Lamentations 1
1 Aleph. Hou sittith aloone the citee ful of puple? the ladi of folkis is maad as a widewe; the prince of prouynces is maad vndir tribute.
How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! She is become as a widow, that was great among the nations! She that was a princess among the provinces is become tributary!
2 Beth. It wepynge wepte in the niyt, and the teeris therof ben in `the chekis therof; `noon is of alle the dereworthe therof, that coumfortith it; alle the frendis therof forsoken it, and ben maad enemyes to it.
She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; Among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; they are become her enemies.
3 Gymel. Juda passide fro turment and multitude of seruage, it dwellide among hethene men, and foond no reste; alle the pursueris therof token it among angwischis.
Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude; She dwelleth among the nations, she findeth no rest: All her persecutors overtook her within the straits.
4 Deleth. The weies of Sion mourenen, for no men comen to the solempnytee; alle the yatis therof ben distried, the prestis therof weilen; the vergyns therof ben defoulid, and it is oppressid with bitternesse.
The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn assembly; All her gates are desolate, her priests do sigh: Her virgins are afflicted, and she herself is in bitterness.
5 He. The enemyes therof ben maad in the heed, and the enemyes therof ben maad riche, for the Lord spak on it. For the multitude of wickidnessis therof the litle children therof ben led in to caitiftee, bifore the face of the troblere.
Her adversaries are become the head, her enemies prosper; For Jehovah hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: Her young children are gone into captivity before the adversary.
6 Vau. And al the fairnesse of the douyter of Syon yede out fro the douyter of Sion; the princes therof ben maad as rammes not fyndynge lesewis; and yeden forth withouten strengthe bifore the face of the suere.
And from the daughter of Zion all her majesty is departed: Her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, And they are gone without strength before the pursuer.
7 Zai. And Jerusalem bithouyte on the daies of hir affliccioun and of trespassyng, and on alle hir desirable thingis whiche it hadde fro elde daies; whanne the puple therof felle doun in the hond of enemyes, and noon helpere was; enemyes sien it, and scorneden the sabatis therof.
Jerusalem remembereth in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that were from the days of old: When her people fell into the hand of the adversary, and none did help her, The adversaries saw her, they did mock at her desolations.
8 Heth. Jerusalem synnede a synne, therfor it was maad vnstidfast; alle that glorifieden it forsoken it, for thei sien the schenschipe therof; forsothe it weilide, and was turned a bak.
Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is become as an unclean thing; All that honored her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: Yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.
9 Theth. The filthis therof ben in the feet therof, and it hadde no mynde of hir ende; it was putte doun greetli, and hadde no coumfortour; Lord, se thou my turment, for the enemye is reisid.
Her filthiness was in her skirts; she remembered not her latter end; Therefore is she come down wonderfully; she hath no comforter: Behold, O Jehovah, my affliction; for the enemy hath magnified himself.
10 Joth. The enemye putte his hond to alle desirable thingis therof; for it siy hethene men entride in to thi seyntuarie, of which thou haddist comaundid, that thei schulden not entre in to thi chirche.
The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: For she hath seen that the nations are entered into her sanctuary, Concerning whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thine assembly.
11 Caph. Al the puple therof was weilinge and sekynge breed, thei yauen alle preciouse thingis for mete, to coumforte the soule; se thou, Lord, and biholde, for Y am maad vijl.
All her people sigh, they seek bread; They have given their pleasant things for food to refresh the soul: See, O Jehovah, and behold; for I am become abject.
12 Lameth. A! alle ye that passen bi the weie, perseyue, and se, if ony sorewe is as my sorewe; for he gaderide awei grapis fro me, as the Lord spak in the day of wraththe of his strong veniaunce.
Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is brought upon me, Wherewith Jehovah hath afflicted [me] in the day of his fierce anger.
13 Men. Fro an hiy he sente fier in my boonys, and tauyte me; he spredde a brood a net to my feet, he turnede me a bak; he settide me desolat, meddlid togidere al dai with mourenyng.
From on high hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them; He hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: He hath made me desolate and faint all the day.
14 Nun. The yok of my wickidnessis wakide in the hond of hym, tho ben foldid togidere, and put on my necke; my vertu is maad feble; the Lord yaf me in the hond, fro which Y schal not mowe rise.
The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand; They are knit together, they are come up upon my neck; he hath made my strength to fail: The Lord hath delivered me into their hands, against whom I am not able to stand.
15 Sameth. The Lord took awei alle my worschipful men fro the myddis of me; he clepide tyme ayens me, that he schulde al to-foule my chosun men; the Lord stampide a pressour to the virgyn, the douytir of Juda.
The Lord hath set at nought all my mighty men in the midst of me; He hath called a solemn assembly against me to crush my young men: The Lord hath trodden as in a winepress the virgin daughter of Judah.
16 Ayn. Therfor Y am wepynge, and myn iye is ledynge doun watir; for a coumfortour, conuertynge my soule, is maad fer fro me; my sones ben maad lost, for the enemye hadde the maistrie.
For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water; Because the comforter that should refresh my soul is far from me: My children are desolate, because the enemy hath prevailed.
17 Phe. Sion spredde a brood hise hondis, noon is that coumfortith it; the Lord sente ayenus Jacob enemyes therof, in the cumpas therof; Jerusalem is maad as defoulid with vncleene blood among hem.
Zion spreadeth forth her hands; there is none to comfort her; Jehovah hath commanded concerning Jacob, that they that are round about him should be his adversaries: Jerusalem is among them as an unclean thing.
18 Sade. The Lord is iust, for Y terride his mouth to wrathfulnesse; alle puplis, Y biseche, here ye, and se my sorewe; my virgyns and my yonge men yeden forth in to caitiftee.
Jehovah is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: Hear, I pray you, all ye peoples, and behold my sorrow: My virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.
19 Coth. I clepide my frendis, and thei disseyueden me; my prestis and myn elde men in the citee ben wastid; for thei souyten mete to hem silf, to coumforte hir lijf.
I called for my lovers, [but] they deceived me: My priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, While they sought them food to refresh their souls.
20 Res. Se thou, Lord, for Y am troblid, my wombe is disturblid; myn herte is distried in my silf, for Y am ful of bittirnesse; swerd sleeth with outforth, and lijk deth is at hoome.
Behold, O Jehovah; for I am in distress; my heart is troubled; My heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: Abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.
21 Syn. Thei herden, that Y make ynward weilyng, and noon is that coumfortith me; alle myn enemyes herden myn yuel, thei ben glad, for thou hast do; thou hast brouyt a dai of coumfort, and thei schulen be maad lijk me.
They have heard that I sigh; there is none to comfort me; All mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: Thou wilt bring the day that thou hast proclaimed, and they shall be like unto me.
22 Tau. Al the yuel of hem entre byfore thee, and gadere thou grapis awei fro hem, as thou hast gaderid grapis awei fro me; for my wickidnessis, for my weilyngis ben manye, and myn herte is mornynge.
Let all their wickedness come before thee; And do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: For my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.
