The Book of Lamentations, Chapter 3איכה 3

אֲנִ֤י הַגֶּ֨בֶר֙ רָאָ֣ה עֳנִ֔י בְּשֵׁ֖בֶט עֶבְרָתֽוֹ

I the man has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

אוֹתִ֥י נָהַ֛ג וַיֹּלַ֖ךְ חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וְלֹא אֽוֹר

He has led me, and brought darkness, but not light.

אַ֣ךְ בִּ֥י יָשֻׁ֛ב יַהֲפֹ֥ךְ יָד֖וֹ כָּל הַיּֽוֹם

Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand all the day.

בִּלָּ֤ה בְשָׂרִי֙ וְעוֹרִ֔י שִׁבַּ֖ר עַצְמוֹתָֽי

My flesh and my skin has he made old; he has broken my bones.

בָּנָ֥ה עָלַ֛י וַיַּקַּ֖ף רֹ֥אשׁ וּתְלָאָֽה

He has builded against me, and compassed with gall and travail.

בְּמַחֲשַׁכִּ֥ים הוֹשִׁיבַ֖נִי כְּמֵתֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם

He has set me in dark places, as dead of old.

גָּדַ֧ר בַּעֲדִ֛י וְלֹ֥א אֵצֵ֖א הִכְבִּ֥יד נְחָשְׁתִּֽי

He has hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he has made my chain heavy.

גַּ֣ם כִּ֤י אֶזְעַק֙ וַאֲשַׁוֵּ֔עַ שָׂתַ֖ם תְּפִלָּתִֽי

Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.

גָּדַ֤ר דְּרָכַי֙ בְּגָזִ֔ית נְתִיבֹתַ֖י עִוָּֽה

He has inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he has made my paths crooked.

דֹּ֣ב אֹרֵ֥ב הוּא֙ לִ֔י אריה אֲרִ֖י בְּמִסְתָּרִֽים

He to me a bear lying in wait, a lion in secret places.

דְּרָכַ֥י סוֹרֵ֛ר וַֽיְפַשְּׁחֵ֖נִי שָׂמַ֥נִי שֹׁמֵֽם

He has turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he has made me desolate.

דָּרַ֤ךְ קַשְׁתוֹ֙ וַיַּצִּיבֵ֔נִי כַּמַּטָּרָ֖א לַחֵֽץ

He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

הֵבִיא֙ בְּכִלְיוֹתָ֔י בְּנֵ֖י אַשְׁפָּתֽוֹ

He has caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.

הָיִ֤יתִי שְּׂחֹק֙ לְכָל עַמִּ֔י נְגִינָתָ֖ם כָּל הַיּֽוֹם

I was a derision to all my people; their song all the day.

הִשְׂבִּיעַ֥נִי בַמְּרוֹרִ֖ים הִרְוַ֥נִי לַעֲנָֽה

He has filled me with bitterness, he has made me drunken with wormwood.

וַיַּגְרֵ֤ס בֶּֽחָצָץ֙ שִׁנָּ֔י הִכְפִּישַׁ֖נִי בָּאֵֽפֶר

He has also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he has covered me with ashes.

וַתִּזְנַ֧ח מִשָּׁל֛וֹם נַפְשִׁ֖י נָשִׁ֥יתִי טוֹבָֽה

And you have removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.

וָאֹמַר֙ אָבַ֣ד נִצְחִ֔י וְתוֹחַלְתִּ֖י מֵיְהוָֽה

And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from YHWH:

זְכָר עָנְיִ֥י וּמְרוּדִ֖י לַעֲנָ֥ה וָרֹֽאשׁ

Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

זָכ֣וֹר תִּזְכּ֔וֹר ותשיח וְתָשׁ֥וֹחַ עָלַ֖י נַפְשִֽׁי

My soul has still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

זֹ֛את אָשִׁ֥יב אֶל לִבִּ֖י עַל כֵּ֥ן אוֹחִֽיל

This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

חַֽסְדֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ כִּ֣י לֹא תָ֔מְנוּ כִּ֥י לֹא כָל֖וּ רַחֲמָֽיו

YHWH's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

חֲדָשִׁים֙ לַבְּקָרִ֔ים רַבָּ֖ה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ

new every morning: great your faithfulness.

חֶלְקִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אָמְרָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֔י עַל כֵּ֖ן אוֹחִ֥יל לֽוֹ

YHWH my portion, says my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

ט֤וֹב יְהוָה֙ לְקוָֹ֔ו לְנֶ֖פֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶֽׁנּוּ

YHWH good to them that wait for him, to the soul seeketh him.

ט֤וֹב וְיָחִיל֙ וְדוּמָ֔ם לִתְשׁוּעַ֖ת יְהוָֽה

good that should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of YHWH.

ט֣וֹב לַגֶּ֔בֶר כִּֽי יִשָּׂ֥א עֹ֖ל בִּנְעוּרָֽיו

good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

יֵשֵׁ֤ב בָּדָד֙ וְיִדֹּ֔ם כִּ֥י נָטַ֖ל עָלָֽיו

He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he has borne upon him.

יִתֵּ֤ן בֶּֽעָפָר֙ פִּ֔יהוּ אוּלַ֖י יֵ֥שׁ תִּקְוָֽה

He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.

יִתֵּ֧ן לְמַכֵּ֛הוּ לֶ֖חִי יִשְׂבַּ֥ע בְּחֶרְפָּֽה

He giveth cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.

כִּ֣י לֹ֥א יִזְנַ֛ח לְעוֹלָ֖ם אֲדֹנָֽי

For YHWH will not cast off for ever:

כִּ֣י אִם הוֹגָ֔ה וְרִחַ֖ם כְּרֹ֥ב חסדו חֲסָדָֽיו

But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

כִּ֣י לֹ֤א עִנָּה֙ מִלִּבּ֔וֹ וַיַּגֶּ֖ה בְנֵי אִֽישׁ

For he does not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

לְדַכֵּא֙ תַּ֣חַת רַגְלָ֔יו כֹּ֖ל אֲסִ֥ירֵי אָֽרֶץ

To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,

לְהַטּוֹת֙ מִשְׁפַּט גָּ֔בֶר נֶ֖גֶד פְּנֵ֥י עֶלְיֽוֹן

To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,

לְעַוֵּ֤ת אָדָם֙ בְּרִיב֔וֹ אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹ֥א רָאָֽה

To subvert a man in his cause, YHWH approveth not.

מִ֣י זֶ֤ה אָמַר֙ וַתֶּ֔הִי אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹ֥א צִוָּֽה

Who he says, and it cometh to pass, YHWH commandeth not?

מִפִּ֤י עֶלְיוֹן֙ לֹ֣א תֵצֵ֔א הָרָע֖וֹת וְהַטּֽוֹב

Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?

מַה יִּתְאוֹנֵן֙ אָדָ֣ם חָ֔י גֶּ֖בֶר עַל חטאו חֲטָאָֽיו

Wherefore does a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?

נַחְפְּשָׂ֤ה דְרָכֵ֨ינוּ֙ וְֽנַחְקֹ֔רָה וְנָשׁ֖וּבָה עַד יְהוָֽה

Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to YHWH.

נִשָּׂ֤א לְבָבֵ֨נוּ֙ אֶל כַּפָּ֔יִם אֶל אֵ֖ל בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם

Let us lift up our heart with hands to God in the heavens.

נַ֤חְנוּ פָשַׁ֨עְנוּ֙ וּמָרִ֔ינוּ אַתָּ֖ה לֹ֥א סָלָֽחְתָּ

We have transgressed and have rebelled: you have not pardoned.

סַכֹּ֤תָה בָאַף֙ וַֽתִּרְדְּפֵ֔נוּ הָרַ֖גְתָּ לֹ֥א חָמָֽלְתָּ

You have covered with anger, and persecuted us: you have slain, you have not pitied.

סַכּ֤וֹתָה בֶֽעָנָן֙ לָ֔ךְ מֵעֲב֖וֹר תְּפִלָּֽה

You have covered thyself with a cloud, that prayer should not pass through.

