Barukh ben Neriyah • the Open Siddur Project ✍ פְּרוֺיֶקְט הַסִּדּוּר הַפָּתוּחַ

ספר ברוך | Sefer Barukh (1:1-3:8), from the Reconstructed Hebrew Vorlage by Prof. Emmanuel Tov, vocalized and cantillated by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer

Barukh ben Neriyah — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 14:22:54 +0000

The book of Barukh (also, Βαροὺχ and Baruch/Barouch) is a deuterocanonical work traditionally attributed to Barukh son of Neriyah, the scribe of the prophet Jeremiah. It was preserved in the Seputagint, but not traditionally kept by Jews. But the opening portions of the book show quintessential signs of having been translated from a Hebrew original source, or Vorlage. This is the reconstructed Hebrew Vorlage of Baruch 1:1-3:8 that Prof. Emmanuel Tov (shlita) published in 1975. The Greek text continues for two and a half more chapters, but the later sections are of uncertain origin and a Vorlage cannot be constructed for them with the same level of accuracy. (Visit here for Barukh 3:9-5:8 in Greek with English translation adapted by Aharon Varady.)

The text here is vocalized and cantillated according to the standard Tiberian system. Both because of the solemn nature of the content and the book’s status as traditionally related to the works of Jeremiah, the attached recording uses the cantillation system of Lamentations. At the end verse 3:6 is repeated so as to end on a positive note. (Chapter 5 in the Greek also ends on a positive note, but as previously stated the Semitic origin of the final chapters is questionable.) Barukh is appropriate to study during the Three Weeks for its emphasis on exile, or during the season of repentance.

Translation (Greek)	Reconstructed Vorlage (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
1 ¹ καὶ οὗτοι οἱ λόγοι τοῦ βιβλίου οὓς ἔγραψεν Βαρουχ υἱὸς Νηριου υἱοῦ Μαασαιου υἱοῦ Σεδεκιου υἱοῦ Ασαδιου υἱοῦ Χελκιου ἐν Βαβυλῶνι. ² ἐν τῷ ἔτει τῷ πέμπτῳ ἐν ἑβδόμῃ τοῦ μηνὸς ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ᾧ ἔλαβον οἱ Χαλδαῖοι τὴν Ιερουσαλημ καὶ ἐνέπρησαν αὐτὴν ἐν πυρί.	וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י הַסֵּ֔פֶר אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּתַ֖ב בָּר֣וּךְ בֶן־נֵרִיָּ֑ה בֶן־מַחְסֵיָ֧ה בֶן־צִדְקִיָּ֛ה בֶן־חֲסַדְיָ֥ה בֶן־חִלְקִיָ֖ה בְּבָבֶֽל׃ בַּשָּׁנָה֙ הַחֲמִישִׁ֔ית בְּשִׁבְעָ֖ה לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ בְּעֵ֗ת אֲשֶׁר־לָכְד֤וּ הַכַּשְׂדִּים֙ אֶת־יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔םִ וַיִּשְׂרְפ֖וּהָ בָאֵֽשׁ׃	1 ¹ And these are the words of the book which Barukh ben Neriyah ben Maḥseyah ben Tsidkiyah ben Ḥasadyah ben Ḥilqiyah wrote in Babylon, ² in the fifth year, on the seventh of the month, at the time when the Kasdim^[1] the Chaldean, Neo-Babylonian Empire. took Jerusalem and set it on fire.
³ καὶ ἀνέγνω Βαρουχ τοὺς λόγους τοῦ βιβλίου τούτου ἐν ὠσὶν Ιεχονιου υἱοῦ Ιωακιμ βασιλέως Ιουδα καὶ ἐν ὠσὶ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ τῶν ἐρχομένων πρὸς τὴν βίβλον. ⁴ καὶ ἐν ὠσὶν τῶν δυνατῶν καὶ υἱῶν τῶν βασιλέων καὶ ἐν ὠσὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων καὶ ἐν ὠσὶ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου πάντων τῶν κατοικούντων ἐν Βαβυλῶνι ἐπὶ ποταμοῦ Σουδ. ⁵ καὶ ἔκλαιον καὶ ἐνήστευον καὶ ηὔχοντο ἐναντίον κυρίου. ⁶ καὶ συνήγαγον ἀργύριον καθὰ ἑκάστου ἠδύνατο ἡ χείρ. ⁷ καὶ ἀπέστειλαν εἰς Ιερουσαλημ πρὸς Ιωακιμ υἱὸν Χελκιου υἱοῦ Σαλωμ τὸν ἱερέα καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἱερεῖς καὶ πρὸς πάντα τὸν λαὸν τοὺς εὑρεθέντας μετ’ αὐτοῦ ἐν Ιερουσαλημ. ⁸ ἐν τῷ λαβεῖν αὐτὸν τὰ σκεύη οἴκου κυρίου τὰ ἐξενεχθέντα ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ ἀποστρέψαι εἰς γῆν Ιουδα τῇ δεκάτῃ τοῦ Σιουαν σκεύη ἀργυρᾶ ἃ ἐποίησεν Σεδεκιας υἱὸς Ιωσια βασιλεὺς Ιουδα ⁹ μετὰ τὸ ἀποικίσαι Ναβουχοδονοσορ βασιλέα Βαβυλῶνος τὸν Ιεχονιαν καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας καὶ τοὺς δεσμώτας καὶ τοὺς δυνατοὺς καὶ τὸν λαὸν τῆς γῆς ἀπὸ Ιερουσαλημ καὶ ἤγαγεν αὐτὸν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα.	וַיִּקְרָ֣א בָּר֗וּךְ אֶת־דִּבְרֵי֙ הַסֵּ֣פֶר הַזֶּ֔ה בְּאׇזְנֵ֧י יְכׇנְיָ֛ה בֶן־יְהוֹיָקִ֖ים מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה וּבְאׇזְנֵ֥י כׇל־הָעָ֖ם הַבָּאִ֥ים אֶל־הַסֵּפֶֽר׃ וּבְאׇזְנֵ֣י הַגְּבָרִים֩ וּבְנֵ֨י הַמְּלָכִ֜ים וּבְאׇזְנֵ֣י הַזְּקֵנִ֗ים וּבְאׇזְנֵ֣י כׇל־הָעָ֔ם לְמִקָּטֹ֖ן וְעַד־גָּד֑וֹל כׇּל־הַיּוֹשְׁבִ֥ים בְּבָבֶ֖ל עַל־נָ֥הָר סֽוּד׃ וַיִּבְכּ֖וּ וַיָּצ֑וּמוּ וַיִּתְפַּלְּל֖וּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ וַיִּ֣קְבְּצוּ־כָ֔סֶף אִ֖ישׁ כַּאֲשֶֽׁר־הִשִּׂ֥יגָה יָדֽוֹ׃ וַיִּשְׁלְח֨וּ יְרוּשָׁלַ֧םִ אֶל־יְהוֹיָקִ֛ים בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּ֥ה בָן־שַׁלּ֖וּם הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וְאֶל־הַכֹּהֲנִים֙ וְאֶל־כׇּל־הָעָ֔ם הַנִּמְצָאִ֥ים עִמּ֖וֹ בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ בְּקַחְתּ֞וֹ אֶת־כְּלֵ֣י ׀ בֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֗ה הַמּוֹצְאִים֙ מִן־הַ֣הֵיכָ֔ל לְהָשִׁ֛יב אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ יְהוּדָ֖ה בַּעֲשָׂרָ֥ה לְסִיוָ֑ן כְּלֵ֥י כֶּ֙סֶף֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה צִדְקִיָּ֥ה בֶן־יֹאשִׁיָּ֖ה מֶ֥לֶךְ יְהוּדָֽה׃ אַחֲרֵ֖י הַגְל֣וֹת נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּ֑ר אֶת־יְכׇנְיָ֞ה וְאֶת־הַשָּׂרִ֤ים וְאֶת־הַמַּסְגֵּר֙ וְאֶת־הַגְּבָרִ֔ים וְאֶת־עַ֤ם הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ מִיר֣וּשָׁלַ֔‍ִם וַיְבִאֵ֖ם בָּבֶֽל׃	³ And Barukh read the words of this book in the ears of Yekhonyah ben Yehoyaqim, king of Yehudah, and in the ears of all the people, those who came to the book, ⁴ and in the ears of the mighty and the sons of the kings and in the ears of the elders and in the ears of all the people, from small to great, all who lived in Babylon by the river Soud. ⁵ And they kept weeping and fasting and praying before YHVH, ⁶ and they collected silver as the hand of each was able ⁷ and sent it to Jerusalem to the priest Yehoyaqim ben Ḥilqiyah ben son of Shalum and to the priests and to all the people who were found with him in Jerusalem ⁸ when he took the vessels of the house of YHVH which were carried out of the shrine to return to the land of Yehudah on the tenth of Sivan—the silver vessels that Tsidqiyah ben Yoshiyah, King of Yehudah, had made, ⁹ after Nevukhadnetsar, king of Babylon, exiled Yekhonyah and the magistrates and the prisoners and the mighty and the people of the land from Jerusalem, and he brought him to Babylon.
¹⁰ καὶ εἶπαν ἰδοὺ ἀπεστείλαμεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀργύριον καὶ ἀγοράσατε τοῦ ἀργυρίου ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας καὶ λίβανον καὶ ποιήσατε μαννα καὶ ἀνοίσατε ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον κυρίου θεοῦ ἡμῶν. ¹¹ καὶ προσεύξασθε περὶ τῆς ζωῆς Ναβουχοδονοσορ βασιλέως Βαβυλῶνος καὶ εἰς ζωὴν Βαλτασαρ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ ἵνα ὦσιν αἱ ἡμέραι αὐτῶν ὡς αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. ¹² καὶ δώσει κύριος ἰσχὺν ἡμῖν καὶ φωτίσει τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἡμῶν καὶ ζησόμεθα ὑπὸ τὴν σκιὰν Ναβουχοδονοσορ βασιλέως Βαβυλῶνος καὶ ὑπὸ τὴν σκιὰν Βαλτασαρ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ καὶ δουλεύσομεν αὐτοῖς ἡμέρας πολλὰς καὶ εὑρήσομεν χάριν ἐναντίον αὐτῶν. ¹³ καὶ προσεύξασθε περὶ ἡμῶν πρὸς κύριον τὸν θεὸν ἡμῶν ὅτι ἡμάρτομεν τῷ κυρίῳ θεῷ ἡμῶν καὶ οὐκ ἀπέστρεψεν ὁ θυμὸς κυρίου καὶ ἡ ὀργὴ αὐτοῦ ἀφ’ ἡμῶν ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης. ¹⁴ καὶ ἀναγνώσεσθε τὸ βιβλίον τοῦτο ὃ ἀπεστείλαμεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐξαγορεῦσαι ἐν οἴκῳ κυρίου ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἑορτῆς καὶ ἐν ἡμέραις καιροῦ.	וַיֹּאמר֕וּ הִנֵּ֛ה שָׁלַ֥חְנוּ אֲלֵ֖יכֶם כָּ֑סֶף וּקְנ֣וּ בַּכֶּ֗סֶף עוֹל֤וֹת וְחַטֹּאת֙ וּלְבוֹנָ֔ה וְעָשׂ֣וּ מִנְּחָ֔ה וְהֶעֱל֛וּ עַל־מִזְבַּ֥ח יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ וְ֠הִתְפַּלְּל֠וּ בְּעַ֨ד חַיֵּ֤י נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל וּבְעַ֤ד חַיֵּי֙ בֵּלְשַׁאצַּ֣ר בְּנ֔וֹ לְמַ֖עַן יִהְי֣וּ יְמֵיהֶ֑ם כִּימֵ֥י הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃‏ וְיִתֵּ֣ן יְהֹוָ֣ה עֹז֮ לָ֒נוּ֒ וְיָאֶ֣ר אֶת־עֵינֵ֗ינוּ וּנְחִ֨י בְּצֵ֤ל נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל וּבְצֵּ֥ל בֵּלְשַׁאצַּ֖ר בְּנ֑וֹ וְנַעֲבֹ֤ד אֹתָם֙ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים וְנִֽמְצָא־חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃ וְהִתְפַּלְּל֤וּ בַּעֲדֵ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ כִּ֥י חָטָ֖אנוּ לַיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְלֹ֣א שָׁ֗ב אַ֨ף יְהֹוָ֤ה וַחֲמָתוֹ֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ וְקִרְאוּ֙ אֶת־הַסֵּ֣פֶר הַזֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר שָׁלַ֣חְנוּ אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם לְהִ֤תְוַדּוֹת֙ בְּבֵ֣ית יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּי֥וֹם חַ֖ג וּבִימֵ֥י מוֹעֵֽד׃	¹⁰ And they said: “Look, we sent you silver; and buy with the silver whole burnt offerings and for sin and incense, and make minḥah, and offer them on the mizbe’aḥ of YHVH our elo’ah; ¹¹ and pray concerning the life of King Nevukhadnetsar of Babylon and regarding the life of his son Belshatsar so that their days on the earth may be as the days of Heaven. ¹² And YHVH will give strength to us, and he will illuminate our eyes, and we shall live under the shadow of King Nevukhadnetsar of Babylon and under the shadow of his son Belshatsar, and we shall be subject to them many days, and we shall find favor before them. ¹³ And pray concerning us to YHVH our elo’ah, for we have sinned against YHVH our elo’ah, and the anger of YHVH and his wrath have not turned away from us until this day. ¹⁴ And you shall read aloud this book, which we sent to you to declare in the house of YHVH on a pilgrimage day and on seasonal days.”
¹⁵ καὶ ἐρεῖτε τῷ κυρίῳ θεῷ ἡμῶν ἡ δικαιοσύνη ἡμῖν δὲ αἰσχύνη τῶν προσώπων ὡς ἡ ἡμέρα αὕτη ἀνθρώπῳ Ιουδα καὶ τοῖς κατοικοῦσιν Ιερουσαλημ. ¹⁶ καὶ τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν ἡμῶν καὶ τοῖς ἄρχουσιν ἡμῶν καὶ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ἡμῶν καὶ τοῖς προφήταις ἡμῶν καὶ τοῖς πατράσιν ἡμῶν. ¹⁷ ὧν ἡμάρτομεν ἔναντι κυρίου. ¹⁸ καὶ ἠπειθήσαμεν αὐτῷ καὶ οὐκ ἠκούσαμεν τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου θεοῦ ἡμῶν πορεύεσθαι τοῖς προστάγμασιν κυρίου οἷς ἔδωκεν κατὰ πρόσωπον ἡμῶν. ¹⁹ ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμέρας ἧς ἐξήγαγεν κύριος τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης ἤμεθα ἀπειθοῦντες πρὸς κύριον θεὸν ἡμῶν καὶ ἐσχεδιάζομεν πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἀκούειν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ. ²⁰ καὶ ἐκολλήθη εἰς ἡμᾶς τὰ κακὰ καὶ ἡ ἀρά ἣν συνέταξεν κύριος τῷ Μωυσῇ παιδὶ αὐτοῦ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ᾗ ἐξήγαγεν τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου δοῦναι ἡμῖν γῆν ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι ὡς ἡ ἡμέρα αὕτη. ²¹ καὶ οὐκ ἠκούσαμεν τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν κατὰ πάντας τοὺς λόγους τῶν προφητῶν ὧν ἀπέστειλεν πρὸς ἡμᾶς. ²² καὶ ᾠχόμεθα ἕκαστος ἐν διανοίᾳ καρδίας αὐτοῦ τῆς πονηρᾶς ἐργάζεσθαι θεοῖς ἑτέροις ποιῆσαι τὰ κακὰ κατ’ ὀφθαλμοὺς κυρίου θεοῦ ἡμῶν.	וַיֹּאמר֗וּ לַיהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֵינוּ֙ הַצְּדָקָ֔ה וְלָ֛נוּ בֹּ֥שֶׁת הַפָּנִ֖ים כַּיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה לְאִ֥ישׁ יְהוּדָ֖ה וּלְיֹשְׁבֵ֥י יְרוּשָׁלָֽםִ׃ וְלִמְלָכֵ֖ינוּ וּלְשָׂרֵ֑ינוּ וּלְכֹהֲנֵ֥ינוּ וְלִנְבִיאֵ֖ינוּ וְלַאֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ׃ אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָטָ֖אנוּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ מָרַ֤דְנוּ בּוֹ֙ וְלֹ֣א שָׁמַ֔עְנוּ בְּק֖וֹל יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ לָלֶ֛כֶת בְּתוֹרַ֥ת יְהֹוָ֖ה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן לְפָנֵֽינוּ׃ לְמִן־הַיּ֗וֹם אֲשֶׁר֩ הוֹצִ֨יא יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶת־אֲבוֹתֵ֙ינוּ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וְעַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה מַמְרִ֤ים הָיִ֙ינוּ֙ עִם־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ וְס֥וּר לְבִלְתִּי־שְׁמֹ֖עַ בְקוֹלֽוֹ׃ וַתִּ֥דְבַּק־בָּ֙נוּ֙ הָרָעָ֣ה וְהָאָלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה לְמֹשֶׁ֣ה עַבְדּ֑וֹ בְּי֨וֹם הוֹצִ֤יא אֶת־אֲבוֹתֵ֙ינוּ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לָתֵ֣ת לָ֔נוּ אֶ֨רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֛ב וּדְבַ֖שׁ כַּיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ וְלֹ֣א שָׁמַ֔עְנוּ בְּק֖וֹל יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ כְּכׇל־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַנְּבִאִ֖ים אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥ח אֵלֵֽינוּ׃ וַנֵּ֨לֶךְ אִ֜ישׁ בַּשְּׂרָר֤וֹת לִבּוֹ֙ הָרַ֔ע לַעֲבֹ֖ד אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת אֶת־הָרַ֔ע בְּעֵינֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃	¹⁵ And you shall say: “To YHVH, our elo’ah, belongs righteousness but to us: faces of shame as this day, to a person of Yehudah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, ¹⁶ to our kings and to our magistrates and to our priests and to our prophets and to our fathers, ¹⁷ for which things we have sinned before YHVH, ¹⁸ and we disobeyed him and have not listened to the voice of YHVH our elo’ah, to walk by the decrees of YHVH that he gave before us. ¹⁹ From the day when YHVH brought our fathers out of the land of Mitsrayim even until this day, we were being disobedient to YHVH our elo’ah, and we were acting carelessly so as not to listen to his voice. ²⁰ And there have clung to us the bad things and the curse that YHVH instructed to his servant Mosheh in the day he brought out our ancestors from the land of Mitsrayim, to give to us a land flowing with milk and honey, as this day. ²¹ And we did not listen to the voice of YHVH our elo’ah according to all the words of the prophets whom he sent to us, ²² and each of us went off in the intent of his evil heart to work for other gods, to do evil things in the eyes of YHVH our elo’ah.”
2 ¹ καὶ ἔστησεν κύριος τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ ὃν ἐλάλησεν ἐφ’ ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς δικαστὰς ἡμῶν τοὺς δικάσαντας τὸν Ισραηλ καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς βασιλεῖς ἡμῶν καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας ἡμῶν καὶ ἐπὶ ἄνθρωπον Ισραηλ καὶ Ιουδα. ² οὐκ ἐποιήθη ὑποκάτω παντὸς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καθὰ ἐποίησεν ἐν Ιερουσαλημ κατὰ τὰ γεγραμμένα ἐν τῷ νόμῳ Μωυσῆ. ³ τοῦ φαγεῖν ἡμᾶς ἄνθρωπον σάρκας υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἄνθρωπον σάρκας θυγατρὸς αὐτοῦ ⁴ καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὑποχειρίους πάσαις ταῖς βασιλείαις ταῖς κύκλῳ ἡμῶν εἰς ὀνειδισμὸν καὶ εἰς ἄβατον ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς λαοῖς τοῖς κύκλῳ οὗ διέσπειρεν αὐτοὺς κύριος ἐκεῖ. ⁵ καὶ ἐγενήθησαν ὑποκάτω καὶ οὐκ ἐπάνω ὅτι ἡμάρτομεν κυρίῳ θεῷ ἡμῶν πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἀκούειν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ.	וַיָּ֨קֶם יְהוָ֝ה אֶת־דְּבָר֣וֹ ׀ אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֣ר עָלֵ֗ינוּ וְעַ֤ל שֹֽׁפְטֵ֙ינוּ֙ הַשְּׁפָטִ֣ים אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְעַל־מְלָכֵ֖ינוּ וְעַל־שָׂרֵ֑ינוּ וְעַל־אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וִיהוּדָֽה׃ לֹֽא־נֶעֶשְׂתָ֗ה תַּ֚חַת כׇּל־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר נֶעֶשְׂתָ֖ה בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם כַּכָּת֖וּב בְּתוֹרַ֥ת מֹשֶֽׁה׃ לֶ֥אֱכֹל אִישׁ֙ אֶת־בְּשַׂ֣ר בְּנ֔וֹ וָאִ֖ישׁ אֶת־בְּשַׂ֥ר בִּתּֽוֹ׃ וַיִּתֵּן֩ אֹתָ֨ם לְזַעֲוָ֜ה לְכֹ֣ל ׀ הַמַּמְלָכ֗וֹת אֲשֶׁר֙ סְבִ֣יבֹתֵ֔ינוּ לְחֶרְפָּ֤ה וּלְשַׂמָּה֙ בְּכׇל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר סְבִיבֹתֵ֑ינוּ אֲשֶׁר־הִדִּיחָ֥ם יְהֹוָ֖ה שָֽׂם׃ וַיִּהְי֤וּ לְמַ֙טָּה֙ וְלֹ֣א לְמַ֔עְלָה כִּ֥י חָטָ֖אנוּ לַיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ לְבִלְתִּ֥י שְׁמֹ֖עַ בְקוֹלֽוֹ׃	2 ¹ And YHVH established his word which he spoke to us and to our judges who judged Yisrael and to our kings and to our magistrates and to a person of Yisrael and Yehudah. ² It was not done under the whole of Heaven as he did in Jerusalem, according to that which is written in the Instruction of Mosheh ³ —that we should eat, a person the flesh of his son and a person the flesh of his daughter. ⁴ And he gave them as subjects to all the kingdoms around us as a disgrace and as something untrodden, among all the peoples around us there where YHVH scattered them. ⁵ And they became beneath and not above, because we sinned against YHVH, our elo’ah, so as not to listen to his voice.
⁶ τῷ κυρίῳ θεῷ ἡμῶν ἡ δικαιοσύνη ἡμῖν δὲ καὶ τοῖς πατράσιν ἡμῶν ἡ αἰσχύνη τῶν προσώπων ὡς ἡ ἡμέρα αὕτη ⁷ ἃ ἐλάλησεν κύριος ἐφ’ ἡμᾶς πάντα τὰ κακὰ ταῦτα ἦλθεν ἐφ’ ἡμᾶς. ⁸ καὶ οὐκ ἐδεήθημεν τοῦ προσώπου κυρίου τοῦ ἀποστρέψαι ἕκαστον ἀπὸ τῶν νοημάτων τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν τῆς πονηρᾶς. ⁹ καὶ ἐγρηγόρησεν κύριος ἐπὶ τοῖς κακοῖς καὶ ἐπήγαγε κύριος ἐφ’ ἡμᾶς ὅτι δίκαιος ὁ κύριος ἐπὶ πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἃ ἐνετείλατο ἡμῖν. ¹⁰ καὶ οὐκ ἠκούσαμεν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ πορεύεσθαι τοῖς προστάγμασιν κυρίου οἷς ἔδωκεν κατὰ πρόσωπον ἡμῶν.	לַיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ הַצְּדָקָ֑ה וְלָ֣נוּ וְלַאֲבוֹתֵ֔ינוּ בֹּ֥שֶׁת הַפָּנִ֖ים כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֵּ֖ר יְהֹוָ֣ה עָלֵ֑ינוּ כׇּל־הָרָעָ֥ה הַזֹּא֖ת בָּאָ֥ה עָלֵֽינוּ׃ וְלֹ֥א חִלִּ֖ינוּ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה לָשׁ֥וּב אִ֛ישׁ מִמֹּעֵצ֥וֹת לִבָּ֖ם הָרַֽע׃ וַֽיִּשְׁקֹ֨ד יְהוָ֤ה עַל־הָרָעָה֙ וַֽיְבִיאֶ֣הָ עָלֵ֔ינוּ כִּ֕י צַדִּ֥יק יְהֹוָ֖ה עַל־כׇּל־מַעֲשָׂ֑יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֖ה לָֽנוּ׃ וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖עְנוּ בְּקוֹל֑וֹ לָלֶ֛כֶת בְּתוֹרַ֥ת יְהֹוָ֖ה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן לְפָנֵֽינוּ׃	⁶ To YHVH, our elo’ah, belongs righteousness but to us and to our fathers faces of shame, as this day. ⁷ All these bad things which YHVH spoke to us have come upon us. ⁸ And we did not entreat the face of YHVH to turn away, each from the designs of their wicked heart. ⁹ And YHVH kept watch over the bad things, and YHVH brought them upon us, for YHVH is just in all his works, which he commanded us. ¹⁰ And we have not listened to his voice to walk by the decrees of YHVH that he gave before us.
¹¹ καὶ νῦν κύριε ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ ὃς ἐξήγαγες τὸν λαόν σου ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου ἐν χειρὶ κραταιᾷ καὶ ἐν σημείοις καὶ ἐν τέρασιν καὶ ἐν δυνάμει μεγάλῃ καὶ ἐν βραχίονι ὑψηλῷ καὶ ἐποίησας σεαυτῷ ὄνομα ὡς ἡ ἡμέρα αὕτη. ¹² ἡμάρτομεν ἠσεβήσαμεν ἠδικήσαμεν κύριε ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν ἐπὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς δικαιώμασίν σου. ¹³ ἀποστραφήτω ὁ θυμός σου ἀφ’ ἡμῶν ὅτι κατελείφθημεν ὀλίγοι ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν οὗ διέσπειρας ἡμᾶς ἐκεῖ. ¹⁴ εἰσάκουσον κύριε τῆς προσευχῆς ἡμῶν καὶ τῆς δεήσεως ἡμῶν καὶ ἐξελοῦ ἡμᾶς ἕνεκεν σοῦ καὶ δὸς ἡμῖν χάριν κατὰ πρόσωπον τῶν ἀποικισάντων ἡμᾶς. ¹⁵ ἵνα γνῷ πᾶσα ἡ γῆ ὅτι σὺ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν ὅτι τὸ ὄνομά σου ἐπεκλήθη ἐπὶ Ισραηλ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ γένος αὐτοῦ. ¹⁶ κύριε κάτιδε ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ ἁγίου σου καὶ ἐννόησον εἰς ἡμᾶς κλῖνον κύριε τὸ οὖς σου καὶ ἄκουσον. ¹⁷ ἄνοιξον κύριε τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς σου καὶ ἰδέ ὅτι οὐχ οἱ τεθνηκότες ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ ὧν ἐλήμφθη τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τῶν σπλάγχνων αὐτῶν δώσουσιν δόξαν καὶ δικαίωμα τῷ κυρίῳ. ¹⁸ ἀλλὰ ἡ ψυχὴ ἡ λυπουμένη ἐπὶ τὸ μέγεθος ὃ βαδίζει κύπτον καὶ ἀσθενοῦν καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ οἱ ἐκλείποντες καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ ἡ πεινῶσα δώσουσίν σοι δόξαν καὶ δικαιοσύνην κύριε.	וְעַתָּ֞ה יְהֹוָ֣ה ׀ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁר֩ הוֹצֵ֨אתָ אֶֽת־עַמְּךָ֜ מֵאֶ֤רֶץ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ בְּיָ֣ד חֲזָקָ֔ה וּבְאֹת֣וֹת וּבְמוֹפְתִ֔ים בְּכֹ֥חַ גָּד֖וֹל וּבִזְר֣וֹעַ נְטוּיָ֑ה וַתַּֽעַשׂ־לְךָ֥ שֵׁ֖ם כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ חָטָ֥אנוּ הֶעֱוִ֖ינוּ הִרְשַֽׁעְנוּ׃ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ כְּכׇל־צִדְקֹתֶ֙ךָ֙ יָֽשׇׁב־נָ֤א אַפְּךָ֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ כִּ֥י נִשְׁאַ֖רְנוּ מְעַ֑ט בַּ֣גּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִדַּחְתָּ֖נוּ שָֽׂם׃ שְׁמַ֣ע יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־תְּפִלָּתֵ֖נוּ וְאֶל־תַּ֣חֲנוּנֵ֑ינוּ וְהַצִּילֵ֙נוּ֙ לְמַ֣עַנֶ֔ךָ וְתֵן־לָ֥נוּ חֵ֖ן לִפְנֵ֣י שׁוֹבֵֽינוּ׃ לְמַ֤עַן תֵּדַע֙ כׇּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֥י אַתָּ֖ה יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ כִּ֚י שִׁמְךָ֣ נִקְרָ֔א עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְעַל־עַמּֽוֹ׃ יְהֹוָ֧ה הַשְׁקִ֛יפָה מִמְּע֥וֹן קׇדְשְׁךָ֖ וְהַבֵּ֣ט אֵלֵ֑ינוּ הַטֵּ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה אׇזְנְךָ֖ וּשֲׁמָֽע׃ פְּקַ֣ח עֵינֶ֗יךָ וּרְאֵה֙ כִּי־לֹא֙ הַמֵּתִ֣ים בִּשְׁא֔וֹל אֲשֶׁ֛ר לָקְחָ֥ה רוּחָ֖ם מִקִּרְבָּ֑ם יִתְּנ֕וּ כָּב֥וֹד וּצְדָקָ֖ה לַיהֹוָֽה׃ כִּ֣י ׀ לֵ֣ב רַגָּ֗ז וְרֶ֤גֶל הַהוֹלֶ֙כֶת֙ כְּפוּפָ֣ה וּכְשֵׁלָ֔ה וְכִלְי֥וֹן עֵינַ֖יִם וְדַ֣אֲבוֹן נָ֑פֶשׁ יִתְּנ֧וּ לְךָ֛ כָּב֥וֹד וּצְדָקָ֖ה יְהֹוָֽה׃	¹¹ And now, YHVH, elo’ah of Yisrael, you who brought out your people from the land of Mitsrayim by a mighty hand and with signs and with wonders and with great power and with a strong arm and you made yourself a name, as this day. ¹² We have sinned; we have been impious; we have done wrong, YHVH our elo’ah, against all of your requirements. ¹³ Let your anger turn away from us, for few of us have been left behind among the nations, there where you scattered us. ¹⁴ Listen, YHVH, to our prayer and our petition, and deliver us for your sake, and give us favor before the face of those who carried us off to exile ¹⁵ in order that all the earth may know that you are YHVH our elo’ah, for your name has been called upon Yisrael and upon his family. ¹⁶ YHVH, look down from your holy house, and think of us. Incline, YHVH, your ear, and listen. ¹⁷ Open your eyes, and see, for the dead in Sheol, those whose spirit has been taken from their inward parts, will not give glory and justification to YHVH. ¹⁸ But the soul who is grieving over the magnitude, that walks bowed and is weak, and the eyes that are failing and the soul that is hungry—they shall give you glory and righteousness, YHVH.
¹⁹ ὅτι οὐκ ἐπὶ τὰ δικαιώματα τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν καὶ τῶν βασιλέων ἡμῶν ἡμεῖς καταβάλλομεν τὸν ἔλεον ἡμῶν κατὰ πρόσωπόν σου κύριε ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν. ²⁰ ὅτι ἐνῆκας τὸν θυμόν σου καὶ τὴν ὀργήν σου εἰς ἡμᾶς καθάπερ ἐλάλησας ἐν χειρὶ τῶν παίδων σου τῶν προφητῶν λέγων. ²¹ οὕτως εἶπεν κύριος κλίνατε τὸν ὦμον ὑμῶν καὶ ἐργάσασθε τῷ βασιλεῖ Βαβυλῶνος καὶ καθίσατε ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἣν ἔδωκα τοῖς πατράσιν ὑμῶν. ²² καὶ ἐὰν μὴ ἀκούσητε τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου ἐργάσασθαι τῷ βασιλεῖ Βαβυλῶνος. ²³ ἐκλείψειν ποιήσω ἐκ πόλεων Ιουδα καὶ ἔξωθεν Ιερουσαλημ φωνὴν εὐφροσύνης καὶ φωνὴν χαρμοσύνης φωνὴν νυμφίου καὶ φωνὴν νύμφης καὶ ἔσται πᾶσα ἡ γῆ εἰς ἄβατον ἀπὸ ἐνοικούντων.	כִּ֗י לֹ֕א עַל־צִדְק֥וֹת אֲבוֹתֵ֖ינוּ וּמְלָכֵ֑ינוּ אֲנַ֨חְנוּ מַפִּילִ֤ים תַּחֲנוּנֵ֙ינוּ֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ כִּ֧י שָׁלַ֛חְתָּ אַפְּךָ֥ וַחֲמָתְךָ בָּ֑נוּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֧ר דִּבַּ֛רְתָּ בְּיַ֥ד עֲבָדֶ֖יךָ הַנְּבִאִ֥ים לֵאמֹֽר׃ כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה הַטּ֤וּ צַוְּארֵיכֶם֙ וְעִבְדוּ֙ אֶת־מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל וּשְׁב֣וּ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֖ר נָתַ֣תִּי לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ וְאִם־לֹ֥א תִשְׁמְע֖וּ בְּק֣וֹל יְהֹוָ֑ה לַעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת־מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶֽל׃ וְהִשְׁבַּתִּ֣י ׀ מֵֽעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֗ה וּמֵֽחֻצוֹת֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔‍ִם ק֤וֹל שָׂשׂוֹן֙ וְק֣וֹל שִׂמְחָ֔ה ק֥וֹל חָתָ֖ן וְק֣וֹל כַּלָּ֑ה וְהָֽיְתָה֙ כׇּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ לְשַׁמָּ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ין יוֹשֵֽׁב׃	¹⁹ For it is not because of acts deemed righteous of our fathers and our kings that we throw down our mercy before you, YHVH, our elo’ah. ²⁰ For you have brought your anger and your wrath against us, as you had spoken by the hand of your servants the prophets, saying: ²¹ Thus did YHVH say: “Incline your shoulder, and work for the king of Babylon, and sit upon the land which I gave to your fathers. ²² And if you do not obey the voice of YHVH to work for the king of Babylon, ²³ I will make to fail from the towns of Yehudah and from the courtyards of Jerusalem a voice of merriment and a voice of delight, a voice of bridegroom and a voice of bride, and all the land will become untrodden by inhabitants.”
²⁴ καὶ οὐκ ἠκούσαμεν τῆς φωνῆς σου ἐργάσασθαι τῷ βασιλεῖ Βαβυλῶνος καὶ ἔστησας τοὺς λόγους σου οὓς ἐλάλησας ἐν χερσὶν τῶν παίδων σου τῶν προφητῶν τοῦ ἐξενεχθῆναι τὰ ὀστᾶ βασιλέων ἡμῶν καὶ τὰ ὀστᾶ τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν ἐκ τοῦ τόπου αὐτῶν. ²⁵ καὶ ἰδού ἐστιν ἐξερριμμένα τῷ καύματι τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ τῷ παγετῷ τῆς νυκτός καὶ ἀπεθάνοσαν ἐν πόνοις πονηροῖς ἐν λιμῷ καὶ ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ καὶ ἐν ἀποστολῇ. ²⁶ καὶ ἔθηκας τὸν οἶκον οὗ ἐπεκλήθη τὸ ὄνομά σου ἐπ’ αὐτῷ ὡς ἡ ἡμέρα αὕτη διὰ πονηρίαν οἴκου Ισραηλ καὶ οἴκου Ιουδα.	וְלֹ֣א ׀ שָׁמַ֣עְנוּ בְּקוֹלְךָ֗ לַעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל וַתָּ֤קׇם אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבַּ֔רְתָּ בְּיַ֥ד עֲבָדֶ֖יךָ הַנְּבִאִ֑ים לְהוֹצִיא֙ אֶת־עַצְמ֣וֹת מְלָכֵ֔ינוּ וְאֶת־עַצְמ֥וֹת אֲבוֹתֵ֖ינוּ מִמְּקוֹמָֽן׃ וְהִנָּן֙ מְשַׁ֣לְּכ֔וֹת לַחֹ֥רֶב בַּיּ֖וֹם וְלַקֶּ֣רַח בַּלָּ֑יְלָה וַֽיָּמֻ֙תוּ֙ בְּתַחֲלֻאִ֣ים רָעִ֔ים בְּרָעָ֖ב בְּחֶ֥רֶב וּבְדָֽבֶר׃ וַתִּתֵּ֣ן אֶת־הַבַּ֗יִת אֲשֶׁ֤ר נִקְרָא֙ שִׁמְךָ֣ עָלָ֔יו לִשְׁמָמָ֖ה כַּיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה בִּגְלַ֧ל רָעַ֛ת בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וּבֵ֥ית יְהוּדָֽה׃	²⁴ And we did not obey your voice to work for the king of Babylon, and you have established your words which you spoke by the hands of your servants the prophets, that the bones of our kings and the bones of our fathers may be carried out from their place. ²⁵ And look, they are cast out in the heat of the day and the frost of the night, and they died in wicked pains, by famine and by sword and by dispatch. ²⁶ And you made the house, where your name was called over it, as this day because of the wickedness of the house of Yisrael and the house of Yehudah.
²⁷ καὶ ἐποίησας εἰς ἡμᾶς κύριε ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν κατὰ πᾶσαν ἐπιείκειάν σου καὶ κατὰ πάντα οἰκτιρμόν σου τὸν μέγαν. ²⁸ καθὰ ἐλάλησας ἐν χειρὶ παιδός σου Μωυσῆ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐντειλαμένου σου αὐτῷ γράψαι τὸν νόμον σου ἐναντίον υἱῶν Ισραηλ λέγων. ²⁹ ἐὰν μὴ ἀκούσητε τῆς φωνῆς μου ἦ μὴν ἡ βόμβησις ἡ μεγάλη ἡ πολλὴ αὕτη ἀποστρέψει εἰς μικρὰν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν οὗ διασπερῶ αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖ. ³⁰ ὅτι ἔγνων ὅτι οὐ μὴ ἀκούσωσίν μου ὅτι λαὸς σκληροτράχηλός ἐστιν καὶ ἐπιστρέψουσιν ἐπὶ καρδίαν αὐτῶν ἐν γῇ ἀποικισμοῦ αὐτῶν. ³¹ καὶ γνώσονται ὅτι ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς αὐτῶν καὶ δώσω αὐτοῖς καρδίαν καὶ ὦτα ἀκούοντα. ³² καὶ αἰνέσουσίν με ἐν γῇ ἀποικισμοῦ αὐτῶν καὶ μνησθήσονται τοῦ ὀνόματός μου. ³³ καὶ ἀποστρέψουσιν ἀπὸ τοῦ νώτου αὐτῶν τοῦ σκληροῦ καὶ ἀπὸ πονηρῶν πραγμάτων αὐτῶν ὅτι μνησθήσονται τῆς ὁδοῦ πατέρων αὐτῶν τῶν ἁμαρτόντων ἔναντι κυρίου. ³⁴ καὶ ἀποστρέψω αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν γῆν ἣν ὤμοσα τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν τῷ Αβρααμ καὶ τῷ Ισαακ καὶ τῷ Ιακωβ καὶ κυριεύσουσιν αὐτῆς καὶ πληθυνῶ αὐτούς καὶ οὐ μὴ σμικρυνθῶσιν. ³⁵ καὶ στήσω αὐτοῖς διαθήκην αἰώνιον τοῦ εἶναί με αὐτοῖς εἰς θεὸν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔσονταί μοι εἰς λαόν καὶ οὐ κινήσω ἔτι τὸν λαόν μου Ισραηλ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἧς ἔδωκα αὐτοῖς.	וָתֵּעָ֥שׂ עִמָּ֖נוּ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ כְּכׇל־חַסְדְּךָ֥ וּכְכׇל־רַחֲמֶ֖יךָ הָרַבִּֽים׃ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבַּ֔רְתָּ בְּיַ֥ד עַבְדְּךָ֖ מֹשֶׁ֑ה בְּיוֹם֙ צַוְתְּךָ֣ אֹת֔וֹ לִכְתֹּ֧ב אֶת־תּוֹרָתְךָ֛ לִפְנֵ֥י בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹֽר׃ אִ֕ם לֹ֥א תִּשְׁמְע֖וּ בְּקוֹלִ֑י כִּ֨י הֶהָמ֤וֹן הַגָּדוֹל֙ הָרָ֣ב הַזֶּ֔ה יָשׁ֧וּב לִמְעַ֛ט בַּגּוֹ֖יִם אֲשֶׁר־אַדִּיחֵ֥ם שָֽׁם׃ כִּ֣י יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֥י לֹ֖א יִשְׁמְע֣וּ אֵלַ֑י כִּ֤י עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֙רֶף֙ ה֔וּא וְיָשִׂ֥יבוּ אֶל־לְבָבָ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ שִׁבְיָֽם׃ וְיָדְע֗וּ כִּ֛י אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם וְנָתַ֧תִּי לָהֶ֛ם לֵ֥ב וְאֹ֖זֶן שֹׁמַֽעַת׃ וְי֤וֹדוּ לִי֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ שִׁבְיָ֔ם וְיִזְכְּר֖וּ שְׁמִֽי׃ וְיָשְׁבוּ֙ מֵעׇרְפָ֣ם הַקָּשֶׁ֔ה וּמֵרֹ֖עַ מַעַלְלֵיהֶ֑ם כִּ֤י יִזְכְּרוּ֙ אֶת־דֶּ֣רֶךְ אֲבֹתָ֔ם הַחַטָּאִ֖ים לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ וַהֲשִׁבֹתִ֣ים אֶל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נִשְׁבַּ֙עְתִּי֙ לַאֲבֹתָ֔ם לְאַבְרָהָ֨ם וּלְיִצְחָ֤ק וּלְיַעֲקֹב֙ וְיֵרְשׁ֔וּהָ וְהִרְבִּיתִ֖ים וְלֹ֥א יִמְעָֽטוּ׃ וְכָרַ֤תִּי לָהֶם֙ בְּרִ֣ית עוֹלָ֔ם לִהְי֥וֹת לָהֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִ֑ים וְהֵ֣מָּה ׀ יִהְיוּ־לִ֣י לְעָ֗ם וְלֹ֨א אֶתֹּ֤שׁ עוֹד֙ אֶת־עַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵעַ֣ל הָאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לָהֶֽם׃	²⁷ And you have done to us, YHVH our elo’ah, according to all your fairness and according to all your great compassion ²⁸ as you spoke by the hand of your servant Mosheh in the day when you commanded him to write your Instruction before the sons of Yisrael, saying, ²⁹ “If you do not obey my voice, surely this great multitude will turn into a small one among the nations, there where I will scatter them. ³⁰ For I knew that they would not obey me, because the people are stiff-necked. And they will return to their heart in the land of their exile, ³¹ and they will know that I am YHVH their elo’ah. And I will give them a hearing heart and ears, ³² and they will praise me in the land of their exile, and they will remember my name, ³³ and they will turn away from their stubborness and from their wicked deeds, because they will remember the way of their fathers who sinned before YHVH. ³⁴ And I will return them to the land, which I swore to their fathers, to Avraham and to Yitsḥaq and to Yaaqov, and they will rule over it, and I will multiply them, and they will not diminish. ³⁵ I will establish with them an everlasting covenant, that I am Elohim for them and they are a people for me, and I will not disturb again my people Yisrael from the land that I have given them.”
3 ¹ κύριε παντοκράτωρ ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ ψυχὴ ἐν στενοῖς καὶ πνεῦμα ἀκηδιῶν κέκραγεν πρὸς σέ. ² ἄκουσον κύριε καὶ ἐλέησον ὅτι ἡμάρτομεν ἐναντίον σου. ³ ὅτι σὺ καθήμενος τὸν αἰῶνα καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀπολλύμενοι τὸν αἰῶνα. ⁴ κύριε παντοκράτωρ ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ ἄκουσον δὴ τῆς προσευχῆς τῶν τεθνηκότων Ισραηλ καὶ υἱῶν τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων ἐναντίον σου οἳ οὐκ ἤκουσαν τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου θεοῦ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐκολλήθη ἡμῖν τὰ κακά. ⁵ μὴ μνησθῇς ἀδικιῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν ἀλλὰ μνήσθητι χειρός σου καὶ ὀνόματός σου ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τούτῳ. ⁶ ὅτι σὺ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν καὶ αἰνέσομέν σε κύριε. ⁷ ὅτι διὰ τοῦτο ἔδωκας τὸν φόβον σου ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἡμῶν τοῦ ἐπικαλεῖσθαι τὸ ὄνομά σου καὶ αἰνέσομέν σε ἐν τῇ ἀποικίᾳ ἡμῶν ὅτι ἀπεστρέψαμεν ἀπὸ καρδίας ἡμῶν πᾶσαν ἀδικίαν πατέρων ἡμῶν τῶν ἡμαρτηκότων ἐναντίον σου. ⁸ ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς σήμερον ἐν τῇ ἀποικίᾳ ἡμῶν οὗ διέσπειρας ἡμᾶς ἐκεῖ εἰς ὀνειδισμὸν καὶ εἰς ἀρὰν καὶ εἰς ὄφλησιν κατὰ πάσας τὰς ἀδικίας πατέρων ἡμῶν οἳ ἀπέστησαν ἀπὸ κυρίου θεοῦ ἡμῶν.	יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל נֶ֣פֶשׁ בְּצָרָ֔ה וְר֥וּחַ עֲטוּפָ֖ה צְעָקָ֥ה אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ שְׁמַ֥ע יְהֹוָ֖ה וְחׇנֵ֑נוּ כִּ֥י חָטָ֖אנוּ לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃ כִּי־אַתָּ֖ה שֹׁ֣כֵן עַ֑ד וַאֲנַ֖חְנוּ אַ֥בְּדֵי עַֽד׃ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָאוֹת֮ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ שְׁמַע־נָ֕א אֶל־תְּפִלַּ֖ת מֵתֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּבְנֵי֙ הַחַטָּאִ֣ים לְפָנֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹ֤א שָׁמְעוּ֙ בְּקוֹל־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֔ם וַתִּ֥דְבַּק בָּ֖נוּ הָרָעָֽה׃ אַל־תִּזְכֹּ֖ר עֲוֹנֹ֣ת אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ כִּי־זְכֹ֛ר יָדְךָ֥ וְשִׁמְךָ֖ בָּעֵ֥ת הַזֹּאֽת׃ כִּ֗י אַתָּה֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ וְנוֹדֶ֖ךָ יְהֹוָֽה׃ כִּ֗י עַל־כֵּ֨ן נָתַ֤תָּ אֶת־יִרְאָֽתֶ֙ךָ֙ עַ֣ל לְבָבֵ֔נוּ לִקְרֹ֥א בְּשִּׁמְךָ֖ וְנוֹדְךָ֣ בְּשִׁבְיֵ֑נוּ כִּ֣י ׀ הֱשִׁיבָ֣נוּ אֶל־לְבָבֵ֗נוּ כׇּל־עֲוֹ֧ן אֲבֹתֵ֛ינוּ הַחֲטָאִ֖ים לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃ הִנֵּה֩ אָנַ֨חְנוּ הַיּ֜וֹם בְּשִׁבְיֵ֗נוּ אֲשֶׁר֙ הִדַּחְתָּ֣נוּ שָׂ֔ם לְחֶרְפָּ֥ה וּלְאַלָּ֖ה וּלְזַעֲוָ֑ה כְּכֹל֙ עֲוֹנֹ֣ת אֲבֹתֵ֔ינוּ אֲשֶׁר־פָּ֖שְׁעוּ בַּיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ כִּ֗י אַתָּה֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ וְנוֹדֶ֖ךָ יְהֹוָֽה׃	3 ¹ YHVH Tseva’ot elo’ah of Yisrael, a soul in straits and a weary spirit calls out to you. ² Listen, YHVH, and show mercy, for we have sinned before you. ³ For you are enthroned forever, and we are perishing forever. ⁴ YHVH Tseva’ot elo’ah of Yisrael, listen now to the prayer of those of Yisrael who have died and of the sons of those who kept sinning before you, who did not listen to the voice of YHVH their elo’ah and bad things have clung to us. ⁵ Do not remember the injustices of our ancestors; rather, remember your hand and your name in this season. ⁶ For you are YHVH our elo’ah, and we will praise you, YHVH. ⁷ For because of this you have given your fear in our heart in order that we call upon your name, and we will praise you in our exile, for we have put away from our heart all the injustice of our fathers who sinned before you. ⁸ Look, we are today in our exile, there where you have scattered us for a reproach and for a curse and for a penalty according to all the injustices of our fathers who departed from YHVH our elo’ah.

