The Book of Lamentations, Chapter 2איכה 2

אֵיכָה֩ יָעִ֨יב בְּאַפּ֤וֹ אֲדֹנָי֙ אֶת בַּת צִיּ֔וֹן הִשְׁלִ֤יךְ מִשָּׁמַ֨יִם֙ אֶ֔רֶץ תִּפְאֶ֖רֶת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹא זָכַ֥ר הֲדֹם רַגְלָ֖יו בְּי֥וֹם אַפּֽוֹ

How has YHWH covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, cast down from heaven to the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger!

בִּלַּ֨ע אֲדֹנָ֜י לא וְלֹ֣א חָמַ֗ל אֵ֚ת כָּל נְא֣וֹת יַעֲקֹ֔ב הָרַ֧ס בְּעֶבְרָת֛וֹ מִבְצְרֵ֥י בַת יְהוּדָ֖ה הִגִּ֣יעַ לָאָ֑רֶץ חִלֵּ֥ל מַמְלָכָ֖ה וְשָׂרֶֽיהָ

YHWH has swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and has not pitied: he has thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Judah; he has brought down to the ground: he has polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof.

גָּדַ֣ע בָּֽחֳרִי אַ֗ף כֹּ֚ל קֶ֣רֶן יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הֵשִׁ֥יב אָח֛וֹר יְמִינ֖וֹ מִפְּנֵ֣י אוֹיֵ֑ב וַיִּבְעַ֤ר בְּיַעֲקֹב֙ כְּאֵ֣שׁ לֶֽהָבָ֔ה אָכְלָ֖ה סָבִֽיב

He has cut off in fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he has drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, devoureth round about.

דָּרַ֨ךְ קַשְׁתּ֜וֹ כְּאוֹיֵ֗ב נִצָּ֤ב יְמִינוֹ֙ כְּצָ֔ר וַֽיַּהֲרֹ֔ג כֹּ֖ל מַחֲמַדֵּי עָ֑יִן בְּאֹ֨הֶל֙ בַּת צִיּ֔וֹן שָׁפַ֥ךְ כָּאֵ֖שׁ חֲמָתֽוֹ

He has bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire.

הָיָ֨ה אֲדֹנָ֤י כְּאוֹיֵב֙ בִּלַּ֣ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בִּלַּע֙ כָּל אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֔יהָ שִׁחֵ֖ת מִבְצָרָ֑יו וַיֶּ֨רֶב֙ בְּבַת יְהוּדָ֔ה תַּאֲנִיָּ֖ה וַאֲנִיָּֽה

YHWH was as an enemy: he has swallowed up Israel, he has swallowed up all her palaces: he has destroyed his strong holds, and has increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

וַיַּחְמֹ֤ס כַּגַּן֙ שֻׂכּ֔וֹ שִׁחֵ֖ת מוֹעֲד֑וֹ שִׁכַּ֨ח יְהוָ֤ה בְּצִיּוֹן֙ מוֹעֵ֣ד וְשַׁבָּ֔ת וַיִּנְאַ֥ץ בְּזַֽעַם אַפּ֖וֹ מֶ֥לֶךְ וְכֹהֵֽן

And he has violently taken away his tabernacle, as a garden: he has destroyed his places of the assembly: YHWH has caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and has despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest.

זָנַ֨ח אֲדֹנָ֤י מִזְבְּחוֹ֙ נִאֵ֣ר מִקְדָּשׁ֔וֹ הִסְגִּיר֙ בְּיַד אוֹיֵ֔ב חוֹמֹ֖ת אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֑יהָ ק֛וֹל נָתְנ֥וּ בְּבֵית יְהוָ֖ה כְּי֥וֹם מוֹעֵֽד

YHWH has cast off his altar, he has abhorred his sanctuary, he has given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces; they have made a noise in the house of YHWH, as in the day of a solemn feast.

חָשַׁ֨ב יְהוָ֤ה לְהַשְׁחִית֙ חוֹמַ֣ת בַּת צִיּ֔וֹן נָ֣טָה קָ֔ו לֹא הֵשִׁ֥יב יָד֖וֹ מִבַּלֵּ֑עַ וַיַּֽאֲבֶל חֵ֥ל וְחוֹמָ֖ה יַחְדָּ֥ו אֻמְלָֽלוּ

YHWH has purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion: he has stretched out a line, he has not withdrawn his hand from destroying: therefore he made the rampart and the wall to lament; they languished together.