סְחִ֧י וּמָא֛וֹס תְּשִׂימֵ֖נוּ בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָעַמִּֽים

You have made us the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.

פָּצ֥וּ עָלֵ֛ינוּ פִּיהֶ֖ם כָּל אֹיְבֵֽינוּ

All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.

פַּ֧חַד וָפַ֛חַת הָ֥יָה לָ֖נוּ הַשֵּׁ֥את וְהַשָּֽׁבֶר

Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.

פַּלְגֵי מַ֨יִם֙ תֵּרַ֣ד עֵינִ֔י עַל שֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת עַמִּֽי

Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

עֵינִ֧י נִגְּרָ֛ה וְלֹ֥א תִדְמֶ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ין הֲפֻגֽוֹת

Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,

עַד יַשְׁקִ֣יף וְיֵ֔רֶא יְהוָ֖ה מִשָּׁמָֽיִם

Till YHWH look down, and behold from heaven.

עֵינִי֙ עֽוֹלְלָ֣ה לְנַפְשִׁ֔י מִכֹּ֖ל בְּנ֥וֹת עִירִֽי

Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.

צ֥וֹד צָד֛וּנִי כַּצִּפּ֖וֹר אֹיְבַ֥י חִנָּֽם

Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.

צָֽמְת֤וּ בַבּוֹר֙ חַיָּ֔י וַיַּדּוּ אֶ֖בֶן בִּֽי

They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.

צָֽפוּ מַ֥יִם עַל רֹאשִׁ֖י אָמַ֥רְתִּי נִגְזָֽרְתִּי

Waters flowed over mine head; I said, I am cut off.

קָרָ֤אתִי שִׁמְךָ֙ יְהוָ֔ה מִבּ֖וֹר תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹת

I called upon your name, O YHWH, out of the low dungeon.

קוֹלִ֖י שָׁמָ֑עְתָּ אַל תַּעְלֵ֧ם אָזְנְךָ֛ לְרַוְחָתִ֖י לְשַׁוְעָתִֽי

You have heard my voice: hide not your ear at my breathing, at my cry.

קָרַ֨בְתָּ֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֶקְרָאֶ֔ךָּ אָמַ֖רְתָּ אַל תִּירָֽא

You drewest near in the day I called upon you: you saidst, Fear not.

רַ֧בְתָּ אֲדֹנָ֛י רִיבֵ֥י נַפְשִׁ֖י גָּאַ֥לְתָּ חַיָּֽי

O Lord, you have pleaded the causes of my soul; you have redeemed my life.

רָאִ֤יתָה יְהוָה֙ עַוָּ֣תָתִ֔י שָׁפְטָ֖ה מִשְׁפָּטִֽי

O YHWH, you have seen my wrong: judge you my cause.

רָאִ֨יתָה֙ כָּל נִקְמָתָ֔ם כָּל מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם לִֽי

You have seen all their vengeance all their imaginations against me.

שָׁמַ֤עְתָּ חֶרְפָּתָם֙ יְהוָ֔ה כָּל מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם עָלָֽי

You have heard their reproach, O YHWH, all their imaginations against me;

שִׂפְתֵ֤י קָמַי֙ וְהֶגְיוֹנָ֔ם עָלַ֖י כָּל הַיּֽוֹם

The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.

שִׁבְתָּ֤ם וְקִֽימָתָם֙ הַבִּ֔יטָה אֲנִ֖י מַנְגִּינָתָֽם

Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I their musick.

תָּשִׁ֨יב לָהֶ֥ם גְּמ֛וּל יְהוָ֖ה כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יְדֵיהֶֽם

Render to them a recompence, O YHWH, according to the work of their hands.

תִּתֵּ֤ן לָהֶם֙ מְגִנַּת לֵ֔ב תַּאֲלָֽתְךָ֖ לָהֶֽם

Give them sorrow of heart, your curse to them.

תִּרְדֹּ֤ף בְּאַף֙ וְתַשְׁמִידֵ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת שְׁמֵ֥י יְהוָֽה

Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of YHWH.