Recordings

https://archive.org/download/sefer-barukh--reconstructed-hebrew-vorlage-of-emmanuel-tov/Isaac%20Gantwerk%20Mayer%20-%20Barukh%20%281v1-3v8%29%20.mp3

Notes

Notes
1	the Chaldean, Neo-Babylonian Empire.

Βαροὺχ | Sefer Barukh (3:9-5:8), a poem of wisdom in exile and its ultimate liberation

Barukh ben Neriyah — Sat, 26 Jun 2021 21:41:02 +0000

The book of Barukh (also, Βαροὺχ and Baruch/Barouch) is a deuterocanonical work traditionally attributed to Barukh son of Neriyah, the scribe of the prophet Jeremiah. Preserved in the Seputagint, the text is one of a good number of Jewish works from Antiquity either written in Greek or whose Aramaic and Hebrew source was lost. While the opening portions of Barukh (1:1-3:8) show quintessential signs of having been translated from Hebrew, this poetic section is of uncertain origin and a Vorlage cannot be constructed for it with the same level of accuracy. (Visit here for the reconstructed Hebrew Vorlage of Baruch 1:1-3:8 by Emmanuel Tov, vocalized and cantillated by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer.)

Source (Greek)	Translation (English)
3 ⁹ ἄκουε, Ἰσραήλ, ἐντολὰς ζωῆς, ἐνωτίσασθε γνῶναι φρόνησιν. ¹⁰ τί ἐστιν Ἰσραήλ, τί ὅτι ἐν γῇ τῶν ἐχθρῶν εἶ, ἐπαλαιώθης ἐν γῇ ἀλλοτρίᾳ, ¹¹ συνεμιάνθης τοῖς νεκροῖς, προσελογίσθης μετὰ τῶν εἰς ᾅδου; ¹² ἐγκατέλιπες τὴν πηγὴν τῆς σοφίας. ¹³ τῇ ὁδῷ τοῦ θεοῦ εἰ ἐπορεύθης, κατῴκεις ἄν ἐν εἰρήνῃ τὸν αἰῶνα. ¹⁴ μάθε ποῦ ἐστιν φρόνησις, ποῦ ἐστιν ἰσχύς, ποῦ ἐστιν σύνεσις τοῦ γνῶναι ἅμα, ποῦ ἐστιν μακροβίωσις καὶ ζωή, ποῦ ἐστιν φῶς ὀφθαλμῶν καὶ εἰρήνη. —	3 ⁹ Hear, O Yisrael, commandments of life; give ear to learn insight. ¹⁰ Why is it, O Yisrael, why is it that you are in the enemies’ land, that you became old in a foreign land; ¹¹ you were defiled with corpses, you were counted among those in Sheol?^[1] lit. Hades ¹² You have forsaken the spring of wisdom. ¹³ If in the way of YHVH you had gone, you would be living in peace forever. ¹⁴ Learn where there is insight, where there is strength, where there is intelligence, to know at the same time where there is longevity and life, where there is light for eyes and peace.
¹⁵ τίς εὗρεν τὸν τόπον αὐτῆς, καὶ τίς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τοὺς θησαυροὺς αὐτῆς; ¹⁶ ποῦ εἰσιν οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ οἱ κυριεύοντες τῶν θηρίων τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ¹⁷ οἱ ἐν τοῖς ὀρνέοις τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐμπαίζοντες καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον θησαυρίζοντες καὶ τὸ χρυσίον, ᾧ ἐπεποίθεισαν ἄνθρωποι, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν τέλος τῆς κτήσεως αὐτῶν ¹⁸ οἱ τὸ ἀργύριον τεκταίνοντες καὶ μεριμνῶντες, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐξεύρεσις τῶν ἔργων αὐτῶν ¹⁹ ἠφανίσθησαν καὶ εἰς ᾅδου κατέβησαν, καὶ ἄλλοι ἀντανέστησαν ἀντ᾿ αὐτῶν.	¹⁵ Who has found her place, and who entered into her treasuries? ¹⁶ Where are the magistrates of the nations and those who have dominion over the animals that are on the earth, ¹⁷ those who make sport among the birds of the sky and who store up silver and gold, in which humans have trusted, and there is no end to their acquisition, ¹⁸ those who scheme for silver and are anxious, and there is no trace of their works? ¹⁹ They have vanished and gone down to Sheol,^[2] lit. Hades and others have arisen in their place.
²⁰ νεώτεροι εἶδον φῶς καὶ κατῴκησαν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὁδὸν δὲ ἐπιστήμης οὐκ ἔγνωσαν ²¹ οὐδὲ συνῆκαν τρίβους αὐτῆς οὐδὲ ἀντελάβοντο αὐτῆς· οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ αὐτῶν πόρρω ἐγενήθησαν. ²² οὐδὲ ἠκούσθη ἐν Χαναὰν οὐδὲ ὤφθη ἐν Θαιμὰν, ²³ οὔτε υἱοὶ Ἄγαρ οἱ ἐκζητοῦντες τὴν σύνεσιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, οἱ ἔμποροι τῆς Μερρὰν καὶ Θαιμὰν οἱ μυθολόγοι καὶ οἱ ἐκζητηταὶ τῆς συνέσεως ὁδὸν τῆς σοφίας οὐκ ἔγνωσαν οὐδὲ ἐμνήσθησαν τὰς τρίβους αὐτῆς.	²⁰ Younger ones saw light, and they lived upon the earth, but they did not know the way of knowledge ²¹ nor understood her paths, nor did they take hold of her. Their sons ended up far away from their way. ²² She has neither been heard of in Kna’an nor been seen in Teiman^[3] Yemen — ²³ nor the sons of Hagar who seek out intelligence upon the earth, the merchants of Merran^[4] Unknown. One suggestion is that the original text in Hebrew or Aramaic had ‘Midian,’ and that this is evidence of a scribal corruption preceding the work’s translation into Greek. and Teiman and the story-tellers and the seekers for intelligence. But they did not know the way of wisdom nor remembered her paths.
²⁴ ὦ Ἰσραήλ, ὡς μέγας ὁ οἶκος τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐπιμήκης ὁ τόπος τῆς κτήσεως αὐτοῦ· ²⁵ μέγας καὶ οὐκ ἔχει τελευτήν, ὑψηλὸς καὶ ἀμέτρητος. ²⁶ ἐκεῖ ἐγεννήθησαν οἱ γίγαντες οἱ ὀνομαστοὶ οἱ ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς, γενόμενοι εὐμεγέθεις, ἐπιστάμενοι πόλεμον. ²⁷ οὐ τούτους ἐξελέξατο ὁ θεὸς οὐδὲ ὁδὸν ἐπιστήμης ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς· ²⁸ καὶ ἀπώλοντο παρὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν φρόνησιν, ἀπώλοντο διὰ τὴν ἀβουλίαν αὐτῶν. —	²⁴ Ah Yisrael, how great is the house of YHVH, and how extensive is the place of its^[5] probably, ‘his' estate! ²⁵ It is great and has no end; it is high and immeasurable. ²⁶ The giants were born there, those renowned, those of old, seeing that they were large, experts in war. ²⁷ Not these did YHVH choose, nor did he give them the way of knowledge, ²⁸ and they perished because they had no insight; they perished through their recklessness.
²⁹ τίς ἀνέβη εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἔλαβεν αὐτὴν καὶ κατεβίβασεν αὐτὴν ἐκ τῶν νεφελῶν; ³⁰ τίς διέβη πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ εὗρεν αὐτὴν καὶ οἴσει αὐτὴν χρυσίου ἐκλεκτοῦ, ³¹ οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ γινώσκων τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτῆς οὐδὲ ὁ ἐνθυμούμενος τὴν τρίβον αὐτῆς ³² ἀλλὰ ὁ εἰδὼς τὰ πάντα γινώσκει αὐτήν, ἐξεῦρεν αὐτὴν τῇ συνέσει αὐτοῦ· ὁ κατασκευάσας τὴν γῆν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα χρόνον, ἐνέπλησεν αὐτὴν κτηνῶν τετραπόδων· ³³ ὁ ἀποστέλλων τὸ φῶς καὶ πορεύεται, ἐκάλεσεν αὐτό, καὶ ὑπήκουσεν αὐτῷ τρόμῳ· ³⁴ οἱ δὲ ἀστέρες ἔλαμψαν ἐν ταῖς φυλακαῖς αὐτῶν καὶ εὐφράνθησαν, ³⁵ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτοὺς καὶ εἶπον πάρεσμεν, ἔλαμψαν μετ᾿ εὐφροσύνης τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτούς. ³⁶ οὗτος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν, οὐ λογισθήσεται ἕτερος πρὸς αὐτόν. ³⁷ ἐξεῦρεν πᾶσαν ὁδὸν ἐπιστήμης καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὴν Ἰακὼβ τῷ παιδὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ Ἰσραὴλ τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ· ³⁸ μετὰ τοῦτο ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὤφθη καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συνανεστράφη.	²⁹ Who has gone up into the sky and taken her and brought her down from the clouds? ³⁰ Who has crossed over the sea and found her and will bring her in exchange for choice gold? ³¹ There is no one who is familiar with her way, nor one who thinks much about her path. ³² But he who knows all things is familiar with her; he discovered her by his intelligence; he who equipped the earth for all time, he filled it with quadrupeds. ³³ He who sends the light, and it goes— he summoned it and it obeyed him, with a shudder, ³⁴ but the stars shone in their watches and were glad; ³⁵ he called them, and they said, “We are present!” They shone with gladness for him who made them. ³⁶ This is our elo’ah; no other will be reckoned with him. ³⁷ He discovered the whole way of knowledge and gave her to his servant Yaaqov and to Yisrael who was loved by him. ³⁸ After this she appeared on earth and associated among humans.
4 ¹ Αὕτη ἡ βίβλος τῶν προσταγμάτων τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ὁ νόμος ὁ ὑπάρχων εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα πάντες οἱ κρατοῦντες αὐτῆς εἰς ζωήν, οἱ δὲ καταλείποντες αὐτὴν ἀποθανοῦνται. — ² ἐπιστρέφου, Ἰακώβ, καὶ ἐπιλαβοῦ αὐτῆς, διόδευσον πρὸς τὴν λάμψιν κατέναντι τοῦ φωτὸς αὐτῆς. ³ μὴ δῷς ἑτέρῳ τὴν δόξαν σου καὶ τὰ συμφέροντά σοὶ ἔθνει ἀλλοτρίῳ. ⁴ μακάριοί ἐσμεν, Ἰσραήλ, ὅτι τὰ ἀρεστὰ τῷ θεῷ ἡμῖν γνωστά ἐστιν.	4 ¹ She^[6] i.e., way of knowledge. is the book of the decrees of YHVH and the Torah that remains forever. All who seize her are for life, but those who forsake her will die. ² Turn, O Yaaqov, and take hold of her; pass through toward the shining in the presence of her light. ³ Do not give your glory to another and your benefits to a foreign nation. ⁴ Happy are we, O Yisrael, because what is pleasing to YHVH is known to us.
⁵ θαρσεῖτε, λαός μου, μνημόσυνον Ἰσραὴλ. ⁶ ἐπράθητε τοῖς ἔθνεσιν οὐκ εἰς ἀπώλειαν, διὰ δὲ τὸ παροργίσαι ὑμᾶς τὸν θεὸν παρεδόθητε τοῖς ὑπεναντίοις· ⁷ παρωξύνατε γὰρ τὸν ποιήσαντα ὑμᾶς θύσαντες δαιμονίοις καὶ οὐ θεῷ. ⁸ ἐπελάθεσθε δὲ τὸν τροφεύσαντα ὑμᾶς θεὸν αἰώνιον, ἐλυπήσατε δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐκθρέψασαν ὑμᾶς Ἱερουσαλήμ· ⁹ εἶδεν γὰρ τὴν ἐπελθοῦσαν ὑμῖν ὀργὴν παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ εἶπεν ἀκούσατε, αἱ πάροικοι Σιών, ἐπήγαγέν μοι ὁ θεὸς πένθος μέγα· ¹⁰ εἶδον γὰρ τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν τῶν υἱῶν μου καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων, ἣν ἐπήγαγεν αὐτοῖς ὁ αἰώνιος· ¹¹ ἔθρεψα γὰρ αὐτοὺς μετ᾿ εὐφροσύνης, ἐξαπέστειλα δὲ μετὰ κλαυθμοῦ καὶ πένθους. ¹² μηδεὶς ἐπιχαιρέτω μοι τῇ χήρᾳ καὶ καταλειφθείσῃ ὑπὸ πολλῶν· ἠρημώθην διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας τῶν τέκνων μου, διότι ἐξέκλιναν ἐκ νόμου θεοῦ, ¹³ δικαιώματα δὲ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν οὐδὲ ἐπορεύθησαν ὁδοῖς ἐντολῶν θεοῦ οὐδὲ τρίβους παιδείας ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ δικαιοσύνῃ αὐτοῦ ἐπέβησαν. ¹⁴ ἐλθάτωσαν αἱ πάροικοι Σιών, καὶ μνήσθητε τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν τῶν υἱῶν μου καὶ θυγατέρων, ἣν ἐπήγαγεν αὐτοῖς ὁ αἰώνιος· ¹⁵ ἐπήγαγεν γὰρ ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς ἔθνος μακρόθεν, ἔθνος ἀναιδὲς καὶ ἀλλόγλωσσον, οἳ οὐκ ᾐσχύνθησαν πρεσβύτην οὐδὲ παιδίον ἠλέησαν ¹⁶ καὶ ἀπήγαγον τοὺς ἀγαπητοὺς τῆς χήρας καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν θυγατέρων τὴν μόνην ἠρήμωσαν.	⁵ Take courage, my people, reminder of Yisrael! ⁶ You were sold to the nations not for destruction, but because you angered YHVH you were delivered to your adversaries. ⁷ For you provoked the one who made you by sacrificing to demons and not to YHVH. ⁸ And you forgot the one who nursed you, El everlasting, and you even grieved Jerusalem who reared you. ⁹ For she saw the anger that came upon you from YHVH, and she said: Listen, you neighbors of Tsiyon, YHVH has brought great mourning upon me; ¹⁰ for they saw the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Everlasting brought upon them. ¹¹ For I reared them with gladness, but I sent them away with weeping and grief. ¹² Let no one rejoice against me, the widow and one forsaken by many; I was left desolate because of the sins of my children, because they turned away from YHVH’s Torah ¹³ And they did not recognize his statutes; neither did they walk in the ways of YHVH’s commandments nor tread on the paths of instruction by his righteousness. ¹⁴ Let the neighbors of Tsiyon come, And remember the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Everlasting brought upon them. ¹⁵ For he brought against them a far off nation, a shameless nation and one speaking an alien tongue, who did not respect an old man nor showed mercy to a child. ¹⁶ And they led away the beloved sons of the widow and isolated the lonely woman from her daughters.
¹⁷ ἐγὼ δὲ τί δυνατὴ βοηθῆσαι ὑμῖν; ¹⁸ ὁ γὰρ ἐπαγαγὼν τὰ κακὰ ὑμῖν ἐξελεῖται ὑμᾶς ἐκ χειρὸς ἐχθρῶν ὑμῶν. ¹⁹ βαδίζετε, τέκνα, βαδίζετε, ἐγὼ γὰρ κατελείφθην ἔρημος· ²⁰ ἐξεδυσάμην τὴν στολὴν τῆς εἰρήνης, ἐνεδυσάμην δὲ σάκκον τῆς δεήσεώς μου, κεκράξομαι πρὸς τὸν αἰώνιον ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις μου. —	¹⁷ But I,^[7] i.e., Jerusalem. how am I able to help you? ¹⁸ For he who brought these bad things upon you will deliver you from the hand of your enemies. ¹⁹ Walk, children, walk, for I have been left desolate. ²⁰ I have taken off the robe of peace and put on sackcloth for my petition; I will cry out to the Everlasting in all my days.
²¹ θαρσεῖτε, τέκνα, βοήσατε πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ ἐξελεῖται ὑμᾶς ἐκ δυναστείας, ἐκ χειρὸς ἐχθρῶν. ²² ἐγὼ γὰρ ἤλπισα ἐπὶ τῷ αἰωνίῳ τὴν σωτηρίαν ὑμῶν, καὶ ἦλθέν μοι χαρὰ παρὰ τοῦ ἁγίου ἐπὶ τῇ ἐλεημοσύνῃ, ἣ ἥξει ὑμῖν ἐν τάχει παρὰ τοῦ αἰωνίου σωτῆρος ὑμῶν. ²³ ἐξέπεμψα γὰρ ὑμᾶς μετὰ πένθους καὶ κλαυθμοῦ, ἀποδώσει δέ μοι ὁ θεὸς ὑμᾶς μετὰ χαρμοσύνης καὶ εὐφροσύνης εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ²⁴ ὥσπερ γὰρ νῦν ἑωράκασιν αἱ πάροικοι Σιὼν τὴν ὑμετέραν αἰχμαλωσίαν, οὕτως ὄψονται ἐν τάχει τὴν παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ὑμῶν σωτηρίαν, ἣ ἐπελεύσεται ὑμῖν μετὰ δόξης μεγάλης καὶ λαμπρότητος τοῦ αἰωνίου. ²⁵ τέκνα, μακροθυμήσατε τὴν παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπελθοῦσαν ὑμῖν ὀργήν· κατεδίωξέν σὲ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, καὶ ὄψει αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀπώλειαν ἐν τάχει καὶ ἐπὶ τραχήλους αὐτῶν ἐπιβήσῃ. ²⁶ οἱ τρυφεροί μου ἐπορεύθησαν ὁδοὺς τραχείας, ἤρθησαν ὡς ποίμνιον ἡρπασμένον ὑπὸ ἐχθρῶν. —	²¹ Take courage, O children; call out to YHVH, and he will deliver you from domination, from the hand of enemies. ²² For I have hoped in the Everlasting for your salvation, and joy has come to me from the Holy One because of the mercy that will soon come to you from your everlasting savior. ²³ For I dispatched out with mourning and weeping, but YHVH will give you back to me with delight and merriment forever. ²⁴ For as the neighbors of Tsiyon have seen your captivity now, so they will quickly see your salvation from YHVH, which will come to you with the great glory and splendor of the Everlasting. ²⁵ O children, bear patiendy the wrath that has come upon you from YHVH. The enemy has pursued you, but you will quickly see their destruction and will tread upon their necks. ²⁶ My pampered children have traveled rough roads; they were taken away like a flock carried off by enemies.
²⁷ θαρσήσατε, τέκνα, καὶ βοήσατε πρὸς τὸν θεόν, ἔσται γὰρ ὑμῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐπάγοντος μνεία. ²⁸ ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐγένετο ἡ διάνοια ὑμῶν εἰς τὸ πλανηθῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ, δεκαπλασιάσατε ἐπιστραφέντες ζητῆσαι αὐτόν. ²⁹ ὁ γὰρ ἐπαγαγὼν ὑμῖν τὰ κακὰ ἐπάξει ὑμῖν τὴν αἰώνιον εὐφροσύνην μετὰ τῆς σωτηρίας ὑμῶν.	²⁷ Take courage, O children, and call out to YHVH, for there will be mention of you by the one who brought this. ²⁸ For just as your intention became to go astray from YHVH, multiply by ten when you return to seek him. ²⁹ For the one who brought these bad things upon you will bring you everlasting merriment with your salvation.
³⁰ θάρσει, Ἱερουσαλήμ, παρακαλέσει σὲ ὁ ὀνομάσας σὲ. ³¹ δείλαιοι οἱ σὲ κακώσαντες καὶ ἐπιχαρέντες τῇ σῇ πτώσει, ³² δείλαιαι αἱ πόλεις αἷς ἐδούλευσαν τὰ τέκνα σου, δειλαία ἡ δεξαμένη τοὺς υἱούς σου. ³³ ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐχάρη ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ πτώσει καὶ εὐφράνθη ἐπὶ τῷ πτώματί σου, οὕτως λυπηθήσεται ἐπὶ τῇ ἑαυτῆς ἐρημίᾳ. ³⁴ καὶ περιελῶ αὐτῆς τὸ ἀγαλλίαμα τῆς πολυοχλίας, καὶ τὸ ἀγαυρίαμα αὐτῆς ἔσται εἰς πένθος. ³⁵ πῦρ γὰρ ἐπελεύσεται αὐτῇ παρὰ τοῦ αἰωνίου εἰς ἡμέρας μακράς, καὶ κατοικηθήσεται ὑπὸ δαιμονίων τὸν πλείονα χρόνον. —	³⁰ Take courage, O Jerusalem; he who named you will comfort you. ³¹ Wretched will be those who have harmed you and who have rejoiced at your fall. ³² Wretched will be the cities that your children served as slaves; wretched will be the one^[8] i.e. Babylon that received your sons. ³³ For just as she rejoiced at your fall and was glad for your ruin, so she will be grieved at her own desolation. ³⁴ And I will take away her rejoicing of her great population, and her insolence will be turned to mourning. ³⁵ For fire will come upon her from the Everlasting for long days, and for a rather long time she will be inhabited by demons.
³⁶ περίβλεψαι πρὸς ἀνατολάς, Ἱερουσαλήμ, καὶ ἰδὲ τὴν εὐφροσύνην τὴν παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ σοὶ ἐρχομένην. ³⁷ ἰδοὺ ἔρχονται οἱ υἱοί σου, οὓς ἐξαπέστειλας, ἔρχονται συνηγμένοι ἀπ᾿ ἀνατολῶν ἕως δυσμῶν τῷ ῥήματι τοῦ ἁγίου χαίροντες τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ δόξῃ. —	³⁶ Look around toward the East, O Jerusalem, and see the merriment that is coming to you from YHVH. ³⁷ Behold, your sons are coming, whom you sent away; they are coming, gathered from east until west, at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing in the glory of YHVH.
5 ¹ Ἔκδυσαι, Ἱερουσαλήμ, τὴν στολὴν τοῦ πένθους καὶ τῆς κακώσεώς σου καὶ ἔνδυσαι τὴν εὐπρέπειαν τῆς παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ δόξης εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. ² περιβαλοῦ τὴν διπλοΐδα τῆς παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ δικαιοσύνης, ἐπίθου τὴν μίτραν ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλήν σου τῆς δόξης τοῦ αἰωνίου. ³ ὁ γὰρ θεὸς δείξει τῇ ὑπ᾿ οὐρανὸν πάσῃ τὴν σὴν λαμπρότητα. ⁴ κληθήσεται γάρ σου τὸ ὄνομα παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα εἰρήνη δικαιοσύνης καὶ δόξα θεοσεβείας. —	5 ¹ Take off your robe of mourning and affliction, O Jerusalem, and put on the dignity of the glory from YHVH forever. ² Put on the double-cloth^[9] or double-cloak, a style of garment. Perhaps this is a reference to the dress of the Kohen Gadol (high priest). I am put in mind of the material of the efod, the priestly vestment made of linen but with dyed wool thread (the textile then capable of being dyed), a combination forbidden in any other vestment. of the righteousness that is from YHVH; put on your head the headband^[10] Find note above. If correct, and this is a reference to the attire of the high priest, then this would be a reference to the tsits. It is very tempting to think of this headband as a reference to tefillin (the totafot of Deuteronomy 6:8). of the glory of the Everlasting. ³ For YHVH will show your splendor in the all that is beneath heaven. ⁴ For your name will be called by YHVH forever, “Peace of righteousness and glory of piety.”
⁵ ἀνάστηθι, Ἱερουσαλήμ, καὶ στῆθι ἐπὶ τοῦ ὑψηλοῦ καὶ περίβλεψαι πρὸς ἀνατολὰς καὶ ἰδέ σου συνηγμένα τὰ τέκνα ἀπὸ ἡλίου δυσμῶν ἕως ἀνατολῶν τῷ ῥήματι τοῦ ἁγίου χαίροντας τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ μνείᾳ. ⁶ ἐξῆλθον γὰρ παρὰ σοῦ πεζοὶ ἀγομένην ὑπὸ ἐχθρῶν, εἰσάγει δὲ αὐτοὺς ὁ θεὸς πρὸς σὲ αἰρομένους μετὰ δόξης ὡς θρόνον βασιλείας. ⁷ συνέταξεν γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ταπεινοῦσθαι πᾶν ὄρος ὑψηλὸν καὶ θῖνας ἀενάους καὶ φάραγγας πληροῦσθαι εἰς ὁμαλισμὸν τῆς γῆς, ἵνα βαδίσῃ Ἰσραὴλ ἀσφαλῶς τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ δόξῃ· ⁸ ἐσκίασαν δὲ καὶ οἱ δρυμοὶ καὶ πᾶν ξύλον εὐωδίας τῷ Ἰσραὴλ προστάγματι τοῦ θεοῦ· ⁹ ἡγήσεται γὰρ ὁ θεὸς Ἰσραὴλ μετ᾿ εὐφροσύνης τῷ φωτὶ τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ σὺν ἐλεημοσύνῃ καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ τῇ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ.	⁵ Arise, O Jerusalem, and stand upon the height, and look around toward the East, and see your children gathered from the setting of the sun until its rising at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing at YHVH’s remembering. ⁶ For they went out from you on foot, led away by enemies, but YHVH will bring them to you, taken up with glory, as on a royal throne. ⁷ For YHVH has instructed that every high mountain and the everlasting mounds be made low and the valleys be filled to make level the ground so that Yisrael may walk safely by the glory of YHVH. ⁸ And even the woods and every fragrant tree have shaded Yisrael at YHVH’s ordinance. ⁹ For YHVH will lead Yisrael with merriment, by the light of his glory, together with the mercy and righteousness that is from him.

