doing, and return to the Lord.
NUN. Scrutemur vias nostras, et quæramus, et revertamur ad Dominum.
41 Let's not just hold up our hands to God in heaven, but our minds as well, saying,
NUN. Levemus corda nostra cum manibus ad Dominum in cælos.
42 “We are the ones who sinned; we are the ones who rebelled; and you haven't forgiven us!”
NUN. Nos inique egimus, et ad iracundiam provocavimus: idcirco tu inexorabilis es.
43 You have wrapped yourself in anger and chased us down, killing without mercy. You have killed without pity.
SAMECH. Operuisti in furore, et percussisti nos: occidisti, nec pepercisti.
44 You have wrapped yourself with a cloud that no prayer can penetrate.
SAMECH. Opposuisti nubem tibi, ne transeat oratio.
45 You have made us waste and refuse to the nations around.
SAMECH. Eradicationem, et abiectionem posuisti me in medio populorum.
46 All our enemies open their mouths to criticize us.
PHE. Aperuerunt super nos os suum omnes inimici.
47 We're terrified and trapped, devastated and destroyed.
PHE. Formido, et laqueus facta est nobis vaticinatio, et contritio.
48 Tears stream from my eyes over the death of my people.
PHE. Divisiones aquarum deduxit oculus meus, in contritione filiæ populi mei.
49 My eyes overflow with tears all the time. They won't stop
AIN. Oculus meus afflictus est, nec tacuit, eo quod non esset requies,
50 Until the Lord looks down from heaven and sees what's going on.
AIN. Donec respiceret et videret Dominus de cælis.
51 What I've seen torments me because of what's happened to all the women in my city.
AIN. Oculus meus deprædatus est animam meam in cunctis filiabus urbis meæ.
52 For no reason my enemies trapped me like a bird.
SADE. Venatione ceperunt me quasi avem inimici mei gratis.
53 They tried to kill me by tossing me into a pit and throwing stones at me.
SADE. Lapsa est in lacum vita mea, et posuerunt lapidem super me.
54 Water flooded over my head, and I thought I was going to die.
SADE. Inundaverunt aquæ super caput meum: dixi: Perii.
55 I called out for you, Lord, from deep inside the pit.
COPH. Invocavi nomen tuum Domine de lacu novissimo.
56 You heard me when I prayed, “Please don't ignore my cry for help.”
COPH. Vocem meam audisti: ne avertas aurem tuam a singultu meo, et clamoribus.
57 You came to me when I called you, and you told me, “Don't be afraid!”
COPH. Appropinquasti in die, quando invocavi te: dixisti: Ne timeas.
58 You have taken my case and defended me; you have saved my life!
RES. Iudicasti Domine causam animæ meæ, redemptor vitæ meæ.
59 Lord, you have seen the injustices done to me; please vindicate me!
RES. Vidisti Domine iniquitatem illorum adversum me: iudica iudicium meum.
60 You have observed how vengeful they are and how often they've plotted against me.
RES. Vidisti omnem furorem, universas cogitationes eorum adversum me.
61 Lord, you have heard how they've insulted me, and what they've plotted against me,
SIN. Audisti opprobrium eorum Domine, omnes cogitationes eorum adversum me:
62 How my enemies talk against me and complain about me all the time!
SIN. Labia insurgentium mihi; et meditationes eorum adversum me tota die.
63 Just look! Whether they're sitting down and or standing up, they go on making fun of me in their songs.
SIN. Sessionem eorum, et resurrectionem eorum vide, ego sum psalmus eorum.
64 Pay them back as they deserve, Lord, for all they've done!
THAU. Redes eis vicem Domine iuxta opera manuum suarum.
65 Give them a covering for their minds! May your curse be on them!
THAU. Dabis eis scutum cordis laborem tuum.
66 Chase them down in your anger, Lord, and get rid of them from the earth!
THAU. Persequeris in furore, et conteres eos sub cælis Domine.
