The Book of Lamentations, Chapter 1איכה 1

אֵיכָ֣ה יָשְׁבָ֣ה בָדָ֗ד הָעִיר֙ רַבָּ֣תִי עָ֔ם הָיְתָ֖ה כְּאַלְמָנָ֑ה רַּבָּ֣תִי בַגּוֹיִ֗ם שָׂרָ֨תִי֙ בַּמְּדִינ֔וֹת הָיְתָ֖ה לָמַֽס

How does the city sit solitary, full of people! is she become as a widow! she great among the nations, princess among the provinces, is she become tributary!

בָּכ֨וֹ תִבְכֶּ֜ה בַּלַּ֗יְלָה וְדִמְעָתָהּ֙ עַ֣ל לֶֽחֱיָ֔הּ אֵֽין לָ֥הּ מְנַחֵ֖ם מִכָּל אֹהֲבֶ֑יהָ כָּל רֵעֶ֨יהָ֙ בָּ֣גְדוּ בָ֔הּ הָ֥יוּ לָ֖הּ לְאֹיְבִֽים

She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears on her cheeks: among all her lovers she has none to comfort : all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.

גָּֽלְתָ֨ה יְהוּדָ֤ה מֵעֹ֨נִי֙ וּמֵרֹ֣ב עֲבֹדָ֔ה הִ֚יא יָשְׁבָ֣ה בַגּוֹיִ֔ם לֹ֥א מָצְאָ֖ה מָנ֑וֹחַ כָּל רֹדְפֶ֥יהָ הִשִּׂיג֖וּהָ בֵּ֥ין הַמְּצָרִֽים

Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.

דַּרְכֵ֨י צִיּ֜וֹן אֲבֵל֗וֹת מִבְּלִי֙ בָּאֵ֣י מוֹעֵ֔ד כָּל שְׁעָרֶ֨יהָ֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ין כֹּהֲנֶ֖יהָ נֶאֱנָחִ֑ים בְּתוּלֹתֶ֥יהָ נּוּג֖וֹת וְהִ֥יא מַר לָֽהּ

The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she in bitterness.

הָי֨וּ צָרֶ֤יהָ לְרֹאשׁ֙ אֹיְבֶ֣יהָ שָׁל֔וּ כִּֽי יְהוָ֥ה הוֹגָ֖הּ עַ֣ל רֹב פְּשָׁעֶ֑יהָ עוֹלָלֶ֛יהָ הָלְכ֥וּ שְׁבִ֖י לִפְנֵי צָֽר

Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for YHWH has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.

וַיֵּצֵ֥א מן בת מִבַּת צִיּ֖וֹן כָּל הֲדָרָ֑הּ הָי֣וּ שָׂרֶ֗יהָ כְּאַיָּלִים֙ לֹא מָצְא֣וּ מִרְעֶ֔ה וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ בְלֹא כֹ֖חַ לִפְנֵ֥י רוֹדֵֽף

And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.

זָֽכְרָ֣ה יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם יְמֵ֤י עָנְיָהּ֙ וּמְרוּדֶ֔יהָ כֹּ֚ל מַחֲמֻדֶ֔יהָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֖וּ מִ֣ימֵי קֶ֑דֶם בִּנְפֹ֧ל עַמָּ֣הּ בְּיַד צָ֗ר וְאֵ֤ין עוֹזֵר֙ לָ֔הּ רָא֣וּהָ צָרִ֔ים שָׂחֲק֖וּ עַ֥ל מִשְׁבַּתֶּֽהָ

Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, did mock at her sabbaths.

חֵ֤טְא חָֽטְאָה֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם עַל כֵּ֖ן לְנִידָ֣ה הָיָ֑תָה כָּֽל מְכַבְּדֶ֤יהָ הִזִּיל֨וּהָ֙ כִּי רָא֣וּ עֶרְוָתָ֔הּ גַּם הִ֥יא נֶאֶנְחָ֖ה וַתָּ֥שָׁב אָחֽוֹר

Jerusalem has grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.

טֻמְאָתָ֣הּ בְּשׁוּלֶ֗יהָ לֹ֤א זָֽכְרָה֙ אַחֲרִיתָ֔הּ וַתֵּ֣רֶד פְּלָאִ֔ים אֵ֥ין מְנַחֵ֖ם לָ֑הּ רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֶת עָנְיִ֔י כִּ֥י הִגְדִּ֖יל אוֹיֵֽב

Her filthiness in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O YHWH, behold my affliction: for the enemy has magnified .

יָדוֹ֙ פָּ֣רַשׂ צָ֔ר עַ֖ל כָּל מַחֲמַדֶּ֑יהָ כִּֽי רָאֲתָ֤ה גוֹיִם֙ בָּ֣אוּ מִקְדָּשָׁ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּ֔יתָה לֹא יָבֹ֥אוּ בַקָּהָ֖ל לָֽךְ

The adversary has spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she has seen the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom you didst command they should not enter into your congregation.

כָּל עַמָּ֤הּ נֶאֱנָחִים֙ מְבַקְּשִׁ֣ים לֶ֔חֶם נָתְנ֧וּ מחמודיהם מַחֲמַדֵּיהֶ֛ם בְּאֹ֖כֶל לְהָשִׁ֣יב נָ֑פֶשׁ רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ וְֽהַבִּ֔יטָה כִּ֥י הָיִ֖יתִי זוֹלֵלָֽה

All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O YHWH, and consider; for I am become vile.