The English translation here was adapted by Aharon Varady from the critical translation of Joseph Ziegler (Septuaginta: Vetus Testamentum Graecum Auctoritate Societatis Litterarum Gottingensis editum XV: leremias Baruch Threni Epistula leremiae [Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1957]). I have re-hebraicized divine names, translating θεὸς/θεοῦ as YHVH, as Emmanuel Tov had in the earlier section of Barukh, except where it was reasonable to assume a different divine name. I have left αἰωνίου as “Everlasting’ as I was uncertain whether this was a translation of a divine name or epithet. –Aharon Varady

Notes

Notes
1	lit. Hades
2	lit. Hades
3	Yemen
4	Unknown. One suggestion is that the original text in Hebrew or Aramaic had ‘Midian,’ and that this is evidence of a scribal corruption preceding the work’s translation into Greek.
5	probably, ‘his'
6	i.e., way of knowledge.
7	i.e., Jerusalem.
8	i.e. Babylon
9	or double-cloak, a style of garment. Perhaps this is a reference to the dress of the Kohen Gadol (high priest). I am put in mind of the material of the efod, the priestly vestment made of linen but with dyed wool thread (the textile then capable of being dyed), a combination forbidden in any other vestment.
10	Find note above. If correct, and this is a reference to the attire of the high priest, then this would be a reference to the tsits. It is very tempting to think of this headband as a reference to tefillin (the totafot of Deuteronomy 6:8).

💬 מְגִלַּת אֵיכָה | Megillat Eikhah (Lamentations) for Reading on Tishah b’Av, translation by Rabbi David Seidenberg (neohasid·org)

Barukh ben Neriyah — Sun, 07 Aug 2016 23:27:46 +0000

This translation of Laments, the book of mourning poems read on Tishah b’Av, uses principles of the Buber-Rosenzweig Bible. It strives to be “concordant”, translating related Hebrew words with related English words and following the order and syntax of the Hebrew where possible. It also focuses on the more physical, earthy meaning of words, in order to draw the reader from modern towards more ancient ways of seeing and feeling. Sometimes alternate translations are given, indicated by a slash. (When reading aloud, simply pick one of the translations. For YHVH, you can read Adonai or Hashem or “the Eternal”.) James Moffatt’s 1922 translation was consulted. As a somewhat literal translation, Laments uses “He” and “His” as pronouns for God, even though Torah and common sense command us not to make an exclusively male or female image of God. If you are using Laments liturgically, please feel encouraged to change the pronouns. For brief essays on the theology of Eikhah and more, see the bottom of this page.

This work is dedicated to all refugees fleeing war and upheaval, and to our remembering their needs.

You can support Reb Duvid’s work by making a financial contribution.