טָבְע֤וּ בָאָ֨רֶץ֙ שְׁעָרֶ֔יהָ אִבַּ֥ד וְשִׁבַּ֖ר בְּרִיחֶ֑יהָ מַלְכָּ֨הּ וְשָׂרֶ֤יהָ בַגּוֹיִם֙ אֵ֣ין תּוֹרָ֔ה גַּם נְבִיאֶ֕יהָ לֹא מָצְא֥וּ חָז֖וֹן מֵיְהוָֽה

Her gates are sunk into the ground; he has destroyed and broken her bars: her king and her princes among the Gentiles: the law no ; her prophets also find no vision from YHWH.

יֵשְׁב֨וּ לָאָ֤רֶץ יִדְּמוּ֙ זִקְנֵ֣י בַת צִיּ֔וֹן הֶֽעֱל֤וּ עָפָר֙ עַל רֹאשָׁ֔ם חָגְר֖וּ שַׂקִּ֑ים הוֹרִ֤ידוּ לָאָ֨רֶץ֙ רֹאשָׁ֔ן בְּתוּלֹ֖ת יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם

The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground, keep silence: they have cast up dust upon their heads; they have girded themselves with sackcloth: the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground.

כָּל֨וּ בַדְּמָע֤וֹת עֵינַי֙ חֳמַרְמְר֣וּ מֵעַ֔י נִשְׁפַּ֤ךְ לָאָ֨רֶץ֙ כְּבֵדִ֔י עַל שֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת עַמִּ֑י בֵּֽעָטֵ֤ף עוֹלֵל֙ וְיוֹנֵ֔ק בִּרְחֹב֖וֹת קִרְיָֽה

Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city.

לְאִמֹּתָם֙ יֹֽאמְר֔וּ אַיֵּ֖ה דָּגָ֣ן וָיָ֑יִן בְּהִֽתְעַטְּפָ֤ם כֶּֽחָלָל֙ בִּרְחֹב֣וֹת עִ֔יר בְּהִשְׁתַּפֵּ֣ךְ נַפְשָׁ֔ם אֶל חֵ֖יק אִמֹּתָֽם

They say to their mothers, Where corn and wine? when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mothers' bosom.

מָֽה אֲעִידֵ֞ךְ מָ֣ה אֲדַמֶּה לָּ֗ךְ הַבַּת֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם מָ֤ה אַשְׁוֶה לָּךְ֙ וַאֲנַֽחֲמֵ֔ךְ בְּתוּלַ֖ת בַּת צִיּ֑וֹן כִּֽי גָד֥וֹל כַּיָּ֛ם שִׁבְרֵ֖ךְ מִ֥י יִרְפָּא לָֽךְ

What thing shall I take to witness for you? what thing shall I liken to you, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to you, that I may comfort you, O virgin daughter of Zion? for your breach great like the sea: who can heal you?

נְבִיאַ֗יִךְ חָ֤זוּ לָךְ֙ שָׁ֣וְא וְתָפֵ֔ל וְלֹֽא גִלּ֥וּ עַל עֲוֺנֵ֖ךְ לְהָשִׁ֣יב שביתך שְׁבוּתֵ֑ךְ וַיֶּ֣חֱזוּ לָ֔ךְ מַשְׂא֥וֹת שָׁ֖וְא וּמַדּוּחִֽים

Your prophets have seen vain and foolish things for you: and they have not discovered your iniquity, to turn away your captivity; but have seen for you false burdens and causes of banishment.

סָֽפְק֨וּ עָלַ֤יִךְ כַּפַּ֨יִם֙ כָּל עֹ֣בְרֵי דֶ֔רֶךְ שָֽׁרְקוּ֙ וַיָּנִ֣עוּ רֹאשָׁ֔ם עַל בַּ֖ת יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם הֲזֹ֣את הָעִ֗יר שֶׁיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ כְּלִ֣ילַת יֹ֔פִי מָשׂ֖וֹשׂ לְכָל הָאָֽרֶץ

All that pass by clap hands at you; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, this the city that call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?