ל֣וֹא אֲלֵיכֶם֮ כָּל עֹ֣בְרֵי דֶרֶךְ֒ הַבִּ֣יטוּ וּרְא֗וּ אִם יֵ֤שׁ מַכְאוֹב֙ כְּמַכְאֹבִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר עוֹלַ֖ל לִ֑י אֲשֶׁר֙ הוֹגָ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה בְּי֖וֹם חֲר֥וֹן אַפּֽוֹ

nothing to you, all you that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow, which is done to me, wherewith YHWH has afflicted in the day of his fierce anger.

מִמָּר֛וֹם שָֽׁלַח אֵ֥שׁ בְּעַצְמֹתַ֖י וַיִּרְדֶּ֑נָּה פָּרַ֨שׂ רֶ֤שֶׁת לְרַגְלַי֙ הֱשִׁיבַ֣נִי אָח֔וֹר נְתָנַ֨נִי֙ שֹֽׁמֵמָ֔ה כָּל הַיּ֖וֹם דָּוָֽה

From above has he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he has spread a net for my feet, he has turned me back: he has made me desolate faint all the day.

נִשְׂקַד֩ עֹ֨ל פְּשָׁעַ֜י בְּיָד֗וֹ יִשְׂתָּֽרְג֛וּ עָל֥וּ עַל צַוָּארִ֖י הִכְשִׁ֣יל כֹּחִ֑י נְתָנַ֣נִי אֲדֹנָ֔י בִּידֵ֖י לֹא אוּכַ֥ל קֽוּם

The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, come up upon my neck: he has made my strength to fall, YHWH has delivered me into hands, I am not able to rise up.

סִלָּ֨ה כָל אַבִּירַ֤י אֲדֹנָי֙ בְּקִרְבִּ֔י קָרָ֥א עָלַ֛י מוֹעֵ֖ד לִשְׁבֹּ֣ר בַּחוּרָ֑י גַּ֚ת דָּרַ֣ךְ אֲדֹנָ֔י לִבְתוּלַ֖ת בַּת יְהוּדָֽה

YHWH has trodden under foot all my mighty in the midst of me: he has called an assembly against me to crush my young men: YHWH has trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, in a winepress.

עַל אֵ֣לֶּה אֲנִ֣י בוֹכִיָּ֗ה עֵינִ֤י עֵינִי֙ יֹ֣רְדָה מַּ֔יִם כִּֽי רָחַ֥ק מִמֶּ֛נִּי מְנַחֵ֖ם מֵשִׁ֣יב נַפְשִׁ֑י הָי֤וּ בָנַי֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ים כִּ֥י גָבַ֖ר אוֹיֵֽב

For these I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.

פֵּֽרְשָׂ֨ה צִיּ֜וֹן בְּיָדֶ֗יהָ אֵ֤ין מְנַחֵם֙ לָ֔הּ צִוָּ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה לְיַעֲקֹ֖ב סְבִיבָ֣יו צָרָ֑יו הָיְתָ֧ה יְרוּשָׁלִַ֛ם לְנִדָּ֖ה בֵּינֵיהֶֽם

Zion spreadeth forth her hands, none to comfort her: YHWH has commanded concerning Jacob, his adversaries round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.

צַדִּ֥יק ה֛וּא יְהוָ֖ה כִּ֣י פִ֣יהוּ מָרִ֑יתִי שִׁמְעוּ נָ֣א כָל עמים הָֽעַמִּ֗ים וּרְאוּ֙ מַכְאֹבִ֔י בְּתוּלֹתַ֥י וּבַחוּרַ֖י הָלְכ֥וּ בַשֶּֽׁבִי

YHWH is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.

קָרָ֤אתִי לַֽמְאַהֲבַי֙ הֵ֣מָּה רִמּ֔וּנִי כֹּהֲנַ֥י וּזְקֵנַ֖י בָּעִ֣יר גָּוָ֑עוּ כִּֽי בִקְשׁ֥וּ אֹ֨כֶל֙ לָ֔מוֹ וְיָשִׁ֖יבוּ אֶת נַפְשָֽׁם

I called for my lovers, they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.

רְאֵ֨ה יְהוָ֤ה כִּֽי צַר לִי֙ מֵעַ֣י חֳמַרְמָ֔רוּ נֶהְפַּ֤ךְ לִבִּי֙ בְּקִרְבִּ֔י כִּ֥י מָר֖וֹ מָרִ֑יתִי מִח֥וּץ שִׁכְּלָה חֶ֖רֶב בַּבַּ֥יִת כַּמָּֽוֶת

Behold, O YHWH; for I in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home as death.

שָׁמְע֞וּ כִּ֧י נֶאֱנָחָ֣ה אָ֗נִי אֵ֤ין מְנַחֵם֙ לִ֔י כָּל אֹ֨יְבַ֜י שָׁמְע֤וּ רָֽעָתִי֙ שָׂ֔שׂוּ כִּ֥י אַתָּ֖ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ הֵבֵ֥אתָ יוֹם קָרָ֖אתָ וְיִֽהְי֥וּ כָמֽוֹנִי

They have heard that I sigh: none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that you have done : you will bring the day you have called, and they shall be like to me.

תָּבֹ֨א כָל רָעָתָ֤ם לְפָנֶ֨יךָ֙ וְעוֹלֵ֣ל לָ֔מוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עוֹלַ֛לְתָּ לִ֖י עַ֣ל כָּל פְּשָׁעָ֑י כִּֽי רַבּ֥וֹת אַנְחֹתַ֖י וְלִבִּ֥י דַוָּֽי

Let all their wickedness come before you; and do to them, as you have done to me for all my transgressions: for my sighs many, and my heart faint.