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
פרק א׳	CHAPTER 1
¹ אֵיכָ֣ה ׀ יָשְׁבָ֣ה בָדָ֗ד הָעִיר֙ רַבָּ֣תִי עָ֔ם הָיְתָ֖ה כְּאַלְמָנָ֑ה רַּבָּ֣תִי בַגּוֹיִ֗ם שָׂרָ֙תִי֙ בַּמְּדִינ֔וֹת הָיְתָ֖ה לָמַֽס׃ ס	Eikhah! How can it be – that she sat alone, the city so great / so swelled with people? She was like a widow. The one great among the nations, ministering among the states, became a slave caste.
² בָּכ֨וֹ תִבְכֶּ֜ה בַּלַּ֗יְלָה וְדִמְעָתָהּ֙ עַ֣ל לֶֽחֱיָ֔הּ אֵֽין־לָ֥הּ מְנַחֵ֖ם מִכָּל־אֹהֲבֶ֑יהָ כָּל־רֵעֶ֙יהָ֙ בָּ֣גְדוּ בָ֔הּ הָ֥יוּ לָ֖הּ לְאֹיְבִֽים׃ ס	Crying, she will cry in the night, her tear upon her cheek There is none for her, no comforter, from all her lovers. All her companions played traitor with her. They became for her enemies.
³ גָּֽלְתָ֨ה יְהוּדָ֤ה מֵעֹ֙נִי֙ וּמֵרֹ֣ב עֲבֹדָ֔ה הִ֚יא יָשְׁבָ֣ה בַגּוֹיִ֔ם לֹ֥א מָצְאָ֖ה מָנ֑וֹחַ כָּל־רֹדְפֶ֥יהָ הִשִּׂיג֖וּהָ בֵּ֥ין הַמְּצָרִֽים׃ ס	She, Judah, was exiled, by poverty, and by (so) much hard labor She sat among the nations, not finding any rest; All her pursuers caught up with her between the confined places.
⁴ דַּרְכֵ֨י צִיּ֜וֹן אֲבֵל֗וֹת מִבְּלִי֙ בָּאֵ֣י מוֹעֵ֔ד כָּל־שְׁעָרֶ֙יהָ֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ין כֹּהֲנֶ֖יהָ נֶאֱנָחִ֑ים בְּתוּלֹתֶ֥יהָ נּוּג֖וֹת וְהִ֥יא מַר־לָֽהּ׃ ס	Ẓíōn’s roads are mourning from being without festival-goers, all her gates desolated; Her priests are moaning, her girls grieving; And she – it is bitterness for her.
⁵ הָי֨וּ צָרֶ֤יהָ לְרֹאשׁ֙ אֹיְבֶ֣יהָ שָׁל֔וּ כִּֽי־יְהוָ֥ה הוֹגָ֖הּ עַ֣ל רֹב־פְּשָׁעֶ֑יהָ עוֹלָלֶ֛יהָ הָלְכ֥וּ שְׁבִ֖י לִפְנֵי־צָֽר׃ ס	Her tormentors were at the head, her enemies had ease For YHVH aggrieved her for the greatness of her sins. Her babes walked captive before foe;
⁶ וַיֵּצֵ֥א מן־בת־ מִבַּת־צִיּ֖וֹן כָּל־הֲדָרָ֑הּ הָי֣וּ שָׂרֶ֗יהָ כְּאַיָּלִים֙ לֹא־מָצְא֣וּ מִרְעֶ֔ה וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ בְלֹא־כֹ֖חַ לִפְנֵ֥י רוֹדֵֽף׃ ס	and all her splendor went out from daughter Ẓíōn ! Her ministers, like deer, not finding a place to graze; and (so) they walked, without strength, before a pursuer.
⁷ זָֽכְרָ֣ה יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם יְמֵ֤י עָנְיָהּ֙ וּמְרוּדֶ֔יהָ כֹּ֚ל מַחֲמֻדֶ֔יהָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֖וּ מִ֣ימֵי קֶ֑דֶם בִּנְפֹ֧ל עַמָּ֣הּ בְּיַד־צָ֗ר וְאֵ֤ין עוֹזֵר֙ לָ֔הּ רָא֣וּהָ צָרִ֔ים שָׂחֲק֖וּ עַ֥ל מִשְׁבַּתֶּֽהָ׃ ס	Jerusalem remembered the days of her poverty / affliction and her downsliding, all her precious things which were from days long ago, while her people fell into a foe’s hand; and there is no help for her. They saw her, her tormentors, laughing over her becoming stilled.
⁸ חֵ֤טְא חָֽטְאָה֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם עַל־כֵּ֖ן לְנִידָ֣ה הָיָ֑תָה כָּֽל־מְכַבְּדֶ֤יהָ הִזִּיל֙וּהָ֙ כִּי־רָא֣וּ עֶרְוָתָ֔הּ גַּם־הִ֥יא נֶאֶנְחָ֖ה וַתָּ֥שָׁב אָחֽוֹר׃ ס	Sinning she sinned, Jerusalem. For this an outcast / nidah she became. All who honor her despise her, for they saw her nakedness. Also her, she is moaning, and turned around backward.
⁹ טֻמְאָתָ֣הּ בְּשׁוּלֶ֗יהָ לֹ֤א זָֽכְרָה֙ אַחֲרִיתָ֔הּ וַתֵּ֣רֶד פְּלָאִ֔ים אֵ֥ין מְנַחֵ֖ם לָ֑הּ רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֶת־עָנְיִ֔י כִּ֥י הִגְדִּ֖יל אוֹיֵֽב׃ ס	Her blood / tum’ah in her skirts, she didn’t remember her end after, she descended wondrously. There is no comforter for her. YHVH, see my poverty / my humiliation, for an enemy became great.
¹⁰ יָדוֹ֙ פָּ֣רַשׂ צָ֔ר עַ֖ל כָּל־מַחֲמַדֶּ֑יהָ כִּֽי־רָאֲתָ֤ה גוֹיִם֙ בָּ֣אוּ מִקְדָּשָׁ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּ֔יתָה לֹא־יָבֹ֥אוּ בַקָּהָ֖ל לָֽךְ׃ ס	A foe / Trauma spread out his hand over all her precious things; She saw other nations come within her holy place, which you commanded her: “They won’t come in with the community to you.”
¹¹ כָּל־עַמָּ֤הּ נֶאֱנָחִים֙ מְבַקְּשִׁ֣ים לֶ֔חֶם נָתְנ֧וּ מחמודיהם מַחֲמַדֵּיהֶ֛ם בְּאֹ֖כֶל לְהָשִׁ֣יב נָ֑פֶשׁ רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ וְֽהַבִּ֔יטָה כִּ֥י הָיִ֖יתִי זוֹלֵלָֽה׃ ס	All her people are moaning seeking bread; They gave up their precious things for food to restore life. See, YHVH, and look (at how) I was despised.
¹² ל֣וֹא אֲלֵיכֶם֮ כָּל־עֹ֣בְרֵי דֶרֶךְ֒ הַבִּ֣יטוּ וּרְא֗וּ אִם־יֵ֤שׁ מַכְאוֹב֙ כְּמַכְאֹבִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר עוֹלַ֖ל לִ֑י אֲשֶׁר֙ הוֹגָ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה בְּי֖וֹם חֲר֥וֹן אַפּֽוֹ׃ ס	Never to you, all who pass on the way. (All of you) look, and see – Could there be pain like my pain which was doled out to me, which YHVH caused to grieve in the day of His furious anger?
¹³ מִמָּר֛וֹם שָֽׁלַח־אֵ֥שׁ בְּעַצְמֹתַ֖י וַיִּרְדֶּ֑נָּה פָּרַ֨שׂ רֶ֤שֶׁת לְרַגְלַי֙ הֱשִׁיבַ֣נִי אָח֔וֹר נְתָנַ֙נִי֙ שֹֽׁמֵמָ֔ה כָּל־הַיּ֖וֹם דָּוָֽה׃ ס	From a height He sent fire in my bones and overwhelmed them. He spread out a net for my feet; He turned me / repelled me backward; He made me desolate, all day – sickness.
¹⁴ נִשְׂקַד֩ עֹ֨ל פְּשָׁעַ֜י בְּיָד֗וֹ יִשְׂתָּֽרְג֛וּ עָל֥וּ עַל־צַוָּארִ֖י הִכְשִׁ֣יל כֹּחִ֑י נְתָנַ֣נִי אֲדֹנָ֔י בִּידֵ֖י לֹא־אוּכַ֥ל קֽוּם׃ ס	The harness of my sins lashed on, they were tied down by His hand, brought up onto my neck, making my strength fail. Adonai gave me over into (such) hands that I am unable to stand up.
¹⁵ סִלָּ֨ה כָל־אַבִּירַ֤י ׀ אֲדֹנָי֙ בְּקִרְבִּ֔י קָרָ֥א עָלַ֛י מוֹעֵ֖ד לִשְׁבֹּ֣ר בַּחוּרָ֑י גַּ֚ת דָּרַ֣ךְ אֲדֹנָ֔י לִבְתוּלַ֖ת בַּת־יְהוּדָֽה׃ ס	Adonai spurned all my mighty warriors within me, he called out over me a feast for breaking my boys; a winepress—Adonai stomped— for daughter Judah’s girl.
¹⁶ עַל־אֵ֣לֶּה ׀ אֲנִ֣י בוֹכִיָּ֗ה עֵינִ֤י ׀ עֵינִי֙ יֹ֣רְדָה מַּ֔יִם כִּֽי־רָחַ֥ק מִמֶּ֛נִּי מְנַחֵ֖ם מֵשִׁ֣יב נַפְשִׁ֑י הָי֤וּ בָנַי֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ים כִּ֥י גָבַ֖ר אוֹיֵֽב׃ ס	Over these, I am crying; My eye, my eye, she drops water. For so far from me is any comforter, a restorer for my life. My children were decimated, for an enemy overwhelmed / triumphed.
¹⁷ פֵּֽרְשָׂ֨ה צִיּ֜וֹן בְּיָדֶ֗יהָ אֵ֤ין מְנַחֵם֙ לָ֔הּ צִוָּ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה לְיַעֲקֹ֖ב סְבִיבָ֣יו צָרָ֑יו הָיְתָ֧ה יְרוּשָׁלִַ֛ם לְנִדָּ֖ה בֵּינֵיהֶֽם׃ ס	Ẓíōn spread out with her hands, there is no comforter for her. YHVH commanded for Jacob, surrounding him, his tormentors. Jerusalem became outcast / nidah between them.
¹⁸ צַדִּ֥יק ה֛וּא יְהוָ֖ה כִּ֣י פִ֣יהוּ מָרִ֑יתִי שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֣א כָל־עמים הָֽעַמִּ֗ים וּרְאוּ֙ מַכְאֹבִ֔י בְּתוּלֹתַ֥י וּבַחוּרַ֖י הָלְכ֥וּ בַשֶּֽׁבִי׃ ס	Righteous is YHVH, for his mouth I rebelled (against). Listen, please—all peoples— and see my pain! My girls and my boys walked captive / into captivity.
¹⁹ קָרָ֤אתִי לַֽמְאַהֲבַי֙ הֵ֣מָּה רִמּ֔וּנִי כֹּהֲנַ֥י וּזְקֵנַ֖י בָּעִ֣יר גָּוָ֑עוּ כִּֽי־בִקְשׁ֥וּ אֹ֙כֶל֙ לָ֔מוֹ וְיָשִׁ֖יבוּ אֶת־נַפְשָֽׁם׃ ס	I called to my lovers. Those deceived me. My priests, and my elders, they wasted away in the city, while they sought food for themselves, (that) would bring back their life / soul.
²⁰ רְאֵ֨ה יְהוָ֤ה כִּֽי־צַר־לִי֙ מֵעַ֣י חֳמַרְמָ֔רוּ נֶהְפַּ֤ךְ לִבִּי֙ בְּקִרְבִּ֔י כִּ֥י מָר֖וֹ מָרִ֑יתִי מִח֥וּץ שִׁכְּלָה־חֶ֖רֶב בַּבַּ֥יִת כַּמָּֽוֶת׃ ס	See YHVH – for mine is torment, my guts were churning, my heart overturned within me, for rebelling I rebelled. From outside sword bereaving; In the house, like death itself.
²¹ שָׁמְע֞וּ כִּ֧י נֶאֱנָחָ֣ה אָ֗נִי אֵ֤ין מְנַחֵם֙ לִ֔י כָּל־אֹ֨יְבַ֜י שָׁמְע֤וּ רָֽעָתִי֙ שָׂ֔שׂוּ כִּ֥י אַתָּ֖ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ הֵבֵ֥אתָ יוֹם־קָרָ֖אתָ וְיִֽהְי֥וּ כָמֽוֹנִי׃ ס	They listened – for I am moaning, there is no comforter for me. All my enemies listened for my evil doom. They rejoiced, for You did it, You brought the day You called for – and let them be(come) like me.
²² תָּבֹ֨א כָל־רָעָתָ֤ם לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ וְעוֹלֵ֣ל לָ֔מוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עוֹלַ֛לְתָּ לִ֖י עַ֣ל כָּל־פְּשָׁעָ֑י כִּֽי־רַבּ֥וֹת אַנְחֹתַ֖י וְלִבִּ֥י דַוָּֽי׃ פ	May all their evil come before You, and deal to them as You dealt to me for all my sins. For so much are my sighs, and my heart is sickened.
פרק ב׳	CHAPTER 2
¹ אֵיכָה֩ יָעִ֨יב בְּאַפּ֤וֹ ׀ אֲדֹנָי֙ אֶת־בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן הִשְׁלִ֤יךְ מִשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ אֶ֔רֶץ תִּפְאֶ֖רֶת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹא־זָכַ֥ר הֲדֹם־רַגְלָ֖יו בְּי֥וֹם אַפּֽוֹ׃ ס	Eikhah! How can it be! In His anger Adonai clouded over daughter Ẓíōn. He cast down, from skies (to) earth, Israel’s glory, and didn’t remember His foot’s resting place in His day of anger.
² בִּלַּ֨ע אֲדֹנָ֜י לא וְלֹ֣א חָמַ֗ל אֵ֚ת כָּל־נְא֣וֹת יַעֲקֹ֔ב הָרַ֧ס בְּעֶבְרָת֛וֹ מִבְצְרֵ֥י בַת־יְהוּדָ֖ה הִגִּ֣יעַ לָאָ֑רֶץ חִלֵּ֥ל מַמְלָכָ֖ה וְשָׂרֶֽיהָ׃ ס	Adonai devoured—He had no pity— all of Jacob’s pastures. He tore down with His burning daughter Judah’s fortifications; He reached to the very ground. He violated kingdom and her ministers.
³ גָּדַ֣ע בָּֽחֳרִי אַ֗ף כֹּ֚ל קֶ֣רֶן יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הֵשִׁ֥יב אָח֛וֹר יְמִינ֖וֹ מִפְּנֵ֣י אוֹיֵ֑ב וַיִּבְעַ֤ר בְּיַעֲקֹב֙ כְּאֵ֣שׁ לֶֽהָבָ֔ה אָכְלָ֖ה סָבִֽיב׃ ס	With ferocious anger He hacked off all of Israel’s horn. He turned His right hand backward before the enemy. Burning into Jacob, like fire flaming consuming (all) around.
⁴ דָּרַ֨ךְ קַשְׁתּ֜וֹ כְּאוֹיֵ֗ב נִצָּ֤ב יְמִינוֹ֙ כְּצָ֔ר וַֽיַּהֲרֹ֔ג כֹּ֖ל מַחֲמַדֵּי־עָ֑יִן בְּאֹ֙הֶל֙ בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן שָׁפַ֥ךְ כָּאֵ֖שׁ חֲמָתֽוֹ׃ ס	He worked His bow like an enemy, He stood His right hand firm as a foe / a tormentor and he murdered everything precious to the eye; In daughter Ẓíōn’s tent He poured out His wrath like fire.
⁵ הָיָ֨ה אֲדֹנָ֤י ׀ כְּאוֹיֵב֙ בִּלַּ֣ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בִּלַּע֙ כָּל־אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֔יהָ שִׁחֵ֖ת מִבְצָרָ֑יו וַיֶּ֙רֶב֙ בְּבַת־יְהוּדָ֔ה תַּאֲנִיָּ֖ה וַאֲנִיָּֽה׃ ס	Adonai was like an enemy; He devoured / swallowed Israel. He devoured all her citadels, undermined His fortifications; And He multiplied in daughter Ẓíōn grief and groaning.
⁶ וַיַּחְמֹ֤ס כַּגַּן֙ שֻׂכּ֔וֹ שִׁחֵ֖ת מוֹעֲד֑וֹ שִׁכַּ֨ח יְהוָ֤ה ׀ בְּצִיּוֹן֙ מוֹעֵ֣ד וְשַׁבָּ֔ת וַיִּנְאַ֥ץ בְּזַֽעַם־אַפּ֖וֹ מֶ֥לֶךְ וְכֹהֵֽן׃ ס	Like a garden, He tore apart His sukkah, destroyed His feast. YHVH caused Shabbat and festival to be forgotten in Ẓíōn, by the rage of His anger king and priest.
⁷ זָנַ֨ח אֲדֹנָ֤י ׀ מִזְבְּחוֹ֙ נִאֵ֣ר מִקְדָּשׁ֔וֹ הִסְגִּיר֙ בְּיַד־אוֹיֵ֔ב חוֹמֹ֖ת אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֑יהָ ק֛וֹל נָתְנ֥וּ בְּבֵית־יְהוָ֖ה כְּי֥וֹם מוֹעֵֽד׃ ס	Adonai abhorred His altar, disdained His holy place. He shut by an enemy’s hand the walls of her citadels. They gave a shout in YHVH’s house like a festival day.
⁸ חָשַׁ֨ב יְהוָ֤ה ׀ לְהַשְׁחִית֙ חוֹמַ֣ת בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן נָ֣טָה קָ֔ו לֹא־הֵשִׁ֥יב יָד֖וֹ מִבַּלֵּ֑עַ וַיַּֽאֲבֶל־חֵ֥ל וְחוֹמָ֖ה יַחְדָּ֥ו אֻמְלָֽלוּ׃ ס	YHVH determined to ruin daughter Ẓíōn’s wall, stretched a line, didn’t turn His hand back from swallowing up, and He made rampart and wall mourn, together made wretched.
⁹ טָבְע֤וּ בָאָ֙רֶץ֙ שְׁעָרֶ֔יהָ אִבַּ֥ד וְשִׁבַּ֖ר בְּרִיחֶ֑יהָ מַלְכָּ֨הּ וְשָׂרֶ֤יהָ בַגּוֹיִם֙ אֵ֣ין תּוֹרָ֔ה גַּם־נְבִיאֶ֕יהָ לֹא־מָצְא֥וּ חָז֖וֹן מֵיְהוָֽה׃ ס	They drowned in the earth, her gates. He smashed and broke her bars. Her king and her ministers in the nations, there is no Torah / no teaching. Even her prophets found no vision from YHVH.
¹⁰ יֵשְׁב֨וּ לָאָ֤רֶץ יִדְּמוּ֙ זִקְנֵ֣י בַת־צִיּ֔וֹן הֶֽעֱל֤וּ עָפָר֙ עַל־רֹאשָׁ֔ם חָגְר֖וּ שַׂקִּ֑ים הוֹרִ֤ידוּ לָאָ֙רֶץ֙ רֹאשָׁ֔ן בְּתוּלֹ֖ת יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ ס	They sat down to the earth, they stayed silent, daughter Ẓíōn’s elders, they lifted dust over their head, tied on sackcloth. They let their head down to the earth, Jerusalem’s girls.
¹¹ כָּל֨וּ בַדְּמָע֤וֹת עֵינַי֙ חֳמַרְמְר֣וּ מֵעַ֔י נִשְׁפַּ֤ךְ לָאָ֙רֶץ֙ כְּבֵדִ֔י עַל־שֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת־עַמִּ֑י בֵּֽעָטֵ֤ף עוֹלֵל֙ וְיוֹנֵ֔ק בִּרְחֹב֖וֹת קִרְיָֽה׃ ס	My eyes were used up by the tears, my guts churned up, my organs poured out to the ground over the shattering of my daughter people, with exhaustion of babe and suckling in the town’s squares.
¹² לְאִמֹּתָם֙ יֹֽאמְר֔וּ אַיֵּ֖ה דָּגָ֣ן וָיָ֑יִן בְּהִֽתְעַטְּפָ֤ם כֶּֽחָלָל֙ בִּרְחֹב֣וֹת עִ֔יר בְּהִשְׁתַּפֵּ֣ךְ נַפְשָׁ֔ם אֶל־חֵ֖יק אִמֹּתָֽם׃ ס	To their mothers they would say, “Where is grain and wine?,” stretching themselves out, like a corpse, in city streets, with their life force pouring out onto their mothers’ chest.
¹³ מָֽה־אֲעִידֵ֞ךְ מָ֣ה אֲדַמֶּה־לָּ֗ךְ הַבַּת֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם מָ֤ה אַשְׁוֶה־לָּךְ֙ וַאֲנַֽחֲמֵ֔ךְ בְּתוּלַ֖ת בַּת־צִיּ֑וֹן כִּֽי־גָד֥וֹל כַּיָּ֛ם שִׁבְרֵ֖ךְ מִ֥י יִרְפָּא־לָֽךְ׃ ס	What can I make testify? What will I liken to you? O daughter Jerusalem! What can I compare to you (that) I may comfort you, daughter Ẓíōn’s girl? For great, like the sea, is your shattering – who will bring healing to you?
¹⁴ נְבִיאַ֗יִךְ חָ֤זוּ לָךְ֙ שָׁ֣וְא וְתָפֵ֔ל וְלֹֽא־גִלּ֥וּ עַל־עֲוֺנֵ֖ךְ לְהָשִׁ֣יב שביתך שְׁבוּתֵ֑ךְ וַיֶּ֣חֱזוּ לָ֔ךְ מַשְׂא֥וֹת שָׁ֖וְא וּמַדּוּחִֽים׃ ס	For you did your prophets envision deception, and irrelevance, revealing nothing for your wrong to turn back your destiny / your captivity, and they envisioned for you a burden of deceit and dejections.
¹⁵ סָֽפְק֨וּ עָלַ֤יִךְ כַּפַּ֙יִם֙ כָּל־עֹ֣בְרֵי דֶ֔רֶךְ שָֽׁרְקוּ֙ וַיָּנִ֣עוּ רֹאשָׁ֔ם עַל־בַּ֖ת יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם הֲזֹ֣את הָעִ֗יר שֶׁיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ כְּלִ֣ילַת יֹ֔פִי מָשׂ֖וֹשׂ לְכָל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ ס	They struck their hands over you, all who passed on the road, they hissed and they shook their head over daughter Jerusalem: “Is this it? The city they said (was) beauty’s completion, joy’s source for all the earth?”
¹⁶ פָּצ֨וּ עָלַ֤יִךְ פִּיהֶם֙ כָּל־א֣וֹיְבַ֔יִךְ שָֽׁרְקוּ֙ וַיַּֽחַרְקוּ־שֵׁ֔ן אָמְר֖וּ בִּלָּ֑עְנוּ אַ֣ךְ זֶ֥ה הַיּ֛וֹם שֶׁקִּוִּינֻ֖הוּ מָצָ֥אנוּ רָאִֽינוּ׃ ס	They crack open their mouth over you, all your enemies. They hissed, and they grit teeth. They said: We swallowed; Akh! This day that we hoped for, we found, we saw!
¹⁷ עָשָׂ֨ה יְהוָ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר זָמָ֗ם בִּצַּ֤ע אֶמְרָתוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֣ה מִֽימֵי־קֶ֔דֶם הָרַ֖ס וְלֹ֣א חָמָ֑ל וַיְשַׂמַּ֤ח עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ אוֹיֵ֔ב הֵרִ֖ים קֶ֥רֶן צָרָֽיִךְ׃ ס	YHVH did what He conspired; He pushed through His saying which He commanded from early days. He tore down and showed no pity. He made an enemy rejoice over you; your tormentors’ horn was exalted.
¹⁸ צָעַ֥ק לִבָּ֖ם אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֑י חוֹמַ֣ת בַּת־צִ֠יּוֹן הוֹרִ֨ידִי כַנַּ֤חַל דִּמְעָה֙ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַ֔יְלָה אַֽל־תִּתְּנִ֤י פוּגַת֙ לָ֔ךְ אַל־תִּדֹּ֖ם בַּת־עֵינֵֽךְ׃ ס	Their heart screamed out to Adonai. Wall of daughter Ẓíōn, let down a tear like a torrent, day and night. Don’t give yourself any break; Don’t let your daughter eye fall silent.
¹⁹ ק֣וּמִי ׀ רֹ֣נִּי בליל בַלַּ֗יְלָה לְרֹאשׁ֙ אַשְׁמֻר֔וֹת שִׁפְכִ֤י כַמַּ֙יִם֙ לִבֵּ֔ךְ נֹ֖כַח פְּנֵ֣י אֲדֹנָ֑י שְׂאִ֧י אֵלָ֣יו כַּפַּ֗יִךְ עַל־נֶ֙פֶשׁ֙ עֽוֹלָלַ֔יִךְ הָעֲטוּפִ֥ים בְּרָעָ֖ב בְּרֹ֥אשׁ כָּל־חוּצֽוֹת׃ ס	Get up! Sing out in the night to the first of the nightwatches: Pour out your heart like water right before Adonai! Lift your palms toward him – for the life of your babies stretched out by famine at every street head!
²⁰ רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ וְֽהַבִּ֔יטָה לְמִ֖י עוֹלַ֣לְתָּ כֹּ֑ה אִם־תֹּאכַ֨לְנָה נָשִׁ֤ים פִּרְיָם֙ עֹלֲלֵ֣י טִפֻּחִ֔ים אִם־יֵהָרֵ֛ג בְּמִקְדַּ֥שׁ אֲדֹנָ֖י כֹּהֵ֥ן וְנָבִֽיא׃ ס	See, YHVH, and look: Whom did you treat / deal with thus? If women will eat their fruit, coddled babies –; If priest and prophet are murdered in Adonai’s holy place –!
²¹ שָׁכְב֨וּ לָאָ֤רֶץ חוּצוֹת֙ נַ֣עַר וְזָקֵ֔ן בְּתוּלֹתַ֥י וּבַחוּרַ֖י נָפְל֣וּ בֶחָ֑רֶב הָרַ֙גְתָּ֙ בְּי֣וֹם אַפֶּ֔ךָ טָבַ֖חְתָּ לֹ֥א חָמָֽלְתָּ׃ ס	Laid down to the earth (in the) streets, young and old, my girls and my boys, they fell by sword; You murdered in the day of Your anger. You slaughtered, You had no pity.
²² תִּקְרָא֩ כְי֨וֹם מוֹעֵ֤ד מְגוּרַי֙ מִסָּבִ֔יב וְלֹ֥א הָיָ֛ה בְּי֥וֹם אַף־יְהוָ֖ה פָּלִ֣יט וְשָׂרִ֑יד אֲשֶׁר־טִפַּ֥חְתִּי וְרִבִּ֖יתִי אֹיְבִ֥י כִלָּֽם׃ פ	You would call, like a festival day, (for) my neighbors from all around; and (so) in YHVH’s day of anger there weren’t any escaped or remaining which I had nursed and raised – my enemy finished them all.
פרק ג׳	CHAPTER 3
¹ אֲנִ֤י הַגֶּ֙בֶר֙ רָאָ֣ה עֳנִ֔י בְּשֵׁ֖בֶט עֶבְרָתֽוֹ׃ ² אוֹתִ֥י נָהַ֛ג וַיֹּלַ֖ךְ חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אֽוֹר׃ ³ אַ֣ךְ בִּ֥י יָשֻׁ֛ב יַהֲפֹ֥ךְ יָד֖וֹ כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ ס	I am the man who saw affliction through the rod of His burning anger. Me did He drive and He led – darkness and no light; Akh – Even against me He turned upending His hand, all the day.
⁴ בִּלָּ֤ה בְשָׂרִי֙ וְעוֹרִ֔י שִׁבַּ֖ר עַצְמוֹתָֽי׃ ⁵ בָּנָ֥ה עָלַ֛י וַיַּקַּ֖ף רֹ֥אשׁ וּתְלָאָֽה׃ ⁶ בְּמַחֲשַׁכִּ֥ים הוֹשִׁיבַ֖נִי כְּמֵתֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם׃ ס	He wore away my flesh and my skin, broke my bones; He built against me and surrounded – gall and wormwood. In darkening-nights He made me dwell like those ever dead;
⁷ גָּדַ֧ר בַּעֲדִ֛י וְלֹ֥א אֵצֵ֖א הִכְבִּ֥יד נְחָשְׁתִּֽי׃ ⁸ גַּ֣ם כִּ֤י אֶזְעַק֙ וַאֲשַׁוֵּ֔עַ שָׂתַ֖ם תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃ ⁹ גָּדַ֤ר דְּרָכַי֙ בְּגָזִ֔ית נְתִיבֹתַ֖י עִוָּֽה׃ ס	He barricaded against me, and I cannot go out / get away, He weighed down my brass (shackle). Even when I would cry and plea, He stopped up my prayer; He barricaded my ways with stone blocks; my paths He twisted.
¹⁰ דֹּ֣ב אֹרֵ֥ב הוּא֙ לִ֔י אריה אֲרִ֖י בְּמִסְתָּרִֽים׃ ¹¹ דְּרָכַ֥י סוֹרֵ֛ר וַֽיְפַשְּׁחֵ֖נִי שָׂמַ֥נִי שֹׁמֵֽם׃ ¹² דָּרַ֤ךְ קַשְׁתוֹ֙ וַיַּצִּיבֵ֔נִי כַּמַּטָּרָ֖א לַחֵֽץ׃ ס	For me He was a bear ambushing, a lion in hiding places / stalking; My ways He diverts and He would tear me up. He made me desolate. He worked His bow and stood me up as a target for the arrow;
¹³ הֵבִיא֙ בְּכִלְיוֹתָ֔י בְּנֵ֖י אַשְׁפָּתֽוֹ׃ ¹⁴ הָיִ֤יתִי שְּׂחֹק֙ לְכָל־עַמִּ֔י נְגִינָתָ֖ם כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ ¹⁵ הִשְׂבִּיעַ֥נִי בַמְּרוֹרִ֖ים הִרְוַ֥נִי לַעֲנָֽה׃ ס	He guided into my kidneys what came from His quiver. I was a laughingstock for all my people, their song all the day. He sated me with bitter herbs, and overfillled me with wormwood;
¹⁶ וַיַּגְרֵ֤ס בֶּֽחָצָץ֙ שִׁנָּ֔י הִכְפִּישַׁ֖נִי בָּאֵֽפֶר׃ ¹⁷ וַתִּזְנַ֧ח מִשָּׁל֛וֹם נַפְשִׁ֖י נָשִׁ֥יתִי טוֹבָֽה׃ ¹⁸ וָאֹמַר֙ אָבַ֣ד נִצְחִ֔י וְתוֹחַלְתִּ֖י מֵיְהוָֽה׃ ס	He broke my teeth with gravel, and pressed me into the ashes. My soul was spurned from peace; I forgot goodness, and I said, “I have lost from YHVH my endurance and my hope!”
¹⁹ זְכָר־עָנְיִ֥י וּמְרוּדִ֖י לַעֲנָ֥ה וָרֹֽאשׁ׃ ²⁰ זָכ֣וֹר תִּזְכּ֔וֹר ותשיח וְתָשׁ֥וֹחַ עָלַ֖י נַפְשִֽׁי׃ ²¹ זֹ֛את אָשִׁ֥יב אֶל־לִבִּ֖י עַל־כֵּ֥ן אוֹחִֽיל׃ ס	Remembering my affliction and my scattering – wormwood and gall; Remeber, my soul will remember, and she will sink down upon me. (Still) this will I turn toward my heart, for so will I hope:
²² חַֽסְדֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ כִּ֣י לֹא־תָ֔מְנוּ כִּ֥י לֹא־כָל֖וּ רַחֲמָֽיו׃ ²³ חֲדָשִׁים֙ לַבְּקָרִ֔ים רַבָּ֖ה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃ ²⁴ חֶלְקִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אָמְרָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֔י עַל־כֵּ֖ן אוֹחִ֥יל לֽוֹ׃ ס	YHVH’s love / kindnesses – they are never done, for His mercies were not used up. They are new by every morning, great is your trust / faithfulness! My portion is YHVH – said my soul – therefore so will I hope for Him.
²⁵ ט֤וֹב יְהוָה֙ לְקֹוָ֔ו לְנֶ֖פֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶֽׁנּוּ׃ ²⁶ ט֤וֹב וְיָחִיל֙ וְדוּמָ֔ם לִתְשׁוּעַ֖ת יְהוָֽה׃ ²⁷ ט֣וֹב לַגֶּ֔בֶר כִּֽי־יִשָּׂ֥א עֹ֖ל בִּנְעוּרָֽיו׃ ס	Good is YHVH to those waiting for Him, to a soul / person that would seek Him. Good – and he should wait and be silent, wait for YHVH‘s salvation Good it is for a man that he carry a yoke in his youth.
²⁸ יֵשֵׁ֤ב בָּדָד֙ וְיִדֹּ֔ם כִּ֥י נָטַ֖ל עָלָֽיו׃ ²⁹ יִתֵּ֤ן בֶּֽעָפָר֙ פִּ֔יהוּ אוּלַ֖י יֵ֥שׁ תִּקְוָֽה׃ ³⁰ יִתֵּ֧ן לְמַכֵּ֛הוּ לֶ֖חִי יִשְׂבַּ֥ע בְּחֶרְפָּֽה׃ ס	Let him sit alone and be silent, since He laid (it) on him; he should put his mouth in the dust – maybe there is hope; Put out his cheek for the one who strikes, be satiated with shame.
³¹ כִּ֣י לֹ֥א יִזְנַ֛ח לְעוֹלָ֖ם אֲדֹנָֽי׃ ³² כִּ֣י אִם־הוֹגָ֔ה וְרִחַ֖ם כְּרֹ֥ב חסדו חֲסָדָֽיו׃ ³³ כִּ֣י לֹ֤א עִנָּה֙ מִלִּבּ֔וֹ וַיַּגֶּ֖ה בְנֵי־אִֽישׁ׃ ס	For Adonai would not spurn forever; for He aggrieved and showed mercy, according to His love’s abundance; for He did not afflict from His heart, and aggrieve human beings.
³⁴ לְדַכֵּא֙ תַּ֣חַת רַגְלָ֔יו כֹּ֖ל אֲסִ֥ירֵי אָֽרֶץ׃ ³⁵ לְהַטּוֹת֙ מִשְׁפַּט־גָּ֔בֶר נֶ֖גֶד פְּנֵ֥י עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ ³⁶ לְעַוֵּ֤ת אָדָם֙ בְּרִיב֔וֹ אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹ֥א רָאָֽה׃ ס	To crush under His feet all imprisoned of the land, to make bent a man’s judgement, right to the face of Elyon, to twist /wrong a person in his struggle – wouldn’t Adonai see (that)?
³⁷ מִ֣י זֶ֤ה אָמַר֙ וַתֶּ֔הִי אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹ֥א צִוָּֽה׃ ³⁸ מִפִּ֤י עֶלְיוֹן֙ לֹ֣א תֵצֵ֔א הָרָע֖וֹת וְהַטּֽוֹב׃ ³⁹ מַה־יִּתְאוֹנֵן֙ אָדָ֣ם חָ֔י גֶּ֖בֶר עַל־חטאו חֲטָאָֽיו׃ ס	Who is this who spoke and it was – didn’t Adonai so command? From the mouth of Elyon don’t the evils and the good come out? How could a living person complain, a man, (if punished) for his sins?
⁴⁰ נַחְפְּשָׂ֤ה דְרָכֵ֙ינוּ֙ וְֽנַחְקֹ֔רָה וְנָשׁ֖וּבָה עַד־יְהוָֽה׃ ⁴¹ נִשָּׂ֤א לְבָבֵ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־כַּפָּ֔יִם אֶל־אֵ֖ל בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ ⁴² נַ֤חְנוּ פָשַׁ֙עְנוּ֙ וּמָרִ֔ינוּ אַתָּ֖ה לֹ֥א סָלָֽחְתָּ׃ ס	Let us search our ways and dig deep, and let us return to YHVH, Let us lift our hearts up to our hands (stretching them) toward El in the heavens. Us, we sinned and rebelled, You – you did not pardon.
⁴³ סַכֹּ֤תָה בָאַף֙ וַֽתִּרְדְּפֵ֔נוּ הָרַ֖גְתָּ לֹ֥א חָמָֽלְתָּ׃ ⁴⁴ סַכּ֤וֹתָה בֶֽעָנָן֙ לָ֔ךְ מֵעֲב֖וֹר תְּפִלָּֽה׃ ⁴⁵ סְחִ֧י וּמָא֛וֹס תְּשִׂימֵ֖נוּ בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָעַמִּֽים׃ ס	You took shelter in such anger, and you would pursue us, you murdered without pitying; You sheltered yourself within a cloud, far beyond prayer; Scum and refuse You would make us in the midst of the peoples.
⁴⁶ פָּצ֥וּ עָלֵ֛ינוּ פִּיהֶ֖ם כָּל־אֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃ ⁴⁷ פַּ֧חַד וָפַ֛חַת הָ֥יָה לָ֖נוּ הַשֵּׁ֥את וְהַשָּֽׁבֶר׃ ⁴⁸ פַּלְגֵי־מַ֙יִם֙ תֵּרַ֣ד עֵינִ֔י עַל־שֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃ ס	All our enemies crack open their mouth against us; Trepidation and trap were ours, the ruination and the shattering. My eye drops floods of water for my daughter people’s shattering;
⁴⁹ עֵינִ֧י נִגְּרָ֛ה וְלֹ֥א תִדְמֶ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ין הֲפֻגֽוֹת׃ ⁵⁰ עַד־יַשְׁקִ֣יף וְיֵ֔רֶא יְהוָ֖ה מִשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ ⁵¹ עֵינִי֙ עֽוֹלְלָ֣ה לְנַפְשִׁ֔י מִכֹּ֖ל בְּנ֥וֹת עִירִֽי׃ ס	My eye streams and won’t silence herself, (she cries) without stutters, until YHVH would look down and see from heaven. My eye doles sorrow to my soul over all my city’s daughters.
⁵² צ֥וֹד צָד֛וּנִי כַּצִּפּ֖וֹר אֹיְבַ֥י חִנָּֽם׃ ⁵³ צָֽמְת֤וּ בַבּוֹר֙ חַיָּ֔י וַיַּדּוּ־אֶ֖בֶן בִּֽי׃ ⁵⁴ צָֽפוּ־מַ֥יִם עַל־רֹאשִׁ֖י אָמַ֥רְתִּי נִגְזָֽרְתִּי׃ ס	Hunting, they hunted me, like a bird, (becoming) my enemies for no reason; they sealed off my life in the pit, and cast stone against me; waters flowed over my head, “I am cut off,” I said.
⁵⁵ קָרָ֤אתִי שִׁמְךָ֙ יְהוָ֔ה מִבּ֖וֹר תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹת׃ ⁵⁶ קוֹלִ֖י שָׁמָ֑עְתָּ אַל־תַּעְלֵ֧ם אָזְנְךָ֛ לְרַוְחָתִ֖י לְשַׁוְעָתִֽי׃ ⁵⁷ קָרַ֙בְתָּ֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֶקְרָאֶ֔ךָּ אָמַ֖רְתָּ אַל־תִּירָֽא׃ ס	I called Your name, YHVH, from a pit far underground. You heard my voice: Don’t hide / conceal your ear to my (plea for) relief, to my cry. You were near the day I would call, you said, “Don’t fear.”
⁵⁸ רַ֧בְתָּ אֲדֹנָ֛י רִיבֵ֥י נַפְשִׁ֖י גָּאַ֥לְתָּ חַיָּֽי׃ ⁵⁹ רָאִ֤יתָה יְהוָה֙ עַוָּ֣תָתִ֔י שָׁפְטָ֖ה מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃ ⁶⁰ רָאִ֙יתָה֙ כָּל־נִקְמָתָ֔ם כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם לִֽי׃ ס	Adonai, you struggled (in) my soul’s struggles; you saved my life. You saw my twisting; (now) judge my judgement! You saw all their vengeance all their designs for me.
⁶¹ שָׁמַ֤עְתָּ חֶרְפָּתָם֙ יְהוָ֔ה כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם עָלָֽי׃ ⁶² שִׂפְתֵ֤י קָמַי֙ וְהֶגְיוֹנָ֔ם עָלַ֖י כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ ⁶³ שִׁבְתָּ֤ם וְקִֽימָתָם֙ הַבִּ֔יטָה אֲנִ֖י מַנְגִּינָתָֽם׃ ס	You heard their shaming, YHVH, all their designs against me, the speech of those rising against me, their obsession over me every day, (whether) sitting or rising – Look! I am their singsong!
⁶⁴ תָּשִׁ֨יב לָהֶ֥ם גְּמ֛וּל יְהוָ֖ה כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יְדֵיהֶֽם׃ ⁶⁵ תִּתֵּ֤ן לָהֶם֙ מְגִנַּת־לֵ֔ב תַּאֲלָֽתְךָ֖ לָהֶֽם׃ ⁶⁶ תִּרְדֹּ֤ף בְּאַף֙ וְתַשְׁמִידֵ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת שְׁמֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ פ	You will pay them back, YHVH, according to the work of their hands; You will make theirs a heart walled up – let your curse be for them! Pursue in anger and destroy them from under YHVH‘s heavens.
פרק ד׳	CHAPTER 4
¹ אֵיכָה֙ יוּעַ֣ם זָהָ֔ב יִשְׁנֶ֖א הַכֶּ֣תֶם הַטּ֑וֹב תִּשְׁתַּפֵּ֙כְנָה֙ אַבְנֵי־קֹ֔דֶשׁ בְּרֹ֖אשׁ כָּל־חוּצֽוֹת׃ ס	Eikhah! How can it be that gold becomes dull, the best gold transmuted, stones of the holy poured / dumped out at every street head;
² בְּנֵ֤י צִיּוֹן֙ הַיְקָרִ֔ים הַמְסֻלָּאִ֖ים בַּפָּ֑ז אֵיכָ֤ה נֶחְשְׁבוּ֙ לְנִבְלֵי־חֶ֔רֶשׂ מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יְדֵ֥י יוֹצֵֽר׃ ס	Ẓíōn ‘s children, precious ones, weighed against the purest gold – how can it be that they are counted as clay jars, work of a maker’s hands?
³ גַּם־תנין תַּנִּים֙ חָ֣לְצוּ שַׁ֔ד הֵינִ֖יקוּ גּוּרֵיהֶ֑ן בַּת־עַמִּ֣י לְאַכְזָ֔ר כי ענים כַּיְעֵנִ֖ים בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ ס	Even jackals draw out a breast, would give suck to their cubs. (But) my daughter people – so cruel, like ostriches in the wilderness.
⁴ דָּבַ֨ק לְשׁ֥וֹן יוֹנֵ֛ק אֶל־חִכּ֖וֹ בַּצָּמָ֑א עֽוֹלָלִים֙ שָׁ֣אֲלוּ לֶ֔חֶם פֹּרֵ֖שׂ אֵ֥ין לָהֶֽם׃ ס	A suckling’s tongue, stuck to its palate with such thirst, babes sought bread – none break it off for them.
⁵ הָאֹֽכְלִים֙ לְמַ֣עֲדַנִּ֔ים נָשַׁ֖מּוּ בַּחוּצ֑וֹת הָאֱמֻנִים֙ עֲלֵ֣י תוֹלָ֔ע חִבְּק֖וּ אַשְׁפַּתּֽוֹת׃ ס	The ones who eat for delicacies were wasted in the streets, the ones nursed on scarlet were hugging trash heaps.
⁶ וַיִּגְדַּל֙ עֲוֺ֣ן בַּת־עַמִּ֔י מֵֽחַטַּ֖את סְדֹ֑ם הַֽהֲפוּכָ֣ה כְמוֹ־רָ֔גַע וְלֹא־חָ֥לוּ בָ֖הּ יָדָֽיִם׃ ס	And my daughter people’s iniquity grew great, beyond the sin of Sodom, the one overthrown, as (in) a moment, and no hands were laid on her.
⁷ זַכּ֤וּ נְזִירֶ֙יהָ֙ מִשֶּׁ֔לֶג צַח֖וּ מֵחָלָ֑ב אָ֤דְמוּ עֶ֙צֶם֙ מִפְּנִינִ֔ים סַפִּ֖יר גִּזְרָתָֽם׃ ס	Her Nazirites were pure beyond snow, clearer than milk, red of bone, more than rubies, their cut shape sapphire crystal.
⁸ חָשַׁ֤ךְ מִשְּׁחוֹר֙ תָּֽאֳרָ֔ם לֹ֥א נִכְּר֖וּ בַּחוּצ֑וֹת צָפַ֤ד עוֹרָם֙ עַל־עַצְמָ֔ם יָבֵ֖שׁ הָיָ֥ה כָעֵֽץ׃ ס	(Now) darkened beyond black soot is their form, they are not recognized in the streets, their skin stretched taut over their bone, it was dried out like a stick.
⁹ טוֹבִ֤ים הָיוּ֙ חַלְלֵי־חֶ֔רֶב מֵֽחַלְלֵ֖י רָעָ֑ב שֶׁ֣הֵ֤ם יָז֙וּבוּ֙ מְדֻקָּרִ֔ים מִתְּנוּבֹ֖ת שָׂדָֽי׃ ס	Better were the sword-slain than the famine-slain, for those drain away, stabbed through from (want of) produce of the field.
¹⁰ יְדֵ֗י נָשִׁים֙ רַחֲמָ֣נִיּ֔וֹת בִּשְּׁל֖וּ יַלְדֵיהֶ֑ן הָי֤וּ לְבָרוֹת֙ לָ֔מוֹ בְּשֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃ ס	Merciful hands of merciful women stewed their children – they became provision for them in the shattering of my daughter people.
¹¹ כִּלָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֶת־חֲמָת֔וֹ שָׁפַ֖ךְ חֲר֣וֹן אַפּ֑וֹ וַיַּצֶּת־אֵ֣שׁ בְּצִיּ֔וֹן וַתֹּ֖אכַל יְסוֹדֹתֶֽיהָ׃ ס	YHVH used up His fury, poured out His burning anger, and He kindled a fire in Ẓíōn, and it consumed her foundations.
¹² לֹ֤א הֶאֱמִ֙ינוּ֙ מַלְכֵי־אֶ֔רֶץ וכל כֹּ֖ל יֹשְׁבֵ֣י תֵבֵ֑ל כִּ֤י יָבֹא֙ צַ֣ר וְאוֹיֵ֔ב בְּשַׁעֲרֵ֖י יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ ס	They would not have believed, kings of the earth all worldly inhabitants, that tormentor and enemy would come into the gates of Jerusalem.
¹³ מֵֽחַטֹּ֣את נְבִיאֶ֔יהָ עֲוֺנ֖וֹת כֹּהֲנֶ֑יהָ הַשֹּׁפְכִ֥ים בְּקִרְבָּ֖הּ דַּ֥ם צַדִּיקִֽים׃ ס	(It was) because of her prophets’ sins, her priests’ wrongs / iniquities, the ones who poured out inside her the blood of righteous people.
¹⁴ נָע֤וּ עִוְרִים֙ בַּֽחוּצ֔וֹת נְגֹֽאֲל֖וּ בַּדָּ֑ם בְּלֹ֣א יֽוּכְל֔וּ יִגְּע֖וּ בִּלְבֻשֵׁיהֶֽם׃ ס	They were shaking / staggering, blind in the streets, defiled with the blood, with none able / willing to come in contact with their clothes.
¹⁵ ס֣וּרוּ טָמֵ֞א קָ֣רְאוּ לָ֗מוֹ ס֤וּרוּ ס֙וּרוּ֙ אַל־תִּגָּ֔עוּ כִּ֥י נָצ֖וּ גַּם־נָ֑עוּ אָֽמְרוּ֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם לֹ֥א יוֹסִ֖יפוּ לָגֽוּר׃ ס	“Get out! Contaminated! Tamei!” they would call to them, “Get out! Get out! Don’t touch!” For they fled, even staggered. They said in the nations, they will no more (be allowed) to dwell.
¹⁶ פְּנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ חִלְּקָ֔ם לֹ֥א יוֹסִ֖יף לְהַבִּיטָ֑ם פְּנֵ֤י כֹהֲנִים֙ לֹ֣א נָשָׂ֔אוּ זקנים וּזְקֵנִ֖ים לֹ֥א חָנָֽנוּ׃ ס	YHVH’s presence / face divided them, He would no more look at them / notice them – (for) priest’s faces they did not lift up, and (to) elders they did not show grace.
¹⁷ עודינה עוֹדֵ֙ינוּ֙ תִּכְלֶ֣ינָה עֵינֵ֔ינוּ אֶל־עֶזְרָתֵ֖נוּ הָ֑בֶל בְּצִפִּיָּתֵ֣נוּ צִפִּ֔ינוּ אֶל־גּ֖וֹי לֹ֥א יוֹשִֽׁעַ׃ ס	Still will our eyes be used up / failing, toward our help, (which is) emptiness. In our seeking, we sought /we peered toward a nation not (able to) save.
¹⁸ צָד֣וּ צְעָדֵ֔ינוּ מִלֶּ֖כֶת בִּרְחֹבֹתֵ֑ינוּ קָרַ֥ב קִצֵּ֛ינוּ מָלְא֥וּ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כִּי־בָ֥א קִצֵּֽינוּ׃ ס	They hunted / tracked our steps, (driven) from going in our squares. Our end draws close, our days filled, for our end has come.
¹⁹ קַלִּ֤ים הָיוּ֙ רֹדְפֵ֔ינוּ מִנִּשְׁרֵ֖י שָׁמָ֑יִם עַל־הֶהָרִ֣ים דְּלָקֻ֔נוּ בַּמִּדְבָּ֖ר אָ֥רְבוּ לָֽנוּ׃ ס	Swift were they, our pursuers, more than eagles of the heavens. Over the mountains they chased us, in the wilderness they laid ambush for us.
²⁰ ר֤וּחַ אַפֵּ֙ינוּ֙ מְשִׁ֣יחַ יְהוָ֔ה נִלְכַּ֖ד בִּשְׁחִיתוֹתָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֔רְנוּ בְּצִלּ֖וֹ נִֽחְיֶ֥ה בַגּוֹיִֽם׃ ס	Breath of our nose, YHVH’s anointed, he was trapped by their destructions, (the one) whom we said, “In his shade we will live with the nations.”
²¹ שִׂ֤ישִׂי וְשִׂמְחִי֙ בַּת־אֱד֔וֹם יושבתי יוֹשֶׁ֖בֶת בְּאֶ֣רֶץ ע֑וּץ גַּם־עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ תַּעֲבָר־כּ֔וֹס תִּשְׁכְּרִ֖י וְתִתְעָרִֽי׃ ס	Rejoice and be happy, daughter Edom, dwelling in the land of Utz – a cup will also pass over (to) you, you will drink and strip yourself naked.
²² תַּם־עֲוֺנֵךְ֙ בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן לֹ֥א יוֹסִ֖יף לְהַגְלוֹתֵ֑ךְ פָּקַ֤ד עֲוֺנֵךְ֙ בַּת־אֱד֔וֹם גִּלָּ֖ה עַל־חַטֹּאתָֽיִךְ׃ פ	Completed your iniquity, daughter Ẓíōn, no more to be exiled / exposed. He has charged your iniquity, daughter Edom, (to) expose (you) for your sins.
פרק ה׳	CHAPTER 5
¹ זְכֹ֤ר יְהוָה֙ מֶֽה־הָ֣יָה לָ֔נוּ הביט הַבִּ֖יטָה וּרְאֵ֥ה אֶת־חֶרְפָּתֵֽנוּ׃	YHVH, remember what was ours. Look, and see our abuse / our shame!
² נַחֲלָתֵ֙נוּ֙ נֶֽהֶפְכָ֣ה לְזָרִ֔ים בָּתֵּ֖ינוּ לְנָכְרִֽים׃	Our inheritance overturned to strangers, our houses to foreigners.
³ יְתוֹמִ֤ים הָיִ֙ינוּ֙ אין וְאֵ֣ין אָ֔ב אִמֹּתֵ֖ינוּ כְּאַלְמָנֽוֹת׃	We were orphans, there is no father, our mothers like widows.
⁴ מֵימֵ֙ינוּ֙ בְּכֶ֣סֶף שָׁתִ֔ינוּ עֵצֵ֖ינוּ בִּמְחִ֥יר יָבֹֽאוּ׃	Our water we drank for money; our wood came (only) with a price.
⁵ עַ֤ל צַוָּארֵ֙נוּ֙ נִרְדָּ֔פְנוּ יָגַ֖עְנוּ לא וְלֹ֥א הֽוּנַ֖ח לָֽנוּ׃	On our neck we were pursued, weary, and none would let us (rest).
⁶ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ נָתַ֣נּוּ יָ֔ד אַשּׁ֖וּר לִשְׂבֹּ֥עַֽ לָֽחֶם׃	Egypt, we stretched a hand, Assyria, to satisfy bread.
⁷ אֲבֹתֵ֤ינוּ חָֽטְאוּ֙ אינם וְאֵינָ֔ם אנחנו וַאֲנַ֖חְנוּ עֲוֺנֹתֵיהֶ֥ם סָבָֽלְנוּ׃	Our fathers sinned and are not, and we shouldered their iniquities.
⁸ עֲבָדִים֙ מָ֣שְׁלוּ בָ֔נוּ פֹּרֵ֖ק אֵ֥ין מִיָּדָֽם׃	Slaves ruled us. None can break us out from their hand.
⁹ בְּנַפְשֵׁ֙נוּ֙ נָבִ֣יא לַחְמֵ֔נוּ מִפְּנֵ֖י חֶ֥רֶב הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃	For our lives we bring our bread, from before the wilderness’s sword.
¹⁰ עוֹרֵ֙נוּ֙ כְּתַנּ֣וּר נִכְמָ֔רוּ מִפְּנֵ֖י זַלְעֲפ֥וֹת רָעָֽב׃	Our skin like a furnace, glowing, from before the delirium of hunger.
¹¹ נָשִׁים֙ בְּצִיּ֣וֹן עִנּ֔וּ בְּתֻלֹ֖ת בְּעָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃	Women in Ẓíōn were victimized, girls, in Judah’s towns.
¹² שָׂרִים֙ בְּיָדָ֣ם נִתְל֔וּ פְּנֵ֥י זְקֵנִ֖ים לֹ֥א נֶהְדָּֽרוּ׃	Ministers by their hand were hung. Elders’ faces shown no majesty / respect.
¹³ בַּחוּרִים֙ טְח֣וֹן נָשָׂ֔אוּ וּנְעָרִ֖ים בָּעֵ֥ץ כָּשָֽׁלוּ׃	Boys would carry a millstone, and youths, stumbling with wood.
¹⁴ זְקֵנִים֙ מִשַּׁ֣עַר שָׁבָ֔תוּ בַּחוּרִ֖ים מִנְּגִינָתָֽם׃	Elders ceased from gate, boys from their play.
¹⁵ שָׁבַת֙ מְשׂ֣וֹשׂ לִבֵּ֔נוּ נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ לְאֵ֖בֶל מְחֹלֵֽנוּ׃	Our heart stopped any joy, our dance overturned into mourning.
¹⁶ נָֽפְלָה֙ עֲטֶ֣רֶת רֹאשֵׁ֔נוּ אֽוֹי־נָ֥א לָ֖נוּ כִּ֥י חָטָֽאנוּ׃	The crown on our head is fallen; Oy for us! For we sinned.
¹⁷ עַל־זֶ֗ה הָיָ֤ה דָוֶה֙ לִבֵּ֔נוּ עַל־אֵ֖לֶּה חָשְׁכ֥וּ עֵינֵֽינוּ׃	For this our heart was sickened. For these our eyes darkened.
¹⁸ עַ֤ל הַר־צִיּוֹן֙ שֶׁשָּׁמֵ֔ם שׁוּעָלִ֖ים הִלְּכוּ־בֽוֹ׃ פ	For Mount Ẓíōn, that was desolated foxes went through her.
¹⁹ אַתָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ לְעוֹלָ֣ם תֵּשֵׁ֔ב כִּסְאֲךָ֖ לְדֹ֥ר וָדֽוֹר׃	You, YHVH will sit for all world-time, Your throne (lasts) for generations.
²⁰ לָ֤מָּה לָנֶ֙צַח֙ תִּשְׁכָּחֵ֔נוּ תַּֽעַזְבֵ֖נוּ לְאֹ֥רֶךְ יָמִֽים׃	Why would you forget us forever? Abandon us for the span of time’s days?
²¹ הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יְהוָ֤ה ׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ ונשוב וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃	Turn us, YHVH, toward you, and we will turn. Renew our days, like long before,
²² כִּ֚י אִם־מָאֹ֣ס מְאַסְתָּ֔נוּ קָצַ֥פְתָּ עָלֵ֖ינוּ עַד־מְאֹֽד׃	except if rejecting you rejected us / loathed us, were enraged over us, so very much—!
הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יְהוָ֤ה ׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃	Turn us, YHVH, toward you, and we will turn. Make our days new again, like dawn / long ago.