פָּצ֨וּ עָלַ֤יִךְ פִּיהֶם֙ כָּל א֣וֹיְבַ֔יִךְ שָֽׁרְקוּ֙ וַיַּֽחַרְקוּ שֵׁ֔ן אָמְר֖וּ בִּלָּ֑עְנוּ אַ֣ךְ זֶ֥ה הַיּ֛וֹם שֶׁקִּוִּינֻ֖הוּ מָצָ֥אנוּ רָאִֽינוּ

All your enemies have opened their mouth against you: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed up: certainly this the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen .

עָשָׂ֨ה יְהוָ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר זָמָ֗ם בִּצַּ֤ע אֶמְרָתוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֣ה מִֽימֵי קֶ֔דֶם הָרַ֖ס וְלֹ֣א חָמָ֑ל וַיְשַׂמַּ֤ח עָלַ֨יִךְ֙ אוֹיֵ֔ב הֵרִ֖ים קֶ֥רֶן צָרָֽיִךְ

YHWH has done which he had devised; he has fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he has thrown down, and has not pitied: and he has caused enemy to rejoice over you, he has set up the horn of your adversaries.

צָעַ֥ק לִבָּ֖ם אֶל אֲדֹנָ֑י חוֹמַ֣ת בַּת צִ֠יּוֹן הוֹרִ֨ידִי כַנַּ֤חַל דִּמְעָה֙ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַ֔יְלָה אַֽל תִּתְּנִ֤י פוּגַת֙ לָ֔ךְ אַל תִּדֹּ֖ם בַּת עֵינֵֽךְ

Their heart cried to YHWH, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night: give thyself no rest; let not the apple of your eye cease.

ק֣וּמִי רֹ֣נִּי בליל בַלַּ֗יְלָה לְרֹאשׁ֙ אַשְׁמֻר֔וֹת שִׁפְכִ֤י כַמַּ֨יִם֙ לִבֵּ֔ךְ נֹ֖כַח פְּנֵ֣י אֲדֹנָ֑י שְׂאִ֧י אֵלָ֣יו כַּפַּ֗יִךְ עַל נֶ֨פֶשׁ֙ עֽוֹלָלַ֔יִךְ הָעֲטוּפִ֥ים בְּרָעָ֖ב בְּרֹ֥אשׁ כָּל חוּצֽוֹת

Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out your heart like water before the face of YHWH: lift up your hands toward him for the life of your young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.

רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ וְֽהַבִּ֔יטָה לְמִ֖י עוֹלַ֣לְתָּ כֹּ֑ה אִם תֹּאכַ֨לְנָה נָשִׁ֤ים פִּרְיָם֙ עֹלֲלֵ֣י טִפֻּחִ֔ים אִם יֵהָרֵ֛ג בְּמִקְדַּ֥שׁ אֲדֹנָ֖י כֹּהֵ֥ן וְנָבִֽיא

Behold, O YHWH, and consider to whom you have done this. Shall the women eat their fruit, children of a span long? shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of YHWH?

שָׁכְב֨וּ לָאָ֤רֶץ חוּצוֹת֙ נַ֣עַר וְזָקֵ֔ן בְּתוּלֹתַ֥י וּבַחוּרַ֖י נָפְל֣וּ בֶחָ֑רֶב הָרַ֨גְתָּ֙ בְּי֣וֹם אַפֶּ֔ךָ טָבַ֖חְתָּ לֹ֥א חָמָֽלְתָּ

The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets: my virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword; you have slain in the day of your anger; you have killed, not pitied.

תִּקְרָא֩ כְי֨וֹם מוֹעֵ֤ד מְגוּרַי֙ מִסָּבִ֔יב וְלֹ֥א הָיָ֛ה בְּי֥וֹם אַף יְהוָ֖ה פָּלִ֣יט וְשָׂרִ֑יד אֲשֶׁר טִפַּ֥חְתִּי וְרִבִּ֖יתִי אֹיְבִ֥י כִלָּֽם

You have called as in a solemn day my terrors round about, so that in the day of YHWH's anger none escaped nor remained: those that I have swaddled and brought up has mine enemy consumed.