This work is updated annually based on the source material posted to neohasid.org, here.

For Reb Dovid’s essay on cannibalism in Eikhah, please read “To Prey or to Pray? The Lessons of Famine on Tishah b’Av” (The Jew & the Carrot blog, 2008-08-07).

Rabbi Seidenberg writes:

Some notes on the theology of Eikhah:

1. Tishah b’Av could not be more relevant than it is today, when the crisis of war refugees and fear of terrorism have overwhelmed the political process in so many countries. We think of Tishah b’Av as a time of mourning, but it is more importantly a call to identify with the experience of the refugee, being thrown into a hostile world without shelter or protection. That’s what happened to the Jewish people when the Temple, and the nation and society it stood for, were destroyed, when they became “like deer, not finding a place to graze, walking without strength before a pursuer.” (1:6)

2. The author(s) of Eikhah (traditionally Jeremiah) believed that what happened to Jerusalem was an expression of divine judgment. The idea that tragedy and disaster are punishment for our sins may seem alien to most most modern Jews. This is also why it is hard to connect the Holocaust with Tishah b’Av. But this theology can be consoling, because it allows people to find meaning in tragedy.

3. For the ancients, the choices were to believe that the destruction was God’s punishment, or that God no longer cared about what happened to them. It is easy to imagine why people would choose a punishing God over an uncaring God (though the latter possibility is suggested in the very last verse of Eikhah). Even though Eikhah sounds like it’s about God punishing us, it’s not really a theodicy, but a prayer that tragedies prove God still cares about us, instead of proving God’s indifference.

4. That doesn’t mean we need to accept this theology – even in Eikhah itself, this idea is questioned. Only in the third chapter is Ẓíōn’s destruction seen consistently as fair and just punishment. In all the other chapters, the degree of divine punishment is (subtly) described as excessive and abusive. The poet repeatedly begs God to pay attention: “See, YHVH, and look: whom did You treat thus? If women will eat their fruit, coddled babes – !”(2:20; also 1:9,11,20, 4:16, 5:1). It’s as if other people could see and understand the tragedy that unfolded (1:12), but God could not.

5. This suggests one way to confront the images of sexual abuse in Eikhah: “All who honor her despise her, for they saw her nakedness.” (1:8; also 1:10, 4:21, 5:11) In the prophets, such abuse is a metaphor for the “just” punishment that follows Israel’s “adulterous” pursuit of other gods. But in Eikhah, the metaphor is used to hold up a mirror to God, to show that the punishment was intolerably abusive.

6. The real theology of Eikhah is expressed in the verse, “What can I compare to you, daughter Jerusalem, that I may comfort you?” (2:13) What images, what words, can help people bear the memory of tragedy? The poet is willing to say whatever is needed to enable people to find meaning.

7. There is another way to look at the idea of divine punishment. According to Jeremiah, the reason for exile was that Israel did not let the land rest every seven years during the Sabbatical year. (2 Chron. 36:21) That is why 490 years without Shmitah were followed by 70 years of exile. In an age when we have reason to believe that our ecological “sins” are coming home to roost, the connection between natural disaster and divine retribution is not so farfetched.

8. What does this mean? The Torah portrays the land as a subject with rights and interests that take priority over our needs. Especially in the flood story and the laws of the Jubilee and Shmita years (Lev. 25)—and in the consequences that are supposed to befall if the people do not observe these laws (Lev. 26)—the Torah teaches that God will take the side of the land against the people if force to. The land will “enjoy her Sabbaths” (Lev. 26:34,43) – even if that means the people are exiled or wiped out. From the divine perspective, justice encompasses the land. What has intrinsic value is not humanity but justice, which is humanity’s potential. See: neohasid.org/torah/genesis-shmitah

9. The Torah outlines six curses for not observing the Sabbatical year that describe how the relationship between the people and the land can unravel. Two curses involve children being eaten – first by wild animals (v.22) and then by their parents (v.29). That image is repeated in Eikhah (2:20, 4:10), and it is the main connection between Eikhah and Leviticus. The curses in Leviticus end with: “you will be lost in the nations and the land of your enemies will eat you” (v.38). Because the Jewish people was in exile for so long, the last curse does not sound like the worst. But if the land eats us, this represents a complete reversal of the right relationship between people and land.

10. In ancient times, people believed that the Temple existed to promote the fertility of the land and the people. The Temple brought abundance into the world; its rituals were performed for the sake of the land and all her species, not just for the Jews but for all humanity and all life. So one more way to look at the Temple’s destruction is that its purpose had already been destroyed by the way the people treated the land.

11. However, the idea that destruction came because of how the Jewish people treated the land is not found anywhere in Eikhah, where the identification of the people with the land is total. Instead, Jerusalem’s physical downfall results from a moral downfall in the relationships between human beings. In Jeremiah too, the fate of Jerusalem is sealed only after the rich, who had briefly set their slaves free, immediately re-enslave them when it looks like the danger has passed. (Jer. 34) How we treat the stranger, the poor, the refugee, determines if we can remain in the land.

12. We can expect more wars over resources, as well as people fleeing areas that have flooded or become deserts, as climate change puts more pressure on our ecosystems and our social systems. We need all the spiritual resources we can muster to stay open to the humanity of the refugee and the stranger while also taking care of each other. If we sympathize with these ideas, Eikhah is an invitation to move towards justice for all people, for all species, and for the land herself.

Rabbi David Mevorach Seidenberg,
2017/5777.

Some of this material is excerpted from Kabbalah and Ecology (Cambridge University Press 2015).

Source

💬 מְגִלַּת אֵיכָה | Megillat Eikhah (Lamentations) in acrostic English translation by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer

Barukh ben Neriyah — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 23:03:20 +0000

An original gender-neutral translation of the book of Lamentations, preserving the alphabetical acrostic through closest parallels to the Hebrew letter. (The Hebrew alphabet is represented as A B G D E W Z H Th I K L M N S O C P Q R Sh T. In chapters 2 through 4 O and P are reversed.)

Note: “The CAUSE” is used to translate the Divine Name YHVH, based on the philosophical idea of God as the Prime Mover and on the interpretation of the Name as a causative form of the copula – “causes to be.” This translation also uses the plural pronouns They/Their/Them to refer to God as a pluralis majestatis, and to avoid the implications of God being assigned a gender. (Find Ibn Ezra’s commentary on Genesis 1:1 for a discussion of the pluralis majestatis when referring to God.) All divine referents (pronouns, epithets, names) are rendered in unicase.

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
פרק א׳	CHAPTER 1
¹ אֵיכָ֣ה ׀ יָשְׁבָ֣ה בָדָ֗ד הָעִיר֙ רַבָּ֣תִי עָ֔ם הָיְתָ֖ה כְּאַלְמָנָ֑ה רַּבָּ֣תִי בַגּוֹיִ֗ם שָׂרָ֙תִי֙ בַּמְּדִינ֔וֹת הָיְתָ֖ה לָמַֽס׃ ס	Alas, she sits alone! The city great with people has become a widow; great in nations, noble in lands, has become corvée.
² בָּכ֨וֹ תִבְכֶּ֜ה בַּלַּ֗יְלָה וְדִמְעָתָהּ֙ עַ֣ל לֶֽחֱיָ֔הּ אֵֽין־לָ֥הּ מְנַחֵ֖ם מִכָּל־אֹהֲבֶ֑יהָ כָּל־רֵעֶ֙יהָ֙ בָּ֣גְדוּ בָ֔הּ הָ֥יוּ לָ֖הּ לְאֹיְבִֽים׃ ס	By the night she weeps, weeps, and her tears are on her cheeks, none of her lovers comfort her; all her friends have betrayed her, they have become like enemies.
³ גָּֽלְתָ֨ה יְהוּדָ֤ה מֵעֹ֙נִי֙ וּמֵרֹ֣ב עֲבֹדָ֔ה הִ֚יא יָשְׁבָ֣ה בַגּוֹיִ֔ם לֹ֥א מָצְאָ֖ה מָנ֑וֹחַ כָּל־רֹדְפֶ֥יהָ הִשִּׂיג֖וּהָ בֵּ֥ין הַמְּצָרִֽים׃ ס	Gone into exile is Judah from affliction, and from great labor, she dwells among the nations and finds no rest; all her pursuers overtook her between straits.
⁴ דַּרְכֵ֨י צִיּ֜וֹן אֲבֵל֗וֹת מִבְּלִי֙ בָּאֵ֣י מוֹעֵ֔ד כָּל־שְׁעָרֶ֙יהָ֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ין כֹּהֲנֶ֖יהָ נֶאֱנָחִ֑ים בְּתוּלֹתֶ֥יהָ נּוּג֖וֹת וְהִ֥יא מַר־לָֽהּ׃ ס	Devoid of festival pilgrims, Ẓion’s paths mourn, her gates are desolate, her priests groan; her virgins are aggreived and she is bitter.
⁵ הָי֨וּ צָרֶ֤יהָ לְרֹאשׁ֙ אֹיְבֶ֣יהָ שָׁל֔וּ כִּֽי־יְהוָ֥ה הוֹגָ֖הּ עַ֣ל רֹב־פְּשָׁעֶ֑יהָ עוֹלָלֶ֛יהָ הָלְכ֥וּ שְׁבִ֖י לִפְנֵי־צָֽר׃ ס	Enemies of hers have become the head, her foes are satistied, for the Cause has aggrieved her for her great crimes; her children have gone captive before the foe.
⁶ וַיֵּצֵ֥א מן־בת־ מִבַּת־צִיּ֖וֹן כָּל־הֲדָרָ֑הּ הָי֣וּ שָׂרֶ֗יהָ כְּאַיָּלִים֙ לֹא־מָצְא֣וּ מִרְעֶ֔ה וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ בְלֹא־כֹ֖חַ לִפְנֵ֥י רוֹדֵֽף׃ ס	Without all her splendor is fair Ẓion; her ministers are like deer finding no pasture, and they are gone without strength from before the pursuer.
⁷ זָֽכְרָ֣ה יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם יְמֵ֤י עָנְיָהּ֙ וּמְרוּדֶ֔יהָ כֹּ֚ל מַחֲמֻדֶ֔יהָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֖וּ מִ֣ימֵי קֶ֑דֶם בִּנְפֹ֧ל עַמָּ֣הּ בְּיַד־צָ֗ר וְאֵ֤ין עוֹזֵר֙ לָ֔הּ רָא֣וּהָ צָרִ֔ים שָׂחֲק֖וּ עַ֥ל מִשְׁבַּתֶּֽהָ׃ ס	Zenithward Jerusalem remembers in the days of her affliction and nadir, all her treasures he had in days of yore; as her people fall to the foe’s hand, and none help her, the foes saw her and laughted at her desolations.
⁸ חֵ֤טְא חָֽטְאָה֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם עַל־כֵּ֖ן לְנִידָ֣ה הָיָ֑תָה כָּֽל־מְכַבְּדֶ֤יהָ הִזִּיל֙וּהָ֙ כִּי־רָא֣וּ עֶרְוָתָ֔הּ גַּם־הִ֥יא נֶאֶנְחָ֖ה וַתָּ֥שָׁב אָחֽוֹר׃ ס	Horribly has Jerusalem sinned, thus she has become like one unclean; all who honored her despise her, for they saw her nakedness, and she too groans and turns back.
⁹ טֻמְאָתָ֣הּ בְּשׁוּלֶ֗יהָ לֹ֤א זָֽכְרָה֙ אַחֲרִיתָ֔הּ וַתֵּ֣רֶד פְּלָאִ֔ים אֵ֥ין מְנַחֵ֖ם לָ֑הּ רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֶת־עָנְיִ֔י כִּ֥י הִגְדִּ֖יל אוֹיֵֽב׃ ס	There in her skirt was her filth, she did not remember her end, so she fell drastically, with none to comfort her: “See, o Cause, my affliction, for the enemy has become great!”
¹⁰ יָדוֹ֙ פָּ֣רַשׂ צָ֔ר עַ֖ל כָּל־מַחֲמַדֶּ֑יהָ כִּֽי־רָאֲתָ֤ה גוֹיִם֙ בָּ֣אוּ מִקְדָּשָׁ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּ֔יתָה לֹא־יָבֹ֥אוּ בַקָּהָ֖ל לָֽךְ׃ ס	In all her treasures the adversary has spread his hand, for she saw the nations — of which You commanded they should not come into the congregation — come into her Temple.
¹¹ כָּל־עַמָּ֤הּ נֶאֱנָחִים֙ מְבַקְּשִׁ֣ים לֶ֔חֶם נָתְנ֧וּ מחמודיהם מַחֲמַדֵּיהֶ֛ם בְּאֹ֖כֶל לְהָשִׁ֣יב נָ֑פֶשׁ רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ וְֽהַבִּ֔יטָה כִּ֥י הָיִ֖יתִי זוֹלֵלָֽה׃ ס	Keening are all her people, seeking bread, having given their pleasant things for food to return their life. “See, o Cause, and behold how I have become craven!”
¹² ל֣וֹא אֲלֵיכֶם֮ כָּל־עֹ֣בְרֵי דֶרֶךְ֒ הַבִּ֣יטוּ וּרְא֗וּ אִם־יֵ֤שׁ מַכְאוֹב֙ כְּמַכְאֹבִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר עוֹלַ֖ל לִ֑י אֲשֶׁר֙ הוֹגָ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה בְּי֖וֹם חֲר֥וֹן אַפּֽוֹ׃ ס	Let it not fall on you, all passers-by! Behold and see if there is any pain like my pain, which was acted upon me, for the Cause has aggrieved me on the day of boiling rage.
¹³ מִמָּר֛וֹם שָֽׁלַח־אֵ֥שׁ בְּעַצְמֹתַ֖י וַיִּרְדֶּ֑נָּה פָּרַ֨שׂ רֶ֤שֶׁת לְרַגְלַי֙ הֱשִׁיבַ֣נִי אָח֔וֹר נְתָנַ֙נִי֙ שֹֽׁמֵמָ֔ה כָּל־הַיּ֖וֹם דָּוָֽה׃ ס	Moving fire from on high into my bones, dominating them; They spread a net for my feet, turned me around, gave me desolation and faint all day long.
¹⁴ נִשְׂקַד֩ עֹ֨ל פְּשָׁעַ֜י בְּיָד֗וֹ יִשְׂתָּֽרְג֛וּ עָל֥וּ עַל־צַוָּארִ֖י הִכְשִׁ֣יל כֹּחִ֑י נְתָנַ֣נִי אֲדֹנָ֔י בִּידֵ֖י לֹא־אוּכַ֥ל קֽוּם׃ ס	Noted by Their hand is the yoke of my crimes, they are entangled, coming up my neck, making my strength fail; the Lord has given me over to the hands of those against whom I cannot stand.
¹⁵ סִלָּ֨ה כָל־אַבִּירַ֤י ׀ אֲדֹנָי֙ בְּקִרְבִּ֔י קָרָ֥א עָלַ֛י מוֹעֵ֖ד לִשְׁבֹּ֣ר בַּחוּרָ֑י גַּ֚ת דָּרַ֣ךְ אֲדֹנָ֔י לִבְתוּלַ֖ת בַּת־יְהוּדָֽה׃ ס	Strong ones within me the Lord has thrown aside, calling an assembly against me to shatter my young men; the Lord has winepress-crushed the virgin fair Judah.
¹⁶ עַל־אֵ֣לֶּה ׀ אֲנִ֣י בוֹכִיָּ֗ה עֵינִ֤י ׀ עֵינִי֙ יֹ֣רְדָה מַּ֔יִם כִּֽי־רָחַ֥ק מִמֶּ֛נִּי מְנַחֵ֖ם מֵשִׁ֣יב נַפְשִׁ֑י הָי֤וּ בָנַי֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ים כִּ֥י גָבַ֖ר אוֹיֵֽב׃ ס	Over these things I weep; my eye, my eye runs with water, for a comforter who returns my soul is far from me; my children are desolate, for the enemy has won.
¹⁷ פֵּֽרְשָׂ֨ה צִיּ֜וֹן בְּיָדֶ֗יהָ אֵ֤ין מְנַחֵם֙ לָ֔הּ צִוָּ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה לְיַעֲקֹ֖ב סְבִיבָ֣יו צָרָ֑יו הָיְתָ֧ה יְרוּשָׁלִַ֛ם לְנִדָּ֖ה בֵּינֵיהֶֽם׃ ס	Projecting forth her hands is Ẓion, but none comfort her, the Cause commanded that those around Jacob be his enemies; Jerusalem has become like one unclean among them.
¹⁸ צַדִּ֥יק ה֛וּא יְהוָ֖ה כִּ֣י פִ֣יהוּ מָרִ֑יתִי שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֣א כָל־עמים הָֽעַמִּ֗ים וּרְאוּ֙ מַכְאֹבִ֔י בְּתוּלֹתַ֥י וּבַחוּרַ֖י הָלְכ֥וּ בַשֶּֽׁבִי׃ ס	Certainly the Cause is in the right, for I have rebelled against Their Mouth; hear, please, all _the peoples, and see my pain! My virgins and young men have gone captive.
¹⁹ קָרָ֤אתִי לַֽמְאַהֲבַי֙ הֵ֣מָּה רִמּ֔וּנִי כֹּהֲנַ֥י וּזְקֵנַ֖י בָּעִ֣יר גָּוָ֑עוּ כִּֽי־בִקְשׁ֥וּ אֹ֙כֶל֙ לָ֔מוֹ וְיָשִׁ֖יבוּ אֶת־נַפְשָֽׁם׃ ס	Questing for my lovers, but they decieved me; my priests and elders have perished in the city, as they sought food for them to return their souls.
²⁰ רְאֵ֨ה יְהוָ֤ה כִּֽי־צַר־לִי֙ מֵעַ֣י חֳמַרְמָ֔רוּ נֶהְפַּ֤ךְ לִבִּי֙ בְּקִרְבִּ֔י כִּ֥י מָר֖וֹ מָרִ֑יתִי מִח֥וּץ שִׁכְּלָה־חֶ֖רֶב בַּבַּ֥יִת כַּמָּֽוֶת׃ ס	Regard, o Cause, my distress! My innards burn, my heart turns within me, for I have rebelled rebelliously; outside the sword bereaves, inside is deathlike.
²¹ שָׁמְע֞וּ כִּ֧י נֶאֱנָחָ֣ה אָ֗נִי אֵ֤ין מְנַחֵם֙ לִ֔י כָּל־אֹ֨יְבַ֜י שָׁמְע֤וּ רָֽעָתִי֙ שָׂ֔שׂוּ כִּ֥י אַתָּ֖ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ הֵבֵ֥אתָ יוֹם־קָרָ֖אתָ וְיִֽהְי֥וּ כָמֽוֹנִי׃ ס	Surely they heard that I groan, none comfort me, all my enemies who heard my evil rejoiced, for You did it; You brought the day You called for and they will be like me.
²² תָּבֹ֨א כָל־רָעָתָ֤ם לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ וְעוֹלֵ֣ל לָ֔מוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עוֹלַ֛לְתָּ לִ֖י עַ֣ל כָּל־פְּשָׁעָ֑י כִּֽי־רַבּ֥וֹת אַנְחֹתַ֖י וְלִבִּ֥י דַוָּֽי׃ פ	Take their evil before you and act upon them as You acted upon me for all my crimes; for my groans are many and my heart is faint.
פרק ב׳	CHAPTER 2
¹ אֵיכָה֩ יָעִ֨יב בְּאַפּ֤וֹ ׀ אֲדֹנָי֙ אֶת־בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן הִשְׁלִ֤יךְ מִשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ אֶ֔רֶץ תִּפְאֶ֖רֶת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹא־זָכַ֥ר הֲדֹם־רַגְלָ֖יו בְּי֥וֹם אַפּֽוֹ׃ ס	Alas, beclouded in the Lord’s rage is fair Ẓion! They cast down Israel’s beauty from heaven to earth, and have not remembered Their footstool on the day of Their anger.
² בִּלַּ֨ע אֲדֹנָ֜י לא וְלֹ֣א חָמַ֗ל אֵ֚ת כָּל־נְא֣וֹת יַעֲקֹ֔ב הָרַ֧ס בְּעֶבְרָת֛וֹ מִבְצְרֵ֥י בַת־יְהוּדָ֖ה הִגִּ֣יעַ לָאָ֑רֶץ חִלֵּ֥ל מַמְלָכָ֖ה וְשָׂרֶֽיהָ׃ ס	Billets of Jacob has the Lord swallowed without mercy, throwing down in wrath the strongholds of fair Judah, They brought them to earth, profaning the regime and its ministers.
³ גָּדַ֣ע בָּֽחֳרִי אַ֗ף כֹּ֚ל קֶ֣רֶן יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הֵשִׁ֥יב אָח֛וֹר יְמִינ֖וֹ מִפְּנֵ֣י אוֹיֵ֑ב וַיִּבְעַ֤ר בְּיַעֲקֹב֙ כְּאֵ֣שׁ לֶֽהָבָ֔ה אָכְלָ֖ה סָבִֽיב׃ ס	Greatly angry, They cut off all the horn of Israel, drawing back Their Right Hand from the enemy, and burning in Jacob like a flaming fire devouring all around.
⁴ דָּרַ֨ךְ קַשְׁתּ֜וֹ כְּאוֹיֵ֗ב נִצָּ֤ב יְמִינוֹ֙ כְּצָ֔ר וַֽיַּהֲרֹ֔ג כֹּ֖ל מַחֲמַדֵּי־עָ֑יִן בְּאֹ֙הֶל֙ בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן שָׁפַ֥ךְ כָּאֵ֖שׁ חֲמָתֽוֹ׃ ס	Drawing Their Bow like an enemy, making Their Right Hand stand like a foe, and killing all those pleasant to the eye; in the tent of fair Ẓion pouring out rage like fire.
⁵ הָיָ֨ה אֲדֹנָ֤י ׀ כְּאוֹיֵב֙ בִּלַּ֣ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בִּלַּע֙ כָּל־אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֔יהָ שִׁחֵ֖ת מִבְצָרָ֑יו וַיֶּ֙רֶב֙ בְּבַת־יְהוּדָ֔ה תַּאֲנִיָּ֖ה וַאֲנִיָּֽה׃ ס	Enemylike has the Lord become, swallowing up Israel, swallowing up her palaces, destroying her strongholds; and increasing in fair Judah mourning and moaning.
⁶ וַיַּחְמֹ֤ס כַּגַּן֙ שֻׂכּ֔וֹ שִׁחֵ֖ת מוֹעֲד֑וֹ שִׁכַּ֨ח יְהוָ֤ה ׀ בְּצִיּוֹן֙ מוֹעֵ֣ד וְשַׁבָּ֔ת וַיִּנְאַ֥ץ בְּזַֽעַם־אַפּ֖וֹ מֶ֥לֶךְ וְכֹהֵֽן׃ ס	While They stripped the Tent like a garden, destroying the assembly; the Cause made assembly and Sabbath forgotten in Ẓion, and in indignant rage rejected king and priest.
⁷ זָנַ֨ח אֲדֹנָ֤י ׀ מִזְבְּחוֹ֙ נִאֵ֣ר מִקְדָּשׁ֔וֹ הִסְגִּיר֙ בְּיַד־אוֹיֵ֔ב חוֹמֹ֖ת אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֑יהָ ק֛וֹל נָתְנ֥וּ בְּבֵית־יְהוָ֖ה כְּי֥וֹם מוֹעֵֽד׃ ס	Zealously has the Lord rejected the altar, abhorred the sanctuary, giving the walls of her palaces into the hand of the enemy; they raised their voice in the house of the Cause as on an assembly day.
⁸ חָשַׁ֨ב יְהוָ֤ה ׀ לְהַשְׁחִית֙ חוֹמַ֣ת בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן נָ֣טָה קָ֔ו לֹא־הֵשִׁ֥יב יָד֖וֹ מִבַּלֵּ֑עַ וַיַּֽאֲבֶל־חֵ֥ל וְחוֹמָ֖ה יַחְדָּ֥ו אֻמְלָֽלוּ׃ ס	Having in mind to destroy the wall of fair Ẓion, the Cause stretched the line, hand not withdrawing rom consumption; making the rampart and wall mourn, together languishing.
⁹ טָבְע֤וּ בָאָ֙רֶץ֙ שְׁעָרֶ֔יהָ אִבַּ֥ד וְשִׁבַּ֖ר בְּרִיחֶ֑יהָ מַלְכָּ֨הּ וְשָׂרֶ֤יהָ בַגּוֹיִם֙ אֵ֣ין תּוֹרָ֔ה גַּם־נְבִיאֶ֕יהָ לֹא־מָצְא֥וּ חָז֖וֹן מֵיְהוָֽה׃ ס	There her gates are sunk into the earth, They have destroyed and broken her bars; her king and princes are among the nations, without teaching, and what’s more, her prophets have found no vision from the Cause.
¹⁰ יֵשְׁב֨וּ לָאָ֤רֶץ יִדְּמוּ֙ זִקְנֵ֣י בַת־צִיּ֔וֹן הֶֽעֱל֤וּ עָפָר֙ עַל־רֹאשָׁ֔ם חָגְר֖וּ שַׂקִּ֑ים הוֹרִ֤ידוּ לָאָ֙רֶץ֙ רֹאשָׁ֔ן בְּתוּלֹ֖ת יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ ס	In silence the elders of fair Ẓion sit on the ground, they cast dust on their heads and girded with sackcloth; the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to earth.
¹¹ כָּל֨וּ בַדְּמָע֤וֹת עֵינַי֙ חֳמַרְמְר֣וּ מֵעַ֔י נִשְׁפַּ֤ךְ לָאָ֙רֶץ֙ כְּבֵדִ֔י עַל־שֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת־עַמִּ֑י בֵּֽעָטֵ֤ף עוֹלֵל֙ וְיוֹנֵ֔ק בִּרְחֹב֖וֹת קִרְיָֽה׃ ס	Kaput are my eyes with tears, my innards burn, my liver is poured on the earth for the brokenness of my fair people; as the children and infants languish in the streets of the city.
¹² לְאִמֹּתָם֙ יֹֽאמְר֔וּ אַיֵּ֖ה דָּגָ֣ן וָיָ֑יִן בְּהִֽתְעַטְּפָ֤ם כֶּֽחָלָל֙ בִּרְחֹב֣וֹת עִ֔יר בְּהִשְׁתַּפֵּ֣ךְ נַפְשָׁ֔ם אֶל־חֵ֖יק אִמֹּתָֽם׃ ס	Languishing like the wounded in the streets of the city, they ask their mothers “Where is grain and wine?” as their soul is poured out into their mother’s bosom.
¹³ מָֽה־אֲעִידֵ֞ךְ מָ֣ה אֲדַמֶּה־לָּ֗ךְ הַבַּת֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם מָ֤ה אַשְׁוֶה־לָּךְ֙ וַאֲנַֽחֲמֵ֔ךְ בְּתוּלַ֖ת בַּת־צִיּ֑וֹן כִּֽי־גָד֥וֹל כַּיָּ֛ם שִׁבְרֵ֖ךְ מִ֥י יִרְפָּא־לָֽךְ׃ ס	My fair Jerusalem, what could I call to witness for you, what could I compare to you? What could I equate to you, so as to comfort you, virgin fair Ẓion? For great as the sea is your brokenness, who can heal you?
¹⁴ נְבִיאַ֗יִךְ חָ֤זוּ לָךְ֙ שָׁ֣וְא וְתָפֵ֔ל וְלֹֽא־גִלּ֥וּ עַל־עֲוֺנֵ֖ךְ לְהָשִׁ֣יב שביתך שְׁבוּתֵ֑ךְ וַיֶּ֣חֱזוּ לָ֔ךְ מַשְׂא֥וֹת שָׁ֖וְא וּמַדּוּחִֽים׃ ס	Nothing but vanity and folly have your prophets envisioned for you, and they have not uncovered your iniquity to return your captivity; but they have envisioned for you burdens of vanity and enticements.
¹⁵ סָֽפְק֨וּ עָלַ֤יִךְ כַּפַּ֙יִם֙ כָּל־עֹ֣בְרֵי דֶ֔רֶךְ שָֽׁרְקוּ֙ וַיָּנִ֣עוּ רֹאשָׁ֔ם עַל־בַּ֖ת יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם הֲזֹ֣את הָעִ֗יר שֶׁיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ כְּלִ֣ילַת יֹ֔פִי מָשׂ֖וֹשׂ לְכָל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ ס	Sarcastically the passers-by clap their hands at you, they hiss and shake their head at fair Jerusalem: “Is this the city that was called ‘perfect beauty, joy of all the earth?’”
¹⁶ פָּצ֨וּ עָלַ֤יִךְ פִּיהֶם֙ כָּל־א֣וֹיְבַ֔יִךְ שָֽׁרְקוּ֙ וַיַּֽחַרְקוּ־שֵׁ֔ן אָמְר֖וּ בִּלָּ֑עְנוּ אַ֣ךְ זֶ֥ה הַיּ֛וֹם שֶׁקִּוִּינֻ֖הוּ מָצָ֥אנוּ רָאִֽינוּ׃ ס	Parting their mouth wide at you, your enemies hiss and clatter their teeth, and say, “We have swallowed her! Yes, this is the day that we hoped for, we have found it, seen it!”
¹⁷ עָשָׂ֨ה יְהוָ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר זָמָ֗ם בִּצַּ֤ע אֶמְרָתוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֣ה מִֽימֵי־קֶ֔דֶם הָרַ֖ס וְלֹ֣א חָמָ֑ל וַיְשַׂמַּ֤ח עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ אוֹיֵ֔ב הֵרִ֖ים קֶ֥רֶן צָרָֽיִךְ׃ ס	Only what the Cause plotted was done; finishing Their word commanded in days of yore, throwing down without mercy, making the enemy rejoice, raising the foe’s horn.
¹⁸ צָעַ֥ק לִבָּ֖ם אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֑י חוֹמַ֣ת בַּת־צִ֠יּוֹן הוֹרִ֨ידִי כַנַּ֤חַל דִּמְעָה֙ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַ֔יְלָה אַֽל־תִּתְּנִ֤י פוּגַת֙ לָ֔ךְ אַל־תִּדֹּ֖ם בַּת־עֵינֵֽךְ׃ ס	Ceaselessly their heart cried to the Lord: “Wall of fair Ẓion, let tears fall down like a river daily and nightly; do not intermit yourself, do not silence your pupil!”
¹⁹ ק֣וּמִי ׀ רֹ֣נִּי בליל בַלַּ֗יְלָה לְרֹאשׁ֙ אַשְׁמֻר֔וֹת שִׁפְכִ֤י כַמַּ֙יִם֙ לִבֵּ֔ךְ נֹ֖כַח פְּנֵ֣י אֲדֹנָ֑י שְׂאִ֧י אֵלָ֣יו כַּפַּ֗יִךְ עַל־נֶ֙פֶשׁ֙ עֽוֹלָלַ֔יִךְ הָעֲטוּפִ֥ים בְּרָעָ֖ב בְּרֹ֥אשׁ כָּל־חוּצֽוֹת׃ ס	Quick, get up, call in the night at the start of the watches, pour your heart like water before the face of the Lord; raise your palms to Them for the life of your children languishing from hunger at the head of every street!
²⁰ רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ וְֽהַבִּ֔יטָה לְמִ֖י עוֹלַ֣לְתָּ כֹּ֑ה אִם־תֹּאכַ֨לְנָה נָשִׁ֤ים פִּרְיָם֙ עֹלֲלֵ֣י טִפֻּחִ֔ים אִם־יֵהָרֵ֛ג בְּמִקְדַּ֥שׁ אֲדֹנָ֖י כֹּהֵ֥ן וְנָבִֽיא׃ ס	Regard, o Cause, and consider, to whom have You acted thus? Will women eat their fruit, their dandled children? Will priest and prophet be killed in the temple of the Lord?
²¹ שָׁכְב֨וּ לָאָ֤רֶץ חוּצוֹת֙ נַ֣עַר וְזָקֵ֔ן בְּתוּלֹתַ֥י וּבַחוּרַ֖י נָפְל֣וּ בֶחָ֑רֶב הָרַ֙גְתָּ֙ בְּי֣וֹם אַפֶּ֔ךָ טָבַ֖חְתָּ לֹ֥א חָמָֽלְתָּ׃ ס	Should lads and elders lie outside in the courtyards? My virgins and young men have fallen by the word! You killed them on the day of Your rage, slaughtering without mercy!
²² תִּקְרָא֩ כְי֨וֹם מוֹעֵ֤ד מְגוּרַי֙ מִסָּבִ֔יב וְלֹ֥א הָיָ֛ה בְּי֥וֹם אַף־יְהוָ֖ה פָּלִ֣יט וְשָׂרִ֑יד אֲשֶׁר־טִפַּ֥חְתִּי וְרִבִּ֖יתִי אֹיְבִ֥י כִלָּֽם׃ פ	Terrors You called all around, as if on an assembly day, and on the day of the Cause’s rage there no escape or remnant; those I dandled and raised my enemy has finished off!
פרק ג׳	CHAPTER 3
¹ אֲנִ֤י הַגֶּ֙בֶר֙ רָאָ֣ה עֳנִ֔י בְּשֵׁ֖בֶט עֶבְרָתֽוֹ׃ ² אוֹתִ֥י נָהַ֛ג וַיֹּלַ֖ךְ חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אֽוֹר׃ ³ אַ֣ךְ בִּ֥י יָשֻׁ֛ב יַהֲפֹ֥ךְ יָד֖וֹ כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ ס	Affliction, I am the man who has seen it, by the staff of Their rage. Assigning me to walk in darkness and not light. Against me They have indeed turned Their Hand all day.
⁴ בִּלָּ֤ה בְשָׂרִי֙ וְעוֹרִ֔י שִׁבַּ֖ר עַצְמוֹתָֽי׃ ⁵ בָּנָ֥ה עָלַ֛י וַיַּקַּ֖ף רֹ֥אשׁ וּתְלָאָֽה׃ ⁶ בְּמַחֲשַׁכִּ֥ים הוֹשִׁיבַ֖נִי כְּמֵתֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם׃ ס	Burning out my flesh and skin, They broke my bones, Built against me, and struck me with venom and hardship. By dark places They made me dwell, like the ancient dead.
⁷ גָּדַ֧ר בַּעֲדִ֛י וְלֹ֥א אֵצֵ֖א הִכְבִּ֥יד נְחָשְׁתִּֽי׃ ⁸ גַּ֣ם כִּ֤י אֶזְעַק֙ וַאֲשַׁוֵּ֔עַ שָׂתַ֖ם תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃ ⁹ גָּדַ֤ר דְּרָכַי֙ בְּגָזִ֔ית נְתִיבֹתַ֖י עִוָּֽה׃ ס	Girdling me about so I cannot leave, They made my copper-fetters heavy. Granted, I cry to be saved, and They shut out my prayer. Girdling my paths with stone, They made my paths crooked,
¹⁰ דֹּ֣ב אֹרֵ֥ב הוּא֙ לִ֔י אריה אֲרִ֖י בְּמִסְתָּרִֽים׃ ¹¹ דְּרָכַ֥י סוֹרֵ֛ר וַֽיְפַשְּׁחֵ֖נִי שָׂמַ֥נִי שֹׁמֵֽם׃ ¹² דָּרַ֤ךְ קַשְׁתוֹ֙ וַיַּצִּיבֵ֔נִי כַּמַּטָּרָ֖א לַחֵֽץ׃ ס	Dealt with me like a bear lying in wait, a lion^[1] Ketiv: lioness hidden. Drew aside my paths and torn me, making me desolate. Drawing Their bow, They set me as a mark for the arrow,
¹³ הֵבִיא֙ בְּכִלְיוֹתָ֔י בְּנֵ֖י אַשְׁפָּתֽוֹ׃ ¹⁴ הָיִ֤יתִי שְּׂחֹק֙ לְכָל־עַמִּ֔י נְגִינָתָ֖ם כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ ¹⁵ הִשְׂבִּיעַ֥נִי בַמְּרוֹרִ֖ים הִרְוַ֥נִי לַעֲנָֽה׃ ס	Entering into my innards the produce of Their quiver. Even to my people I have become a joke, their songs all day. Engorging me with bitterness, They sated me with wormwood.
¹⁶ וַיַּגְרֵ֤ס בֶּֽחָצָץ֙ שִׁנָּ֔י הִכְפִּישַׁ֖נִי בָּאֵֽפֶר׃ ¹⁷ וַתִּזְנַ֧ח מִשָּׁל֛וֹם נַפְשִׁ֖י נָשִׁ֥יתִי טוֹבָֽה׃ ¹⁸ וָאֹמַר֙ אָבַ֣ד נִצְחִ֔י וְתוֹחַלְתִּ֖י מֵיְהוָֽה׃ ס	With gravel They ground my teeth, They trampled me in ashes. While my soul has long left peace, I have forgotten goodness. When I said, “My endurance is lost, as is my hope from the Cause.”
¹⁹ זְכָר־עָנְיִ֥י וּמְרוּדִ֖י לַעֲנָ֥ה וָרֹֽאשׁ׃ ²⁰ זָכ֣וֹר תִּזְכּ֔וֹר ותשיח וְתָשׁ֥וֹחַ עָלַ֖י נַפְשִֽׁי׃ ²¹ זֹ֛את אָשִׁ֥יב אֶל־לִבִּ֖י עַל־כֵּ֥ן אוֹחִֽיל׃ ס	Zero in on my affliction and my nadir, wormwood and venom. Zealously my soul remembers them, and sinks^[2] Ketiv: speaks in me. Zeroing in on this in my mind so that I have hope:
²² חַֽסְדֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ כִּ֣י לֹא־תָ֔מְנוּ כִּ֥י לֹא־כָל֖וּ רַחֲמָֽיו׃ ²³ חֲדָשִׁים֙ לַבְּקָרִ֔ים רַבָּ֖ה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃ ²⁴ חֶלְקִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אָמְרָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֔י עַל־כֵּ֖ן אוֹחִ֥יל לֽוֹ׃ ס	How could the Cause’s kindness be spent? Their compassion has not failed. How great is Your faithfulness! They are renewed each morning. Here my portion is the Cause — says my soul — thus I trust Them.
²⁵ ט֤וֹב יְהוָה֙ לְקֹוָ֔ו לְנֶ֖פֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶֽׁנּוּ׃ ²⁶ ט֤וֹב וְיָחִיל֙ וְדוּמָ֔ם לִתְשׁוּעַ֖ת יְהוָֽה׃ ²⁷ ט֣וֹב לַגֶּ֔בֶר כִּֽי־יִשָּׂ֥א עֹ֖ל בִּנְעוּרָֽיו׃ ס	The Cause is good to those who who wait for Them, to the soul seeking Them. Thus it is good for a person to quietly wait for the Cause’s rescue. Thus it is good for a man to bear a yoke in his youth.
²⁸ יֵשֵׁ֤ב בָּדָד֙ וְיִדֹּ֔ם כִּ֥י נָטַ֖ל עָלָֽיו׃ ²⁹ יִתֵּ֤ן בֶּֽעָפָר֙ פִּ֔יהוּ אוּלַ֖י יֵ֥שׁ תִּקְוָֽה׃ ³⁰ יִתֵּ֧ן לְמַכֵּ֛הוּ לֶ֖חִי יִשְׂבַּ֥ע בְּחֶרְפָּֽה׃ ס	In silence he should sit, for They laid it on him. In the dust he should put his mouth, maybe then there will be hope. Indeed, he should turn his cheek to his smiter, to be full of reproach.
³¹ כִּ֣י לֹ֥א יִזְנַ֛ח לְעוֹלָ֖ם אֲדֹנָֽי׃ ³² כִּ֣י אִם־הוֹגָ֔ה וְרִחַ֖ם כְּרֹ֥ב חסדו חֲסָדָֽיו׃ ³³ כִּ֣י לֹ֤א עִנָּה֙ מִלִּבּ֔וֹ וַיַּגֶּ֖ה בְנֵי־אִֽישׁ׃ ס	Keep on — the Lord will not cast off forever. Keeping compassion, even when causing grief, as per Their great kindness. Keen to afflict They are not, nor to aggrieve mortals.
³⁴ לְדַכֵּא֙ תַּ֣חַת רַגְלָ֔יו כֹּ֖ל אֲסִ֥ירֵי אָֽרֶץ׃ ³⁵ לְהַטּוֹת֙ מִשְׁפַּט־גָּ֔בֶר נֶ֖גֶד פְּנֵ֥י עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ ³⁶ לְעַוֵּ֤ת אָדָם֙ בְּרִיב֔וֹ אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹ֥א רָאָֽה׃ ס	Letting the prisoners of earth be crushed underfoot? Leaving off the rights of a man before the Highest One’s face? Letting one’s cause be subverted? The Lord does not see it.
³⁷ מִ֣י זֶ֤ה אָמַר֙ וַתֶּ֔הִי אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹ֥א צִוָּֽה׃ ³⁸ מִפִּ֤י עֶלְיוֹן֙ לֹ֣א תֵצֵ֔א הָרָע֖וֹת וְהַטּֽוֹב׃ ³⁹ מַה־יִּתְאוֹנֵן֙ אָדָ֣ם חָ֔י גֶּ֖בֶר עַל־חטאו חֲטָאָֽיו׃ ס	May anyone say what comes to pass if the Lord has not commanded it? Mustn’t evil and good come out from the Highest One’s mouth? May a living person complain, a man for his sins?
⁴⁰ נַחְפְּשָׂ֤ה דְרָכֵ֙ינוּ֙ וְֽנַחְקֹ֔רָה וְנָשׁ֖וּבָה עַד־יְהוָֽה׃ ⁴¹ נִשָּׂ֤א לְבָבֵ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־כַּפָּ֔יִם אֶל־אֵ֖ל בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ ⁴² נַ֤חְנוּ פָשַׁ֙עְנוּ֙ וּמָרִ֔ינוּ אַתָּ֖ה לֹ֥א סָלָֽחְתָּ׃ ס	Now let us search and test our ways and return to the Cause. Now let us raise our hearts in our palms to the Deity in heaven. Now we have sinned and rebelled; You have not pardoned.
⁴³ סַכֹּ֤תָה בָאַף֙ וַֽתִּרְדְּפֵ֔נוּ הָרַ֖גְתָּ לֹ֥א חָמָֽלְתָּ׃ ⁴⁴ סַכּ֤וֹתָה בֶֽעָנָן֙ לָ֔ךְ מֵעֲב֖וֹר תְּפִלָּֽה׃ ⁴⁵ סְחִ֧י וּמָא֛וֹס תְּשִׂימֵ֖נוּ בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָעַמִּֽים׃ ס	So You covered us with anger and pursued us; killing us without mercy. Secreting Yourself in a cloud, lest prayer pass through. Slag and spoilage You have made us amongst the peoples.
⁴⁶ פָּצ֥וּ עָלֵ֛ינוּ פִּיהֶ֖ם כָּל־אֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃ ⁴⁷ פַּ֧חַד וָפַ֛חַת הָ֥יָה לָ֖נוּ הַשֵּׁ֥את וְהַשָּֽׁבֶר׃ ⁴⁸ פַּלְגֵי־מַ֙יִם֙ תֵּרַ֣ד עֵינִ֔י עַל־שֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃ ס	Parted open against us are the mouths of all our enemies. Panic and pitfall are upon us, calamity and crumbling. Profusely my eyes water with tears, for the brokenness of my fair people.
⁴⁹ עֵינִ֧י נִגְּרָ֛ה וְלֹ֥א תִדְמֶ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ין הֲפֻגֽוֹת׃ ⁵⁰ עַד־יַשְׁקִ֣יף וְיֵ֔רֶא יְהוָ֖ה מִשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ ⁵¹ עֵינִי֙ עֽוֹלְלָ֣ה לְנַפְשִׁ֔י מִכֹּ֖ל בְּנ֥וֹת עִירִֽי׃ ס	Outpouring are my eyes, unceasing, without intermission, On until the Cause looks out and sees from Heaven. On my soul my eye has acted, from all my city’s daughters.
⁵² צ֥וֹד צָד֛וּנִי כַּצִּפּ֖וֹר אֹיְבַ֥י חִנָּֽם׃ ⁵³ צָֽמְת֤וּ בַבּוֹר֙ חַיָּ֔י וַיַּדּוּ־אֶ֖בֶן בִּֽי׃ ⁵⁴ צָֽפוּ־מַ֥יִם עַל־רֹאשִׁ֖י אָמַ֥רְתִּי נִגְזָֽרְתִּי׃ ס	Chasing me, chasing like a bird, my unreasoning enemies. Ceasing my life in the pit, throwing stones upon me. Choking with water over my head, I said, “I am cut off.”
⁵⁵ קָרָ֤אתִי שִׁמְךָ֙ יְהוָ֔ה מִבּ֖וֹר תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹת׃ ⁵⁶ קוֹלִ֖י שָׁמָ֑עְתָּ אַל־תַּעְלֵ֧ם אָזְנְךָ֛ לְרַוְחָתִ֖י לְשַׁוְעָתִֽי׃ ⁵⁷ קָרַ֙בְתָּ֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֶקְרָאֶ֔ךָּ אָמַ֖רְתָּ אַל־תִּירָֽא׃ ס	Questing was I for Your Name, Cause, from the lowest pit. Quaking of my voice You heard — don’t hide Your ear as I cry for help and relief! Quoth You on the day You came near when I called, “Do not fear.”
⁵⁸ רַ֧בְתָּ אֲדֹנָ֛י רִיבֵ֥י נַפְשִׁ֖י גָּאַ֥לְתָּ חַיָּֽי׃ ⁵⁹ רָאִ֤יתָה יְהוָה֙ עַוָּ֣תָתִ֔י שָׁפְטָ֖ה מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃ ⁶⁰ רָאִ֙יתָה֙ כָּל־נִקְמָתָ֔ם כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם לִֽי׃ ס	Representative, Lord, of my soul’s cases, You redeemed my life. Regarding my wrongdoing, Cause, judge my judgement! Regard all their vengeances and their plots against me.
⁶¹ שָׁמַ֤עְתָּ חֶרְפָּתָם֙ יְהוָ֔ה כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם עָלָֽי׃ ⁶² שִׂפְתֵ֤י קָמַי֙ וְהֶגְיוֹנָ֔ם עָלַ֖י כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ ⁶³ שִׁבְתָּ֤ם וְקִֽימָתָם֙ הַבִּ֔יטָה אֲנִ֖י מַנְגִּינָתָֽם׃ ס	Surely You heard their taunts, Cause, and all their plots against me! Susurrations daily of the lips of those rising up against me. Shanty of theirs am I — look upon their sitting down and rising up!
⁶⁴ תָּשִׁ֨יב לָהֶ֥ם גְּמ֛וּל יְהוָ֖ה כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יְדֵיהֶֽם׃ ⁶⁵ תִּתֵּ֤ן לָהֶם֙ מְגִנַּת־לֵ֔ב תַּאֲלָֽתְךָ֖ לָהֶֽם׃ ⁶⁶ תִּרְדֹּ֤ף בְּאַף֙ וְתַשְׁמִידֵ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת שְׁמֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ פ	Turn back to them recompense, Cause, as per their handiwork. Toughness of heart give to them, Your curse upon them! Tear after them in rage and destroy them from under the Cause’s heavens.
פרק ד׳	CHAPTER 4
¹ אֵיכָה֙ יוּעַ֣ם זָהָ֔ב יִשְׁנֶ֖א הַכֶּ֣תֶם הַטּ֑וֹב תִּשְׁתַּפֵּ֙כְנָה֙ אַבְנֵי־קֹ֔דֶשׁ בְּרֹ֖אשׁ כָּל־חוּצֽוֹת׃ ס	Alas, the gold is dimmed, the fine aurum changed! The holy stones poured out at the heads of the street.
² בְּנֵ֤י צִיּוֹן֙ הַיְקָרִ֔ים הַמְסֻלָּאִ֖ים בַּפָּ֑ז אֵיכָ֤ה נֶחְשְׁבוּ֙ לְנִבְלֵי־חֶ֔רֶשׂ מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יְדֵ֥י יוֹצֵֽר׃ ס	Boys of Ẓion, precious, comparable to gilt; alas, they are treated as clay pots the potter’s handiwork!
³ גַּם־תנין תַּנִּים֙ חָ֣לְצוּ שַׁ֔ד הֵינִ֖יקוּ גּוּרֵיהֶ֑ן בַּת־עַמִּ֣י לְאַכְזָ֔ר כי ענים כַּיְעֵנִ֖ים בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ ס	Golden jackals^[3] Ketiv: monsters even breastfeed their pups; my fair people is as cruel as ostriches^[4] Ketiv: for they call in the desert.
⁴ דָּבַ֨ק לְשׁ֥וֹן יוֹנֵ֛ק אֶל־חכּ֖וֹ בַּצָּמָ֑א עֽוֹלָלִים֙ שָׁ֣אֲלוּ לֶ֔חֶם פֹּרֵ֖שׂ אֵ֥ין לָהֶֽם׃ ס	Drawn is the infant’s tongue to his palate from thirst; children ask for bread but none break it for them.
⁵ הָאֹֽכְלִים֙ לְמַ֣עֲדַנִּ֔ים נָשַׁ֖מּוּ בַּחוּצ֑וֹת הָאֱמֻנִים֙ עֲלֵ֣י תוֹלָ֔ע חִבְּק֖וּ אַשְׁפַּתּֽוֹת׃ ס	Eaters of desserts are desolate in the courtyards, those used to wearing scarlet grab on to middens.
⁶ וַיִּגְדַּל֙ עֲוֺ֣ן בַּת־עַמִּ֔י מֵֽחַטַּ֖את סְדֹ֑ם הַֽהֲפוּכָ֣ה כְמוֹ־רָ֔גַע וְלֹא־חָ֥לוּ בָ֖הּ יָדָֽיִם׃ ס	Why, my fair people’s iniquity is greater than Sodom’s sin, for it was overthrown in a moment and no hands fell upon her.
⁷ זַכּ֤וּ נְזִירֶ֙יהָ֙ מִשֶּׁ֔לֶג צַח֖וּ מֵחָלָ֑ב אָ֤דְמוּ עֶ֙צֶם֙ מִפְּנִינִ֔ים סַפִּ֖יר גִּזְרָתָֽם׃ ס	Zinc-white were their princes, purer than snow, whiter than milk, their bodies redder than rubies, polished like sapphire.
⁸ חָשַׁ֤ךְ מִשְּׁחוֹר֙ תָּֽאֳרָ֔ם לֹ֥א נִכְּר֖וּ בַּחוּצ֑וֹת צָפַ֤ד עוֹרָם֙ עַל־עַצְמָ֔ם יָבֵ֖שׁ הָיָ֥ה כָעֵֽץ׃ ס	How dark as coal their visages, unrecognized in the courts, their skin is shriveled on their bones, dried up like wood.
⁹ טוֹבִ֤ים הָיוּ֙ חַלְלֵי־חֶ֔רֶב מֵֽחַלְלֵ֖י רָעָ֑ב שֶׁ֣הֵ֤ם יָז֙וּבוּ֙ מְדֻקָּרִ֔ים מִתְּנוּבֹ֖ת שָׂדָֽי׃ ס	Those fallen to the sword are better off than those fallen to hunger, for they ooze, pierced through by the crops of the field.
¹⁰ יְדֵ֗י נָשִׁים֙ רַחֲמָ֣נִיּ֔וֹת בִּשְּׁל֖וּ יַלְדֵיהֶ֑ן הָי֤וּ לְבָרוֹת֙ לָ֔מוֹ בְּשֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃ ס	In compassionate women’s hands children have been cooked, devoured in the breaking of my fair people.
¹¹ כִּלָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֶת־חֲמָת֔וֹ שָׁפַ֖ךְ חֲר֣וֹן אַפּ֑וֹ וַיַּצֶּת־אֵ֣שׁ בְּצִיּ֔וֹן וַתֹּ֖אכַל יְסוֹדֹתֶֽיהָ׃ ס	Concluded is the Cause’s rage; They have poured out Their hot anger, kindling a fire in Ẓion and eating her foundations.
¹² לֹ֤א הֶאֱמִ֙ינוּ֙ מַלְכֵי־אֶ֔רֶץ וכל כֹּ֖ל יֹשְׁבֵ֣י תֵבֵ֑ל כִּ֤י יָבֹא֙ צַ֣ר וְאוֹיֵ֔ב בְּשַׁעֲרֵ֖י יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ ס	Leaders of earth did not believe,^[5] Ketiv: nor did all the land’s inhabitants, that the foe and enemy could come into Jerusalem’s gates.
¹³ מֵֽחַטֹּ֣את נְבִיאֶ֔יהָ עֲוֺנ֖וֹת כֹּהֲנֶ֑יהָ הַשֹּׁפְכִ֥ים בְּקִרְבָּ֖הּ דַּ֥ם צַדִּיקִֽים׃ ס	Meted from the sins of her prophets, the iniquities of her priests, who shed righteous blood in her midst.
¹⁴ נָע֤וּ עִוְרִים֙ בַּֽחוּצ֔וֹת נְגֹֽאֲל֖וּ בַּדָּ֑ם בְּלֹ֣א יֽוּכְל֔וּ יִגְּע֖וּ בִּלְבֻשֵׁיהֶֽם׃ ס	Nomadizing blindly through the courtyards, stained with blood, that none could touch their garments.
¹⁵ ס֣וּרוּ טָמֵ֞א קָ֣רְאוּ לָ֗מוֹ ס֤וּרוּ ס֙וּרוּ֙ אַל־תִּגָּ֔עוּ כִּ֥י נָצ֖וּ גַּם־נָ֑עוּ אָֽמְרוּ֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם לֹ֥א יוֹסִ֖יפוּ לָגֽוּר׃ ס	“Scram! Filth!” they shouted at them. “Scram! Scram! Don’t touch me!” So they wandered and roamed; it was said in the nations “they will not stay here longer.”
¹⁶ פְּנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ חִלְּקָ֔ם לֹ֥א יוֹסִ֖יף לְהַבִּיטָ֑ם פְּנֵ֤י כֹהֲנִים֙ לֹ֣א נָשָׂ֔אוּ זקנים וּזְקֵנִ֖ים לֹ֥א חָנָֽנוּ׃ ס	Passed away from them was the face of the Cause, who will look upon them no longer. They did not not lift up the faces of priests,^[6] Ketiv: and did not grace elders.
¹⁷ עודינה עוֹדֵ֙ינוּ֙ תִּכְלֶ֣ינָה עֵינֵ֔ינוּ אֶל־עֶזְרָתֵ֖נוּ הָ֑בֶל בְּצִפִּיָּתֵ֣נוּ צִפִּ֔ינוּ אֶל־גּ֖וֹי לֹ֥א יוֹשִֽׁעַ׃ ס	Our eyes even now are pining for our help in vain; as we wait, we wait for a nation that will not save us.
¹⁸ צָד֣וּ צְעָדֵ֔ינוּ מִלֶּ֖כֶת בִּרְחֹבֹתֵ֑ינוּ קָרַ֥ב קִצֵּ֛ינוּ מָלְא֥וּ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כִּי־בָ֥א קִצֵּֽינוּ׃ ס	Checked were our steps from walking in our streets. Our end is soon, our days are done for our end has come.
¹⁹ קַלִּ֤ים הָיוּ֙ רֹדְפֵ֔ינוּ מִנִּשְׁרֵ֖י שָׁמָ֑יִם עַל־הֶהָרִ֣ים דְּלָקֻ֔נוּ בַּמִּדְבָּ֖ר אָ֥רְבוּ לָֽנוּ׃ ס	Quicker than eagles of the sky were our pursuers; they chased us in the mountains, ambushed us in the desert.
²⁰ ר֤וּחַ אַפֵּ֙ינוּ֙ מְשִׁ֣יחַ יְהוָ֔ה נִלְכַּ֖ד בִּשְׁחִיתוֹתָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֔רְנוּ בְּצִלּ֖וֹ נִֽחְיֶ֥ה בַגּוֹיִֽם׃ ס	Respiring of our life — the anointed of the Cause! — was captured in their traps; the one whom we thought we would live among the nations in his shade.
²¹ שִׂ֤ישִׂי וְשִׂמְחִי֙ בַּת־אֱד֔וֹם יושבתי יוֹשֶׁ֖בֶת בְּאֶ֣רֶץ ע֑וּץ גַּם־עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ תַּעֲבָר־כּ֔וֹס תִּשְׁכְּרִ֖י וְתִתְעָרִֽי׃ ס	Shout for joy, fair Edom, dwelling^[7] Ketiv: a dwelling in the land of Uẓ; upon you to the cup will pass, you will get drunk and strip bare.
²² תַּם־עֲוֺנֵךְ֙ בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן לֹ֥א יוֹסִ֖יף לְהַגְלוֹתֵ֑ךְ פָּקַ֤ד עֲוֺנֵךְ֙ בַּת־אֱד֔וֹם גִּלָּ֖ה עַל־חַטֹּאתָֽיִךְ׃ פ	Taken away is your iniquity, fair Ẓion; They will exile you no longer. Your iniquity, fair Edom, They will note, and uncover all your sins.
פרק ה׳	CHAPTER 5
¹ זְכֹ֤ר יְהוָה֙ מֶֽה־הָ֣יָה לָ֔נוּ הביט הַבִּ֖יטָה וּרְאֵ֥ה אֶת־חֶרְפָּתֵֽנוּ׃	Remember, Cause, what has become of us; regard and see our shame!
² נַחֲלָתֵ֙נוּ֙ נֶֽהֶפְכָ֣ה לְזָרִ֔ים בָּתֵּ֖ינוּ לְנָכְרִֽים׃	Our inheritance turned over to strangers; our homes to foreigners!
³ יְתוֹמִ֤ים הָיִ֙ינוּ֙ אין וְאֵ֣ין אָ֔ב אִמֹּתֵ֖ינוּ כְּאַלְמָנֽוֹת׃	We have become orphans^[8] Ketiv: “and” without a father, our mothers like widows.
⁴ מֵימֵ֙ינוּ֙ בְּכֶ֣סֶף שָׁתִ֔ינוּ עֵצֵ֖ינוּ בִּמְחִ֥יר יָבֹֽאוּ׃	Our water we pay to drink, our wood comes at a price.
⁵ עַ֤ל צַוָּארֵ֙נוּ֙ נִרְדָּ֔פְנוּ יָגַ֖עְנוּ לא וְלֹ֥א הֽוּנַ֖ח לָֽנוּ׃	At our necks we are pursued, we are exhausted,^[9] Ketiv: “and” given no rest.
⁶ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ נָתַ֣נּוּ יָ֔ד אַשּׁ֖וּר לִשְׂבֹּ֥עַֽ לָֽחֶם׃	To Egypt we hold out our hand, to Assyria, for our fill of bread.
⁷ אֲבֹתֵ֤ינוּ חָֽטְאוּ֙ אינם וְאֵינָ֔ם אנחנו וַאֲנַ֖חְנוּ עֲוֺנֹתֵיהֶ֥ם סָבָֽלְנוּ׃	Our ancestors sinned and^[10] Ketiv: NO “and” are no more, and^[11] Ketiv: NO “and” we bear their guilt.
⁸ עֲבָדִים֙ מָ֣שְׁלוּ בָ֔נוּ פֹּרֵ֖ק אֵ֥ין מִיָּדָֽם׃	Slaves rule over us, and none rescue from their hand.
⁹ בְּנַפְשֵׁ֙נוּ֙ נָבִ֣יא לַחְמֵ֔נוּ מִפְּנֵ֖י חֶ֥רֶב הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃	We risk our lives to get bread, from the sword of the desert.
¹⁰ עוֹרֵ֙נוּ֙ כְּתַנּ֣וּר נִכְמָ֔רוּ מִפְּנֵ֖י זַלְעֲפ֥וֹת רָעָֽב׃	Our skin glows like an oven, from the fever of hunger.
¹¹ נָשִׁים֙ בְּצִיּ֣וֹן עִנּ֔וּ בְּתֻלֹ֖ת בְּעָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃	Women in Ẓion they afflicted, virgins in the cities of Judah.
¹² שָׂרִים֙ בְּיָדָ֣ם נִתְל֔וּ פְּנֵ֥י זְקֵנִ֖ים לֹ֥א נֶהְדָּֽרוּ׃	Ministers they hanged by their hands, no respect shown to elders.
¹³ בַּחוּרִים֙ טְח֣וֹן נָשָׂ֔אוּ וּנְעָרִ֖ים בָּעֵ֥ץ כָּשָֽׁלוּ׃	Young men carry millstones, lads stagger with wood.
¹⁴ זְקֵנִים֙ מִשַּׁ֣עַר שָׁבָ֔תוּ בַּחוּרִ֖ים מִנְּגִינָתָֽם׃	Elders gone from the gate, young men from their songs.
¹⁵ שָׁבַת֙ מְשׂ֣וֹשׂ לִבֵּ֔נוּ נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ לְאֵ֖בֶל מְחֹלֵֽנוּ׃	Gone is our hearts’ joy, our dancing turned to mourning.
¹⁶ נָֽפְלָה֙ עֲטֶ֣רֶת רֹאשֵׁ֔נוּ אֽוֹי־נָ֥א לָ֖נוּ כִּ֥י חָטָֽאנוּ׃	The crown has fallen from our head, woe is us for our sins!
¹⁷ עַל־זֶ֗ה הָיָ֤ה דָוֶה֙ לִבֵּ֔נוּ עַל־אֵ֖לֶּה חָשְׁכ֥וּ עֵינֵֽינוּ׃	For this, our hearts are faint, for these our eyes are darkened.
¹⁸ עַ֤ל הַר־צִיּוֹן֙ שֶׁשָּׁמֵ֔ם שׁוּעָלִ֖ים הִלְּכוּ־בֽוֹ׃ פ	For Mount Ẓion, which is desolate, foxes dwell upon it.
¹⁹ אַתָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ לְעוֹלָ֣ם תֵּשֵׁ֔ב כִּסְאֲךָ֖ לְדֹ֥ר וָדֽוֹר׃	You, Cause, are forever enthroned; Your seat is for all generations.
²⁰ לָ֤מָּה לָנֶ֙צַח֙ תִּשְׁכָּחֵ֔נוּ תַּֽעַזְבֵ֖נוּ לְאֹ֥רֶךְ יָמִֽים׃	Why have You entirely forgotten us, left us for so long?
²¹ הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יְהוָ֤ה ׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ ונשוב וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃	Return us, Cause, so we can return; renew our days as of old!
²² כִּ֚י אִם־מָאֹ֣ס מְאַסְתָּ֔נוּ קָצַ֥פְתָּ עָלֵ֖ינוּ עַד־מְאֹֽד׃	For have you rejected, rejected us, been enraged at us so much!?
הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יְהוָ֤ה ׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃	Return us, Cause, so we can return; renew our days as of old!

Notes

Notes
1	Ketiv: lioness
2	Ketiv: speaks
3	Ketiv: monsters
4	Ketiv: for they call
5	Ketiv: nor did
6	Ketiv: and
7	Ketiv: a dwelling
8	Ketiv: “and”
9	Ketiv: “and”
10	Ketiv: NO “and”
11	Ketiv: NO “and”

💬 מְגִלַּת אֵיכָה | Megillat Eikhah: Chantable English translation with trōp, by Len Fellman

Barukh ben Neriyah — Wed, 18 Jul 2018 00:54:11 +0000

DOWNLOAD:

PDF | ODT (stanza view)
PDF | ODT (landscape view)
PDF | ODT (sans Hebrew)
PDF | ODT (Just chapter 3)

Recordings

Chapter 1:
https://archive.org/download/eikhah-with-english-transtropilation-audio-len-fellman-2020/Eikhah%20with%20English%20transtropilation%20-%20chapter%201%20%28Len%20Fellman%202020%29.mp3

Chapter 2:
https://archive.org/download/eikhah-with-english-transtropilation-audio-len-fellman-2020/Eikhah%20with%20English%20transtropilation%20-%20chapter%202%20%28Len%20Fellman%202020%29.mp3

Chapter 3:
https://archive.org/download/eikhah-with-english-transtropilation-audio-len-fellman-2020/Eikhah%20with%20English%20transtropilation%20-%20chapter%203%20%28Len%20Fellman%202020%29.mp3

Chapter 4:
https://archive.org/download/eikhah-with-english-transtropilation-audio-len-fellman-2020/Eikhah%20with%20English%20transtropilation%20-%20chapter%204%20%28Len%20Fellman%202020%29.mp3

Chapter 5:
https://archive.org/download/eikhah-with-english-transtropilation-audio-len-fellman-2020/Eikhah%20with%20English%20transtropilation%20-%20chapter%205%20%28Len%20Fellman%202020%29.mp3

This English version of Lamentations has been prepared by drawing on the following translations: The Stone Edition Tanach, JPS, H.L. Ginsberg, David Seidenberg, James Moffatt, Jerusalem Bible, New King James Bible.

The goal was to create an English reading that can be sung to the traditional trōps that are used for the Hebrew, but which follows the Hebrew with its trōps as closely as possible.

If one examines the authoritative translations, it becomes clear that there are many passages in the text of whose meaning the experts are unsure. In those situations I attempted to choose a reading which scans well with the melody, and which agrees with some (or at least one) of the authoritative renderings.

The trōp melodies I used were taken from the book CHANTING THE HEBREW BIBLE by Joshua R. Jacobson. In order to adapt the trōp symbols to a left-to-right language like English, I reversed the direction of the following trōp symbols: mercha tip’cha munach tevir kadma/pashta geresh gershayim

However, I left these the way they are: telisha katana telisha gedola

I also indicate a mercha/tipcha pair or a kadma/geresh pair by “wrapping it around” the phrase which will have the combined melody, as in: Renew our days She weeps bitterly

I also frequently indicate an entire English phrase to be chanted to a single trōp melody, as in: clings to her skirts

Chapter 3 of Lamentations is sung by singing each set of three verses to three melodies, in turn. I grouped each set of three verses together, as in 1-3, 4-6, etc. The first two of the three melodies end their first half (the “half-cadence”) with a high note, and the third with a “falling tone”. I have marked the corresponding syllable with an arrow: ↗ for the high note or half-cadence of the first melody, ↑ for the high note of the second melody, and ↘ for the “falling tone” of the third melody.

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
אֵיכָה א	CHAPTER 1
¹ אֵיכָ֣ה ׀ יָשְׁבָ֣ה בָדָ֗ד הָעִיר֙ רַבָּ֣תִי עָ֔ם הָיְתָ֖ה כְּאַלְמָנָ֑ה רַּבָּ֣תִי בַגּוֹיִ֗ם שָׂרָ֙תִי֙ בַּמְּדִינ֔וֹת הָיְתָ֖ה לָמַֽס׃ ס	¹ How \| she sits alone the city once full of people. She has become like a widow, the greatest among the nations, the princess among the provinces. She is reduced to slavery.
² בָּכ֨וֹ תִבְכֶּ֜ה בַּלַּ֗יְלָה וְדִמְעָתָהּ֙ עַ֣ל לֶֽחֱיָ֔הּ אֵֽין־לָ֥הּ מְנַחֵ֖ם מִכָּל־אֹהֲבֶ֑יהָ כָּל־רֵעֶ֙יהָ֙ בָּ֣גְדוּ בָ֔הּ הָ֥יוּ לָ֖הּ לְאֹיְבִֽים׃ ס	² She weeps bitterly in the night. Her tears run down her cheeks. There is none to comfort her from all her lovers. Her companions have all betrayed her ; they have become her enemies.
³ גָּֽלְתָ֨ה יְהוּדָ֤ה מֵעֹ֙נִי֙ וּמֵרֹ֣ב עֲבֹדָ֔ה הִ֚יא יָשְׁבָ֣ה בַגּוֹיִ֔ם לֹ֥א מָצְאָ֖ה מָנ֑וֹחַ כָּל־רֹדְפֶ֥יהָ הִשִּׂיג֖וּהָ בֵּ֥ין הַמְּצָרִֽים׃ ס	³ Judah is exiled in affliction and by hard labor. She sits among the nations but she finds there no relief.
⁴ דַּרְכֵ֨י צִיּ֜וֹן אֲבֵל֗וֹת מִבְּלִי֙ בָּאֵ֣י מוֹעֵ֔ד כָּל־שְׁעָרֶ֙יהָ֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ין כֹּהֲנֶ֖יהָ נֶאֱנָחִ֑ים בְּתוּלֹתֶ֥יהָ נּוּג֖וֹת וְהִ֥יא מַר־לָֽהּ׃ ס	⁴ The roads to Ẓíōn are mourning for want of festival pilgrims. All her gateways are deserted. Her priests are groaning. Her maidens are afflicted; she is embittered.
⁵ הָי֨וּ צָרֶ֤יהָ לְרֹאשׁ֙ אֹיְבֶ֣יהָ שָׁל֔וּ כִּֽי־יְהוָ֥ה הוֹגָ֖הּ עַ֣ל רֹב־פְּשָׁעֶ֑יהָ עוֹלָלֶ֛יהָ הָלְכ֥וּ שְׁבִ֖י לִפְנֵי־צָֽר׃ ס	⁵ Her oppressors have become her master; her enemies prosper. Since God has aggrieved her for the greatness of her sins. Her young children have left her as prisoners before the oppressor.
⁶ וַיֵּצֵ֥א מן־בת־ מִבַּת־צִיּ֖וֹן כָּל־הֲדָרָ֑הּ הָי֣וּ שָׂרֶ֗יהָ כְּאַיָּלִים֙ לֹא־מָצְא֣וּ מִרְעֶ֔ה וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ בְלֹא־כֹ֖חַ לִפְנֵ֥י רוֹדֵֽף׃ ס	⁶ Gone from the daughter of Ẓíōn is all her splendor. Even her leaders have become like deer that find no pasture, that flee without strength before their pursuer.
⁷ זָֽכְרָ֣ה יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם יְמֵ֤י עָנְיָהּ֙ וּמְרוּדֶ֔יהָ כֹּ֚ל מַחֲמֻדֶ֔יהָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֖וּ מִ֣ימֵי קֶ֑דֶם בִּנְפֹ֧ל עַמָּ֣הּ בְּיַד־צָ֗ר וְאֵ֤ין עוֹזֵר֙ לָ֔הּ רָא֣וּהָ צָרִ֔ים שָׂחֲק֖וּ עַ֥ל מִשְׁבַּתֶּֽהָ׃ ס	⁷ Jerusalem remembers her days of misery and her roaming ; All of the treasures that were hers in the days of old when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and there was none to help her. The oppressor did gaze at her and laughed at her downfall.
⁸ חֵ֤טְא חָֽטְאָה֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם עַל־כֵּ֖ן לְנִידָ֣ה הָיָ֑תָה כָּֽל־מְכַבְּדֶ֤יהָ הִזִּיל֙וּהָ֙ כִּי־רָא֣וּ עֶרְוָתָ֔הּ גַּם־הִ֥יא נֶאֶנְחָ֖ה וַתָּ֥שָׁב אָחֽוֹר׃ ס	⁸ Jerusalem has sinned very grievously. Therefore she has become an outcast. All who honored her now despise her, for they have seen her nakedness. And she herself sighs and turns away.
⁹ טֻמְאָתָ֣הּ בְּשׁוּלֶ֗יהָ לֹ֤א זָֽכְרָה֙ אַחֲרִיתָ֔הּ וַתֵּ֣רֶד פְּלָאִ֔ים אֵ֥ין מְנַחֵ֖ם לָ֑הּ רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֶת־עָנְיִ֔י כִּ֥י הִגְדִּ֖יל אוֹיֵֽב׃ ס	⁹ Her uncleanness clings to her skirts. She never thought this would be her end. She descended amazingly low. There is no one to comfort her. Behold, Adonai, my affliction, because the enemy is triumphant.
¹⁰ יָדוֹ֙ פָּ֣רַשׂ צָ֔ר עַ֖ל כָּל־מַחֲמַדֶּ֑יהָ כִּֽי־רָאֲתָ֤ה גוֹיִם֙ בָּ֣אוּ מִקְדָּשָׁ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּ֔יתָה לֹא־יָבֹ֥אוּ בַקָּהָ֖ל לָֽךְ׃ ס	¹⁰ The oppressor has spread out his hand over everything that she treasured. For she saw the nations invade her holy place, whom You had forbidden to attend Your assembly.
¹¹ כָּל־עַמָּ֤הּ נֶאֱנָחִים֙ מְבַקְּשִׁ֣ים לֶ֔חֶם נָתְנ֧וּ מחמודיהם מַחֲמַדֵּיהֶ֛ם בְּאֹ֖כֶל לְהָשִׁ֣יב נָ֑פֶשׁ רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ וְֽהַבִּ֔יטָה כִּ֥י הָיִ֖יתִי זוֹלֵלָֽה׃ ס	¹¹ All her people are sighing, searching for bread. They gave up their most precious things in exchange for food, to restore their life. See, Adonai, and behold, for I have become so despised.
¹² ל֣וֹא אֲלֵיכֶם֮ כָּל־עֹ֣בְרֵי דֶרֶךְ֒ הַבִּ֣יטוּ וּרְא֗וּ אִם־יֵ֤שׁ מַכְאוֹב֙ כְּמַכְאֹבִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר עוֹלַ֖ל לִ֑י אֲשֶׁר֙ הוֹגָ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה בְּי֖וֹם חֲר֥וֹן אַפּֽוֹ׃ ס	¹² May it not befall you, all you who pass by! Behold, and see if there be pain like my pain which was meted out to me. with which Adonai has afflicted me on the day of His fierce anger.
¹³ מִמָּר֛וֹם שָֽׁלַח־אֵ֥שׁ בְּעַצְמֹתַ֖י וַיִּרְדֶּ֑נָּה פָּרַ֨שׂ רֶ֤שֶׁת לְרַגְלַי֙ הֱשִׁיבַ֣נִי אָח֔וֹר נְתָנַ֙נִי֙ שֹֽׁמֵמָ֔ה כָּל־הַיּ֖וֹם דָּוָֽה׃ ס	¹³ From on high he sent a fire into my bones, which overpowered them. He spread a net for my feet; he hurled me backwards. He has left me deserted. All day long I endure sickness.
¹⁴ נִשְׂקַד֩ עֹ֨ל פְּשָׁעַ֜י בְּיָד֗וֹ יִשְׂתָּֽרְג֛וּ עָל֥וּ עַל־צַוָּארִ֖י הִכְשִׁ֣יל כֹּחִ֑י נְתָנַ֣נִי אֲדֹנָ֔י בִּידֵ֖י לֹא־אוּכַ֥ל קֽוּם׃ ס	¹⁴ Weighing me down is the yoke of my transgressions. By His hand they were lashed, and thrust upon my neck; It saps my strength. The Lord has given me over into hands that I can’t withstand.
¹⁵ סִלָּ֨ה כָל־אַבִּירַ֤י ׀ אֲדֹנָי֙ בְּקִרְבִּ֔י קָרָ֥א עָלַ֛י מוֹעֵ֖ד לִשְׁבֹּ֣ר בַּחוּרָ֑י גַּ֚ת דָּרַ֣ךְ אֲדֹנָ֔י לִבְתוּלַ֖ת בַּת־יְהוּדָֽה׃ ס	¹⁵ The Lord has trampled all the warriors that are in my midst. He has called against me an assembly to crush my young men. As in a press, the Lord has trodden fair maiden, daughter of Judah.
¹⁶ עַל־אֵ֣לֶּה ׀ אֲנִ֣י בוֹכִיָּ֗ה עֵינִ֤י ׀ עֵינִי֙ יֹ֣רְדָה מַּ֔יִם כִּֽי־רָחַ֥ק מִמֶּ֛נִּי מְנַחֵ֖ם מֵשִׁ֣יב נַפְשִׁ֑י הָי֤וּ בָנַי֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ים כִּ֥י גָבַ֖ר אוֹיֵֽב׃ ס	¹⁶ For all of these things \| I am crying. My eyes––my eyes are flowing in tears, because so far from me is any comforter to restore my soul. My children are in despair because the enemy has proved too strong.
¹⁷ פֵּֽרְשָׂ֨ה צִיּ֜וֹן בְּיָדֶ֗יהָ אֵ֤ין מְנַחֵם֙ לָ֔הּ צִוָּ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה לְיַעֲקֹ֖ב סְבִיבָ֣יו צָרָ֑יו הָיְתָ֧ה יְרוּשָׁלִַ֛ם לְנִדָּ֖ה בֵּינֵיהֶֽם׃ ס	¹⁷ Zion stretches out her hands. There is no one to comfort her. God has commanded concerning Jacob that his enemies should surround him. Jerusalem has become a thing unclean among them.
¹⁸ צַדִּ֥יק ה֛וּא יְהוָ֖ה כִּ֣י פִ֣יהוּ מָרִ֑יתִי שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֣א כָל־עמים הָֽעַמִּ֗ים וּרְאוּ֙ מַכְאֹבִ֔י בְּתוּלֹתַ֥י וּבַחוּרַ֖י הָלְכ֥וּ בַשֶּֽׁבִי׃ ס	¹⁸ Righteous is He, Adonai, for I rebelled against His word. Listen now, all you peoples, and behold my agony. My maidens and young men walked into captivity.
¹⁹ קָרָ֤אתִי לַֽמְאַהֲבַי֙ הֵ֣מָּה רִמּ֔וּנִי כֹּהֲנַ֥י וּזְקֵנַ֖י בָּעִ֣יר גָּוָ֑עוּ כִּֽי־בִקְשׁ֥וּ אֹ֙כֶל֙ לָ֔מוֹ וְיָשִׁ֖יבוּ אֶת־נַפְשָֽׁם׃ ס	¹⁹ I called to my lovers: they deceived me. My priests and my elders breathed their last inside the city, as they sought food for themselves to restore their souls.
²⁰ רְאֵ֨ה יְהוָ֤ה כִּֽי־צַר־לִי֙ מֵעַ֣י חֳמַרְמָ֔רוּ נֶהְפַּ֤ךְ לִבִּי֙ בְּקִרְבִּ֔י כִּ֥י מָר֖וֹ מָרִ֑יתִי מִח֥וּץ שִׁכְּלָה־חֶ֖רֶב בַּבַּ֥יִת כַּמָּֽוֶת׃ ס	²⁰ See, Adonai, my distress; my innards are churning. My heart has turned over within me, because I rebelled so grievously. Outside, the sword strikes down, At home, it’s like death.
²¹ שָׁמְע֞וּ כִּ֧י נֶאֱנָחָ֣ה אָ֗נִי אֵ֤ין מְנַחֵם֙ לִ֔י כָּל־אֹ֨יְבַ֜י שָׁמְע֤וּ רָֽעָתִי֙ שָׂ֔שׂוּ כִּ֥י אַתָּ֖ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ הֵבֵ֥אתָ יוֹם־קָרָ֖אתָ וְיִֽהְי֥וּ כָמֽוֹנִי׃ ס	²¹ They have heard that I am sighing. There is none to give comfort to me. All of my enemies heard of my plight and rejoiced, for it was You who have done it. Bring the day that you proclaimed–– let them become like me.
²² תָּבֹ֨א כָל־רָעָתָ֤ם לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ וְעוֹלֵ֣ל לָ֔מוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עוֹלַ֛לְתָּ לִ֖י עַ֣ל כָּל־פְּשָׁעָ֑י כִּֽי־רַבּ֥וֹת אַנְחֹתַ֖י וְלִבִּ֥י דַוָּֽי׃ פ	²² Let all their evil come before You, and You will treat them in the same way as you have treated me for all my transgressions. For great is my groaning, final melody and my heart is sickened.
אֵיכָה ב	CHAPTER 2
¹ אֵיכָה֩ יָעִ֨יב בְּאַפּ֤וֹ ׀ אֲדֹנָי֙ אֶת־בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן הִשְׁלִ֤יךְ מִשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ אֶ֔רֶץ תִּפְאֶ֖רֶת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹא־זָכַ֥ר הֲדֹם־רַגְלָ֖יו בְּי֥וֹם אַפּֽוֹ׃ ס	¹ Alas, Adonai has darkened in his anger the daughter of Ẓíōn. He has cast down from heaven to the earth the glory of Israel, and remembered not His footstool on the day of his anger.
² בִּלַּ֨ע אֲדֹנָ֜י לא וְלֹ֣א חָמַ֗ל אֵ֚ת כָּל־נְא֣וֹת יַעֲקֹ֔ב הָרַ֧ס בְּעֶבְרָת֛וֹ מִבְצְרֵ֥י בַת־יְהוּדָ֖ה הִגִּ֣יעַ לָאָ֑רֶץ חִלֵּ֥ל מַמְלָכָ֖ה וְשָׂרֶֽיהָ׃ ס	² The Lord has laid waste, showing no pity. All of the dwellings of Jacob He shattered in his displeasure. Fair Judah’s stronghold He has thrown to the ground. He profaned the kingdom and its leaders.
³ גָּדַ֣ע בָּֽחֳרִי אַ֗ף כֹּ֚ל קֶ֣רֶן יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הֵשִׁ֥יב אָח֛וֹר יְמִינ֖וֹ מִפְּנֵ֣י אוֹיֵ֑ב וַיִּבְעַ֤ר בְּיַעֲקֹב֙ כְּאֵ֣שׁ לֶֽהָבָ֔ה אָכְלָ֖ה סָבִֽיב׃ ס	³ He cut down, in burning anger, all the dignity of Israel. He turned backward His right hand before the enemy. He burned through Jacob like a flaming fire, consuming on all sides.
⁴ דָּרַ֨ךְ קַשְׁתּ֜וֹ כְּאוֹיֵ֗ב נִצָּ֤ב יְמִינוֹ֙ כְּצָ֔ר וַֽיַּהֲרֹ֔ג כֹּ֖ל מַחֲמַדֵּי־עָ֑יִן בְּאֹ֙הֶל֙ בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן שָׁפַ֥ךְ כָּאֵ֖שׁ חֲמָתֽוֹ׃ ס	⁴ He has bent his bow like an enemy ; poised his right hand like a foe. And he slew all who delighted the eye. In the tent of the daughter of Ẓíōn He poured out, like fire, His great fury.
⁵ הָיָ֨ה אֲדֹנָ֤י ׀ כְּאוֹיֵב֙ בִּלַּ֣ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בִּלַּע֙ כָּל־אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֔יהָ שִׁחֵ֖ת מִבְצָרָ֑יו וַיֶּ֙רֶב֙ בְּבַת־יְהוּדָ֔ה תַּאֲנִיָּ֖ה וַאֲנִיָּֽה׃ ס	⁵ Adonai became like an enemy ; He consumed Israel; consumed all her citadels ; destroyed her fortresses. He increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.
⁶ וַיַּחְמֹ֤ס כַּגַּן֙ שֻׂכּ֔וֹ שִׁחֵ֖ת מוֹעֲד֑וֹ שִׁכַּ֨ח יְהוָ֤ה ׀ בְּצִיּוֹן֙ מוֹעֵ֣ד וְשַׁבָּ֔ת וַיִּנְאַ֥ץ בְּזַֽעַם־אַפּ֖וֹ מֶ֥לֶךְ וְכֹהֵֽן׃ ס	⁶ He stripped His sukkah like it was a garden ; He shattered His place of meeting. He made to be forgotten in Ẓíōn sabbath and festival. He spurned, in the rage of His anger, king and priest.
⁷ זָנַ֨ח אֲדֹנָ֤י ׀ מִזְבְּחוֹ֙ נִאֵ֣ר מִקְדָּשׁ֔וֹ הִסְגִּיר֙ בְּיַד־אוֹיֵ֔ב חוֹמֹ֖ת אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֑יהָ ק֛וֹל נָתְנ֥וּ בְּבֵית־יְהוָ֖ה כְּי֥וֹם מוֹעֵֽד׃ ס	⁷ Adonai abhorred His altar; abandoned His sanctuary. He handed over to the enemy’s hand the walls of its citadels. A great noise they made in the house of God as on the day of a festival.
⁸ חָשַׁ֨ב יְהוָ֤ה ׀ לְהַשְׁחִית֙ חוֹמַ֣ת בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן נָ֣טָה קָ֔ו לֹא־הֵשִׁ֥יב יָד֖וֹ מִבַּלֵּ֑עַ וַיַּֽאֲבֶל־חֵ֥ל וְחוֹמָ֖ה יַחְדָּ֥ו אֻמְלָֽלוּ׃ ס	⁸ Adonai resolved to destroy the wall of Ẓíōn’s daughter. He stretched out a line. He did not draw back His hand from destroying–– bringing mourning to rampart and wall, they crumble together.
⁹ טָבְע֤וּ בָאָ֙רֶץ֙ שְׁעָרֶ֔יהָ אִבַּ֥ד וְשִׁבַּ֖ר בְּרִיחֶ֑יהָ מַלְכָּ֨הּ וְשָׂרֶ֤יהָ בַגּוֹיִם֙ אֵ֣ין תּוֹרָ֔ה גַּם־נְבִיאֶ֕יהָ לֹא־מָצְא֥וּ חָז֖וֹן מֵיְהוָֽה׃ ס	⁹ Sunk into the earth are her gates. He has smashed her bars into pieces. Her king and leaders are in exile ; there is no torah. And their prophets: they find no vision from Adonai.
¹⁰ יֵשְׁב֨וּ לָאָ֤רֶץ יִדְּמוּ֙ זִקְנֵ֣י בַת־צִיּ֔וֹן הֶֽעֱל֤וּ עָפָר֙ עַל־רֹאשָׁ֔ם חָגְר֖וּ שַׂקִּ֑ים הוֹרִ֤ידוּ לָאָ֙רֶץ֙ רֹאשָׁ֔ן בְּתוּלֹ֖ת יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ ס	¹⁰ They sit on the ground, silent, the elders of fair Ẓíōn. They have sprinkled dust on their heads, and wrapped themselves in sackcloth. The girls bowed their heads to the ground–– the maidens of Jerusalem.
¹¹ כָּל֨וּ בַדְּמָע֤וֹת עֵינַי֙ חֳמַרְמְר֣וּ מֵעַ֔י נִשְׁפַּ֤ךְ לָאָ֙רֶץ֙ כְּבֵדִ֔י עַל־שֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת־עַמִּ֑י בֵּֽעָטֵ֤ף עוֹלֵל֙ וְיוֹנֵ֔ק בִּרְחֹב֖וֹת קִרְיָֽה׃ ס	¹¹ My eyes waste away with weeping, my innards are burning, poured out on the ground are my organs, at the ruin of my daughter people. as children––mere infants––are fainting in the squares of the city.
¹² לְאִמֹּתָם֙ יֹֽאמְר֔וּ אַיֵּ֖ה דָּגָ֣ן וָיָ֑יִן בְּהִֽתְעַטְּפָ֤ם כֶּֽחָלָל֙ בִּרְחֹב֣וֹת עִ֔יר בְּהִשְׁתַּפֵּ֣ךְ נַפְשָׁ֔ם אֶל־חֵ֖יק אִמֹּתָֽם׃ ס	¹² To their mothers they kept asking: “Where is the grain and wine?” As they languish like the dying in the squares of the city. as their souls ebb away in the bosoms of their mothers.
¹³ מָֽה־אֲעִידֵ֞ךְ מָ֣ה אֲדַמֶּה־לָּ֗ךְ הַבַּת֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם מָ֤ה אַשְׁוֶה־לָּךְ֙ וַאֲנַֽחֲמֵ֔ךְ בְּתוּלַ֖ת בַּת־צִיּ֑וֹן כִּֽי־גָד֥וֹל כַּיָּ֛ם שִׁבְרֵ֖ךְ מִ֥י יִרְפָּא־לָֽךְ׃ ס	¹³ How to bear witness for you? To what can I compare you, O daughter of Jerusalem? To what can I liken you, that I may console you? O maiden, daughter of Ẓíōn. For great, like the sea, is your ruin. Who can heal you?
¹⁴ נְבִיאַ֗יִךְ חָ֤זוּ לָךְ֙ שָׁ֣וְא וְתָפֵ֔ל וְלֹֽא־גִלּ֥וּ עַל־עֲוֺנֵ֖ךְ לְהָשִׁ֣יב שביתך שְׁבוּתֵ֑ךְ וַיֶּ֣חֱזוּ לָ֔ךְ מַשְׂא֥וֹת שָׁ֖וְא וּמַדּוּחִֽים׃ ס	¹⁴ Your prophets envisioned for you delusion and folly. They did not reveal your iniquities; this might have restored your fortunes. And what they offered to you was visions of vanity and deception.
¹⁵ סָֽפְק֨וּ עָלַ֤יִךְ כַּפַּ֙יִם֙ כָּל־עֹ֣בְרֵי דֶ֔רֶךְ שָֽׁרְקוּ֙ וַיָּנִ֣עוּ רֹאשָׁ֔ם עַל־בַּ֖ת יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם הֲזֹ֣את הָעִ֗יר שֶׁיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ כְּלִ֣ילַת יֹ֔פִי מָשׂ֖וֹשׂ לְכָל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ ס	¹⁵ They clap their hands at you, all who pass your way. They hiss, and shake their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem: “Is this it? the city that was called ‘perfect in beauty’, ‘the joy of the whole earth?’”
¹⁶ פָּצ֨וּ עָלַ֤יִךְ פִּיהֶם֙ כָּל־א֣וֹיְבַ֔יִךְ שָֽׁרְקוּ֙ וַיַּֽחַרְקוּ־שֵׁ֔ן אָמְר֖וּ בִּלָּ֑עְנוּ אַ֣ךְ זֶ֥ה הַיּ֛וֹם שֶׁקִּוִּינֻ֖הוּ מָצָ֥אנוּ רָאִֽינוּ׃ ס	¹⁶ They open their mouths against you, all your enemies. They whistle and grind their teeth. They say, “We devoured her.” Indeed this is the day that we have been waiting for. We have arrived; we have seen it.
¹⁷ עָשָׂ֨ה יְהוָ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר זָמָ֗ם בִּצַּ֤ע אֶמְרָתוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֣ה מִֽימֵי־קֶ֔דֶם הָרַ֖ס וְלֹ֣א חָמָ֑ל וַיְשַׂמַּ֤ח עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ אוֹיֵ֔ב הֵרִ֖ים קֶ֥רֶן צָרָֽיִךְ׃ ס	¹⁷ God has accomplished what He Has purposed. He fulfilled His decree, that he commanded from days of old. He tore down, and did not pity. He let an enemy rejoice over you. He raised the pride of your foes.
¹⁸ צָעַ֥ק לִבָּ֖ם אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֑י חוֹמַ֣ת בַּת־צִ֠יּוֹן הוֹרִ֨ידִי כַנַּ֤חַל דִּמְעָה֙ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַ֔יְלָה אַֽל־תִּתְּנִ֤י פוּגַת֙ לָ֔ךְ אַל־תִּדֹּ֖ם בַּת־עֵינֵֽךְ׃ ס	¹⁸ Their heart cried out to the Lord. Walls of the daughter of Ẓíōn Let tears run down like a river. Day and night, give yourself no respite. Don’t let even your eyes find rest.
¹⁹ ק֣וּמִי ׀ רֹ֣נִּי בליל בַלַּ֗יְלָה לְרֹאשׁ֙ אַשְׁמֻר֔וֹת שִׁפְכִ֤י כַמַּ֙יִם֙ לִבֵּ֔ךְ נֹ֖כַח פְּנֵ֣י אֲדֹנָ֑י שְׂאִ֧י אֵלָ֣יו כַּפַּ֗יִךְ עַל־נֶ֙פֶשׁ֙ עֽוֹלָלַ֔יִךְ הָעֲטוּפִ֥ים בְּרָעָ֖ב בְּרֹ֥אשׁ כָּל־חוּצֽוֹת׃ ס	¹⁹ Arise! Cry out in the night at the beginning of the watches. Pour out your heart like water. before the face of Adonai. Lift up to Him your hands, for the life of your young children who swoon from hunger at every street corner.
²⁰ רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ וְֽהַבִּ֔יטָה לְמִ֖י עוֹלַ֣לְתָּ כֹּ֑ה אִם־תֹּאכַ֨לְנָה נָשִׁ֤ים פִּרְיָם֙ עֹלֲלֵ֣י טִפֻּחִ֔ים אִם־יֵהָרֵ֛ג בְּמִקְדַּ֥שׁ אֲדֹנָ֖י כֹּהֵ֥ן וְנָבִֽיא׃ ס	²⁰ See, Adonai, and behold: whom have you ever treated so? Should the women eat their little ones, the children they have nursed? Should there be slain, in God’s holy place, priest and prophet?
²¹ שָׁכְב֨וּ לָאָ֤רֶץ חוּצוֹת֙ נַ֣עַר וְזָקֵ֔ן בְּתוּלֹתַ֥י וּבַחוּרַ֖י נָפְל֣וּ בֶחָ֑רֶב הָרַ֙גְתָּ֙ בְּי֣וֹם אַפֶּ֔ךָ טָבַ֖חְתָּ לֹ֥א חָמָֽלְתָּ׃ ס	²¹ On the ground, in the streets they lie, young and old. My maidens and young men fell by the sword. You slew them on the day of your anger. You slaughtered them ; you showed no mercy.
²² תִּקְרָא֩ כְי֨וֹם מוֹעֵ֤ד מְגוּרַי֙ מִסָּבִ֔יב וְלֹ֥א הָיָ֛ה בְּי֥וֹם אַף־יְהוָ֖ה פָּלִ֣יט וְשָׂרִ֑יד אֲשֶׁר־טִפַּ֥חְתִּי וְרִבִּ֖יתִי אֹיְבִ֥י כִלָּֽם׃ פ	²² You invited ––as on a feast day –– my neighbors from all around. There were none, on the day of God’s wrath: refugees or survivors. Those that I nursed and brought up, final melody my enemy has wiped out.
אֵיכָה ג	CHAPTER 3 special melody––see note below
¹ אֲנִ֤י הַגֶּ֙בֶר֙ רָאָ֣ה עֳנִ֔י בְּשֵׁ֖בֶט עֶבְרָתֽוֹ׃ ² אוֹתִ֥י נָהַ֛ג וַיֹּלַ֖ךְ חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אֽוֹר׃ ³ אַ֣ךְ בִּ֥י יָשֻׁ֛ב יַהֲפֹ֥ךְ יָד֖וֹ כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ ס	^1-3 I am the man who has seen affliction↗ by the rod of his anger. Me––he has lead and driven↑ in darkness, not in light. Surely on me He brings down His hand↘ the whole day long.
⁴ בִּלָּ֤ה בְשָׂרִי֙ וְעוֹרִ֔י שִׁבַּ֖ר עַצְמוֹתָֽי׃ ⁵ בָּנָ֥ה עָלַ֛י וַיַּקַּ֖ף רֹ֥אשׁ וּתְלָאָֽה׃ ⁶ בְּמַחֲשַׁכִּ֥ים הוֹשִׁיבַ֖נִי כְּמֵתֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם׃ ס	^4-6 He wore away my flesh and skin↗, and shattered my bones. He has besieged me and surrounded me↑ with bitterness and woe. He has made me dwell in darkness↘ like men long dead.
⁷ גָּדַ֧ר בַּעֲדִ֛י וְלֹ֥א אֵצֵ֖א הִכְבִּ֥יד נְחָשְׁתִּֽי׃ ⁸ גַּ֣ם כִּ֤י אֶזְעַק֙ וַאֲשַׁוֵּ֔עַ שָׂתַ֖ם תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃ ⁹ גָּדַ֤ר דְּרָכַי֙ בְּגָזִ֔ית נְתִיבֹתַ֖י עִוָּֽה׃ ס	^7-9 He has walled me in till I can’t escape↗. He has weighed me down with chains. And when I cry and plead↑ He shuts out my prayer. He has blocked my way with boulders↘. He has twisted my path.
¹⁰ דֹּ֣ב אֹרֵ֥ב הוּא֙ לִ֔י אריה אֲרִ֖י בְּמִסְתָּרִֽים׃ ¹¹ דְּרָכַ֥י סוֹרֵ֛ר וַֽיְפַשְּׁחֵ֖נִי שָׂמַ֥נִי שֹׁמֵֽם׃ ¹² דָּרַ֤ךְ קַשְׁתוֹ֙ וַיַּצִּיבֵ֔נִי כַּמַּטָּרָ֖א לַחֵֽץ׃ ס	^10-12 He is a lurking bear to me↗, a lion in hiding. He has filled my path with thorns↑, torn me in pieces, left me forlorn. He has directed His bow↘ and made me the arrow’s mark.
¹³ הֵבִיא֙ בְּכִלְיוֹתָ֔י בְּנֵ֖י אַשְׁפָּתֽוֹ׃ ¹⁴ הָיִ֤יתִי שְּׂחֹק֙ לְכָל־עַמִּ֔י נְגִינָתָ֖ם כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ ¹⁵ הִשְׂבִּיעַ֥נִי בַמְּרוֹרִ֖ים הִרְוַ֥נִי לַעֲנָֽה׃ ס	^13-15 He shot into my vitals↗ the arrows of His quiver. I am a derision to my people↑, they taunt me all day long. He has filled me up with bitterness↘, and made me drink wormwood.
¹⁶ וַיַּגְרֵ֤ס בֶּֽחָצָץ֙ שִׁנָּ֔י הִכְפִּישַׁ֖נִי בָּאֵֽפֶר׃ ¹⁷ וַתִּזְנַ֧ח מִשָּׁל֛וֹם נַפְשִׁ֖י נָשִׁ֥יתִי טוֹבָֽה׃ ¹⁸ וָאֹמַר֙ אָבַ֣ד נִצְחִ֔י וְתוֹחַלְתִּ֖י מֵיְהוָֽה׃ ס	^16-18 He has broken my teeth with gravel↗, and covered me with ashes. He has bereft me of all peace↑; I forgot what it is to prosper. I said, “my strength has perished↘, even my hope in God.”
¹⁹ זְכָר־עָנְיִ֥י וּמְרוּדִ֖י לַעֲנָ֥ה וָרֹֽאשׁ׃ ²⁰ זָכ֣וֹר תִּזְכּ֔וֹר ותשיח וְתָשׁ֥וֹחַ עָלַ֖י נַפְשִֽׁי׃ ²¹ זֹ֛את אָשִׁ֥יב אֶל־לִבִּ֖י עַל־כֵּ֥ן אוֹחִֽיל׃ ס	^19-21 Remember my afflictions and sorrow↗, the wormwood and the gall. My soul remembers clearly↑, and is now bowed down within me. Here’s what I’ll tell my heart↘, and so recover hope:
²² חַֽסְדֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ כִּ֣י לֹא־תָ֔מְנוּ כִּ֥י לֹא־כָל֖וּ רַחֲמָֽיו׃ ²³ חֲדָשִׁים֙ לַבְּקָרִ֔ים רַבָּ֖ה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃ ²⁴ חֶלְקִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אָמְרָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֔י עַל־כֵּ֖ן אוֹחִ֥יל לֽוֹ׃ ס	^22-24 The kindness of the Lord has not ended↗, His mercies not exhausted. They are new every morning↑. Raba emunatecha. “My portion is God”, says my soul↘, thus do I hope in Him.
²⁵ ט֤וֹב יְהוָה֙ לְקֹוָ֔ו לְנֶ֖פֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶֽׁנּוּ׃ ²⁶ ט֤וֹב וְיָחִיל֙ וְדוּמָ֔ם לִתְשׁוּעַ֖ת יְהוָֽה׃ ²⁷ ט֣וֹב לַגֶּ֔בֶר כִּֽי־יִשָּׂ֥א עֹ֖ל בִּנְעוּרָֽיו׃ ס	^25-27 God is good to the one who trusts↗, to every soul that seeks Him. It is good to wait in silence↑ for salvation from Adonai. It is good that a man bear the yoke↘ from his youth and on.
²⁸ יֵשֵׁ֤ב בָּדָד֙ וְיִדֹּ֔ם כִּ֥י נָטַ֖ל עָלָֽיו׃ ²⁹ יִתֵּ֤ן בֶּֽעָפָר֙ פִּ֔יהוּ אוּלַ֖י יֵ֥שׁ תִּקְוָֽה׃ ³⁰ יִתֵּ֧ן לְמַכֵּ֛הוּ לֶ֖חִי יִשְׂבַּ֥ע בְּחֶרְפָּֽה׃ ס	^28-30 Let him sit alone in silence↗, because God lays it upon him, to put his lips to the dust↑: perhaps there still is hope. Let him offer his cheek to the smiter↘. and suffer all men’s taunts.
³¹ כִּ֣י לֹ֥א יִזְנַ֛ח לְעוֹלָ֖ם אֲדֹנָֽי׃ ³² כִּ֣י אִם־הוֹגָ֔ה וְרִחַ֖ם כְּרֹ֥ב חסדו חֲסָדָֽיו׃ ³³ כִּ֣י לֹ֤א עִנָּה֙ מִלִּבּ֔וֹ וַיַּגֶּ֖ה בְנֵי־אִֽישׁ׃ ס	^31-33 For the Lord will not cast us off↗ forever and ever. He wounds, but He shows compassion↑, abundant is His kindness. For He is loathe to cause pain or grief↘ to the sons of men.
³⁴ לְדַכֵּא֙ תַּ֣חַת רַגְלָ֔יו כֹּ֖ל אֲסִ֥ירֵי אָֽרֶץ׃ ³⁵ לְהַטּוֹת֙ מִשְׁפַּט־גָּ֔בֶר נֶ֖גֶד פְּנֵ֥י עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ ³⁶ לְעַוֵּ֤ת אָדָם֙ בְּרִיב֔וֹ אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹ֥א רָאָֽה׃ ס	^34-36 To crush under His feet↗ all the prisoners of the earth, To deny a man his rights↑ before the face of the Most High, to deprive a man of justice↘, does not the Lord see it?
³⁷ מִ֣י זֶ֤ה אָמַר֙ וַתֶּ֔הִי אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹ֥א צִוָּֽה׃ ³⁸ מִפִּ֤י עֶלְיוֹן֙ לֹ֣א תֵצֵ֔א הָרָע֖וֹת וְהַטּֽוֹב׃ ³⁹ מַה־יִּתְאוֹנֵן֙ אָדָ֣ם חָ֔י גֶּ֖בֶר עַל־חטאו חֲטָאָֽיו׃ ס	^37-39 Who’s will can be fulfilled↗, if God did not ordain it? From the mouth of the Most High↑ do not good and evil come? Of what should a living man complain↘? Only for his own sins!
⁴⁰ נַחְפְּשָׂ֤ה דְרָכֵ֙ינוּ֙ וְֽנַחְקֹ֔רָה וְנָשׁ֖וּבָה עַד־יְהוָֽה׃ ⁴¹ נִשָּׂ֤א לְבָבֵ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־כַּפָּ֔יִם אֶל־אֵ֖ל בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ ⁴² נַ֤חְנוּ פָשַׁ֙עְנוּ֙ וּמָרִ֔ינוּ אַתָּ֖ה לֹ֥א סָלָֽחְתָּ׃ ס	^40-42 Let us search and examine our ways↗, and return to Adonai. Let us lift up our hearts and our hands↑ to God who is in the heavens. We transgressed and we rebelled↘, and You have not forgiven.
⁴³ סַכֹּ֤תָה בָאַף֙ וַֽתִּרְדְּפֵ֔נוּ הָרַ֖גְתָּ לֹ֥א חָמָֽלְתָּ׃ ⁴⁴ סַכּ֤וֹתָה בֶֽעָנָן֙ לָ֔ךְ מֵעֲב֖וֹר תְּפִלָּֽה׃ ⁴⁵ סְחִ֧י וּמָא֛וֹס תְּשִׂימֵ֖נוּ בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָעַמִּֽים׃ ס	^43-45 You wrapped Yourself in wrath and pursued↗ us, and slain us without pity. You covered Yourself with a cloud↑ so prayer cannot pass through it. You have made us filth and refuse↘ among the nations.
⁴⁶ פָּצ֥וּ עָלֵ֛ינוּ פִּיהֶ֖ם כָּל־אֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃ ⁴⁷ פַּ֧חַד וָפַ֛חַת הָ֥יָה לָ֖נוּ הַשֵּׁ֥את וְהַשָּֽׁבֶר׃ ⁴⁸ פַּלְגֵי־מַ֙יִם֙ תֵּרַ֣ד עֵינִ֔י עַל־שֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃ ס	^46-48 Our enemies have opened their mouths↗ in chorus against us. Panic and pitfall befell us↑, ravages and ruin. My eyes run with streams of water↘ at my poor people’s ruin.
⁴⁹ עֵינִ֧י נִגְּרָ֛ה וְלֹ֥א תִדְמֶ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ין הֲפֻגֽוֹת׃ ⁵⁰ עַד־יַשְׁקִ֣יף וְיֵ֔רֶא יְהוָ֖ה מִשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ ⁵¹ עֵינִי֙ עֽוֹלְלָ֣ה לְנַפְשִׁ֔י מִכֹּ֖ל בְּנ֥וֹת עִירִֽי׃ ס	^49-51 My eyes flow without ceasing↗, and find no relief. Until the Lord looks down↑ and sees us from the heavens. My eyes are sore with sorrow↘ for the maidens of my city.
⁵² צ֥וֹד צָד֛וּנִי כַּצִּפּ֖וֹר אֹיְבַ֥י חִנָּֽם׃ ⁵³ צָֽמְת֤וּ בַבּוֹר֙ חַיָּ֔י וַיַּדּוּ־אֶ֖בֶן בִּֽי׃ ⁵⁴ צָֽפוּ־מַ֥יִם עַל־רֹאשִׁ֖י אָמַ֥רְתִּי נִגְזָֽרְתִּי׃ ס	^52-54 They hunted me down like a bird↗, those who hate me for no reason. They dropped me to die in a dungeon↑, and threw stones down upon me. The waters flowed over my head↘. and I said “I am cut off.”
⁵⁵ קָרָ֤אתִי שִׁמְךָ֙ יְהוָ֔ה מִבּ֖וֹר תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹת׃ ⁵⁶ קוֹלִ֖י שָׁמָ֑עְתָּ אַל־תַּעְלֵ֧ם אָזְנְךָ֛ לְרַוְחָתִ֖י לְשַׁוְעָתִֽי׃ ⁵⁷ קָרַ֙בְתָּ֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֶקְרָאֶ֔ךָּ אָמַ֖רְתָּ אַל־תִּירָֽא׃ ס	^55-57 I called on your name, Adonai↗, from the depths of the dungeon. You then heard me crying↑: “Don’t close your ears to my pleading.” You drew near on the day that I called↘You, and said to me, “Do not fear!”
⁵⁸ רַ֧בְתָּ אֲדֹנָ֛י רִיבֵ֥י נַפְשִׁ֖י גָּאַ֥לְתָּ חַיָּֽי׃ ⁵⁹ רָאִ֤יתָה יְהוָה֙ עַוָּ֣תָתִ֔י שָׁפְטָ֖ה מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃ ⁶⁰ רָאִ֙יתָה֙ כָּל־נִקְמָתָ֔ם כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם לִֽי׃ ס	^58-60 You have defended the cause of my soul↗; you have redeemed my life. Adonai, you see how I am wronged↑, O vindicate my right! You have seen all of their vengeance↘, all their designs toward me.
⁶¹ שָׁמַ֤עְתָּ חֶרְפָּתָם֙ יְהוָ֔ה כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם עָלָֽי׃ ⁶² שִׂפְתֵ֤י קָמַי֙ וְהֶגְיוֹנָ֔ם עָלַ֖י כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ ⁶³ שִׁבְתָּ֤ם וְקִֽימָתָם֙ הַבִּ֔יטָה אֲנִ֖י מַנְגִּינָתָֽם׃ ס	^61-63 You have heard their reproach Adonai↗, the schemes they plot against me. The talk of the men who attack me↑; their muttering all day long. Observe their sitting and rising↘; I am their taunting song.
⁶⁴ תָּשִׁ֨יב לָהֶ֥ם גְּמ֛וּל יְהוָ֖ה כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יְדֵיהֶֽם׃ ⁶⁵ תִּתֵּ֤ן לָהֶם֙ מְגִנַּת־לֵ֔ב תַּאֲלָֽתְךָ֖ לָהֶֽם׃ ⁶⁶ תִּרְדֹּ֤ף בְּאַף֙ וְתַשְׁמִידֵ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת שְׁמֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ פ	^64-66 Pay them back, Adonai↗ according to their deeds. Give them anguish of heart↑, Your curse should be upon them! Pursue them in wrath and destroy them↘, from under the heaven of God.
אֵיכָה ד	CHAPTER 4
¹ אֵיכָה֙ יוּעַ֣ם זָהָ֔ב יִשְׁנֶ֖א הַכֶּ֣תֶם הַטּ֑וֹב תִּשְׁתַּפֵּ֙כְנָה֙ אַבְנֵי־קֹ֔דֶשׁ בְּרֹ֖אשׁ כָּל־חוּצֽוֹת׃ ס	¹ Alas, the gold is dulled, debased, the finest gold. Sacred gems are scattered upon every street corner.
² בְּנֵ֤י צִיּוֹן֙ הַיְקָרִ֔ים הַמְסֻלָּאִ֖ים בַּפָּ֑ז אֵיכָ֤ה נֶחְשְׁבוּ֙ לְנִבְלֵי־חֶ֔רֶשׂ מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יְדֵ֥י יוֹצֵֽר׃ ס	² The sons of Ẓíōn are precious, worth their weight in fine gold. How they are treated as earthen jugs, The work of the potter’s hand.
³ גַּם־תנין תַּנִּים֙ חָ֣לְצוּ שַׁ֔ד הֵינִ֖יקוּ גּוּרֵיהֶ֑ן בַּת־עַמִּ֣י לְאַכְזָ֔ר כי ענים כַּיְעֵנִ֖ים בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ ס	³ Even the jackels present the breast and give suck to their young ones. But my poor people has become cruel like the ostriches in the wilderness.
⁴ דָּבַ֨ק לְשׁ֥וֹן יוֹנֵ֛ק אֶל־חכּ֖וֹ בַּצָּמָ֑א עֽוֹלָלִים֙ שָׁ֣אֲלוּ לֶ֔חֶם פֹּרֵ֖שׂ אֵ֥ין לָהֶֽם׃ ס	⁴ The tongue of the baby at the breast cleaves to his palate, for thirst. The young children ask for bread. Not one person spares a scrap for them.
⁵ הָאֹֽכְלִים֙ לְמַ֣עֲדַנִּ֔ים נָשַׁ֖מּוּ בַּחוּצ֑וֹת הָאֱמֻנִים֙ עֲלֵ֣י תוֹלָ֔ע חִבְּק֖וּ אַשְׁפַּתּֽוֹת׃ ס	⁵ Those who once ate all the best food now lie rotting on the street. Those brought up in scarlet clothing huddle now on heaps of garbage.
⁶ וַיִּגְדַּל֙ עֲוֺ֣ן בַּת־עַמִּ֔י מֵֽחַטַּ֖את סְדֹ֑ם הַֽהֲפוּכָ֣ה כְמוֹ־רָ֔גַע וְלֹא־חָ֥לוּ בָ֖הּ יָדָֽיִם׃ ס	⁶ All the crimes of my poor people have outdone the sins of Sodom. which was overturned in a moment, no time for a man to wring his hands.
⁷ זַכּ֤וּ נְזִירֶ֙יהָ֙ מִשֶּׁ֔לֶג צַח֖וּ מֵחָלָ֑ב אָ֤דְמוּ עֶ֙צֶם֙ מִפְּנִינִ֔ים סַפִּ֖יר גִּזְרָתָֽם׃ ס	⁷ Her elect ones were purer even than snow, and they were whiter still than milk. Ruddy like rubies was their complexion, Like the sapphire in their features.
⁸ חָשַׁ֤ךְ מִשְּׁחוֹר֙ תָּֽאֳרָ֔ם לֹ֥א נִכְּר֖וּ בַּחוּצ֑וֹת צָפַ֤ד עוֹרָם֙ עַל־עַצְמָ֔ם יָבֵ֖שׁ הָיָ֥ה כָעֵֽץ׃ ס	⁸ Now their appearance is blacker than soot, They go unrecognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones, it has become as dry as wood.
⁹ טוֹבִ֤ים הָיוּ֙ חַלְלֵי־חֶ֔רֶב מֵֽחַלְלֵ֖י רָעָ֑ב שֶׁ֣הֵ֤ם יָז֙וּבוּ֙ מְדֻקָּרִ֔ים מִתְּנוּבֹ֖ת שָׂדָֽי׃ ס	⁹ We’d rather be slain by the sword [than to find death [by starvation, For these pine away. They are striken for lack of the fruits of the field.
¹⁰ יְדֵ֗י נָשִׁים֙ רַחֲמָ֣נִיּ֔וֹת בִּשְּׁל֖וּ יַלְדֵיהֶ֑ן הָי֤וּ לְבָרוֹת֙ לָ֔מוֹ בְּשֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃ ס	¹⁰ With their own hands, the women of tender hearts have boiled their own children. This became their food in the wreckage of the daughter of my people.
¹¹ כִּלָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֶת־חֲמָת֔וֹ שָׁפַ֖ךְ חֲר֣וֹן אַפּ֑וֹ וַיַּצֶּת־אֵ֣שׁ בְּצִיּ֔וֹן וַתֹּ֖אכַל יְסוֹדֹתֶֽיהָ׃ ס	¹¹ The Lord has vented all His fury. He poured out His burning anger. He has kindled a fire in Ẓíōn that has devoured its foundations.
¹² לֹ֤א הֶאֱמִ֙ינוּ֙ מַלְכֵי־אֶ֔רֶץ וכל כֹּ֖ל יֹשְׁבֵ֣י תֵבֵ֑ל כִּ֤י יָבֹא֙ צַ֣ר וְאוֹיֵ֔ב בְּשַׁעֲרֵ֖י יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ ס	¹² The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did anyone in all the world, that a foe or an enemy could ever enter into the gates of Jerusalem.
¹³ מֵֽחַטֹּ֣את נְבִיאֶ֔יהָ עֲוֺנ֖וֹת כֹּהֲנֶ֑יהָ הַשֹּׁפְכִ֥ים בְּקִרְבָּ֖הּ דַּ֥ם צַדִּיקִֽים׃ ס	¹³ From the sins of her prophets and the crimes of her priests, who had shed in her midst the blood of the righteous ones.
¹⁴ נָע֤וּ עִוְרִים֙ בַּֽחוּצ֔וֹת נְגֹֽאֲל֖וּ בַּדָּ֑ם בְּלֹ֣א יֽוּכְל֔וּ יִגְּע֖וּ בִּלְבֻשֵׁיהֶֽם׃ ס	¹⁴ They roamed like blind men through the streets, being defiled with blood. so that no one there would dare to brush up against their clothing..
¹⁵ ס֣וּרוּ טָמֵ֞א קָ֣רְאוּ לָ֗מוֹ ס֤וּרוּ ס֙וּרוּ֙ אַל־תִּגָּ֔עוּ כִּ֥י נָצ֖וּ גַּם־נָ֑עוּ אָֽמְרוּ֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם לֹ֥א יוֹסִ֖יפוּ לָגֽוּר׃ ס	¹⁵ “Get away, unclean one!” were the cries of people to them. “Keep away! Do not touch us!” So they fled away and now wander. People said among the nations: “They may no longer sojourn here.”
¹⁶ פְּנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ חִלְּקָ֔ם לֹ֥א יוֹסִ֖יף לְהַבִּיטָ֑ם פְּנֵ֤י כֹהֲנִים֙ לֹ֣א נָשָׂ֔אוּ זקנים וּזְקֵנִ֖ים לֹ֥א חָנָֽנוּ׃ ס	¹⁶ The face of God has dispersed them. He will no more give them a glance. They respected the priests no longer, paid no attention to the prophets.
¹⁷ עודינה עוֹדֵ֙ינוּ֙ תִּכְלֶ֣ינָה עֵינֵ֔ינוּ אֶל־עֶזְרָתֵ֖נוּ הָ֑בֶל בְּצִפִּיָּתֵ֣נוּ צִפִּ֔ינוּ אֶל־גּ֖וֹי לֹ֥א יוֹשִֽׁעַ׃ ס	¹⁷ Our eyes are strained and failing, watching vainly for our deliverance. We were watching for a nation Egypt that was never there to save us.
¹⁸ צָד֣וּ צְעָדֵ֔ינוּ מִלֶּ֖כֶת בִּרְחֹבֹתֵ֑ינוּ קָרַ֥ב קִצֵּ֛ינוּ מָלְא֥וּ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כִּי־בָ֥א קִצֵּֽינוּ׃ ס	¹⁸ Our enemies eyed our steps, so we could not walk in our streets. Our doom is near. Our days are over, yea our end has come.
¹⁹ קַלִּ֤ים הָיוּ֙ רֹדְפֵ֔ינוּ מִנִּשְׁרֵ֖י שָׁמָ֑יִם עַל־הֶהָרִ֣ים דְּלָקֻ֔נוּ בַּמִּדְבָּ֖ר אָ֥רְבוּ לָֽנוּ׃ ס	¹⁹ They were swifter ––our pursuers–– than the eagles in the sky. In the mountains, they did hunt us, in the desert, laid in wait for us.
²⁰ ר֤וּחַ אַפֵּ֙ינוּ֙ מְשִׁ֣יחַ יְהוָ֔ה נִלְכַּ֖ד בִּשְׁחִיתוֹתָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֔רְנוּ בְּצִלּ֖וֹ נִֽחְיֶ֥ה בַגּוֹיִֽם׃ ס	²⁰ The breath of our nostrils, God’s own anointed King Josiah, our king was captured in their traps, of whom we had said, “Under his shadow, we will live among the nations.”
²¹ שִׂ֤ישִׂי וְשִׂמְחִי֙ בַּת־אֱד֔וֹם יושבתי יוֹשֶׁ֖בֶת בְּאֶ֣רֶץ ע֑וּץ גַּם־עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ תַּעֲבָר־כּ֔וֹס תִּשְׁכְּרִ֖י וְתִתְעָרִֽי׃ ס	²¹ Rejoice and exult, daughter of Edom, you that dwell in the land of Uz. To you, in turn the cup will pass. It will make you drunk ; you will show your nakedness
²² תַּם־עֲוֺנֵךְ֙ בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן לֹ֥א יוֹסִ֖יף לְהַגְלוֹתֵ֑ךְ פָּקַ֤ד עֲוֺנֵךְ֙ בַּת־אֱד֔וֹם גִּלָּ֖ה עַל־חַטֹּאתָֽיִךְ׃ פ	²² Your crime is atoned for, daughter of Ẓíōn. He will no more send you into captivity. But daughter of Edom, your guilt He will punish, your transgressions final melody will be laid bare.
אֵיכָה ה	CHAPTER 5
¹ זְכֹ֤ר יְהוָה֙ מֶֽה־הָ֣יָה לָ֔נוּ הביט הַבִּ֖יטָה וּרְאֵ֥ה אֶת־חֶרְפָּתֵֽנוּ׃	¹ Recall, Adonai, what has befallen us. Behold and see our disgrace.
² נַחֲלָתֵ֙נוּ֙ נֶֽהֶפְכָ֣ה לְזָרִ֔ים בָּתֵּ֖ינוּ לְנָכְרִֽים׃	² Our inheritance turned over to strangers, and our houses unto aliens.
³ יְתוֹמִ֤ים הָיִ֙ינוּ֙ אין וְאֵ֣ין אָ֔ב אִמֹּתֵ֖ינוּ כְּאַלְמָנֽוֹת׃	³ We have become like orphans. There is no father. And our mothers are as widows.
⁴ מֵימֵ֙ינוּ֙ בְּכֶ֣סֶף שָׁתִ֔ינוּ עֵצֵ֖ינוּ בִּמְחִ֥יר יָבֹֽאוּ׃	⁴ Our own water –– we pay money to drink it. And our firewood we get for a price.
⁵ עַ֤ל צַוָּארֵ֙נוּ֙ נִרְדָּ֔פְנוּ יָגַ֖עְנוּ לא וְלֹ֥א הֽוּנַ֖ח לָֽנוּ׃	⁵ To our very necks, we are pursued. We labor, but nothing is left to us.
⁶ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ נָתַ֣נּוּ יָ֔ד אַשּׁ֖וּר לִשְׂבֹּ֥עַֽ לָֽחֶם׃	⁶ To Egypt we stretched out a hand, and to Assyria, just to get enough bread.
⁷ אֲבֹתֵ֤ינוּ חָֽטְאוּ֙ אינם וְאֵינָ֔ם אנחנו וַאֲנַ֖חְנוּ עֲוֺנֹתֵיהֶ֥ם סָבָֽלְנוּ׃	⁷ Our fathers have sinned, and are no more. We have all suffered for their iniquities.
⁸ עֲבָדִים֙ מָ֣שְׁלוּ בָ֔נוּ פֹּרֵ֖ק אֵ֥ין מִיָּדָֽם׃	⁸ Slaves ruled over us. There is none to deliver us from their hand.
⁹ בְּנַפְשֵׁ֙נוּ֙ נָבִ֣יא לַחְמֵ֔נוּ מִפְּנֵ֖י חֶ֥רֶב הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃	⁹ At the risk of our lives, we get our bread, because of the sword of the wilderness.
¹⁰ עוֹרֵ֙נוּ֙ כְּתַנּ֣וּר נִכְמָ֔רוּ מִפְּנֵ֖י זַלְעֲפ֥וֹת רָעָֽב׃	¹⁰ Our skin is hot like a furnace. because of the burning heat of famine.
¹¹ נָשִׁים֙ בְּצִיּ֣וֹן עִנּ֔וּ בְּתֻלֹ֖ת בְּעָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃	¹¹ The women in Ẓíōn were ravaged, the maidens in the towns of Judah.
¹² שָׂרִים֙ בְּיָדָ֣ם נִתְל֔וּ פְּנֵ֥י זְקֵנִ֖ים לֹ֥א נֶהְדָּֽרוּ׃	¹² The leaders have been hanged by their hands. The faces of elders are not respected.
¹³ בַּחוּרִים֙ טְח֣וֹן נָשָׂ֔אוּ וּנְעָרִ֖ים בָּעֵ֥ץ כָּשָֽׁלוּ׃	¹³ Young men carry a millstone. And children stagger under loads of wood.
¹⁴ זְקֵנִים֙ מִשַּׁ֣עַר שָׁבָ֔תוּ בַּחוּרִ֖ים מִנְּגִינָתָֽם׃	¹⁴ The elders are gone from the gate, the young men from their music.
¹⁵ שָׁבַת֙ מְשׂ֣וֹשׂ לִבֵּ֔נוּ נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ לְאֵ֖בֶל מְחֹלֵֽנוּ׃	¹⁵ The joy in our hearts has vanished, our dancing has turned into mourning.
¹⁶ נָֽפְלָה֙ עֲטֶ֣רֶת רֹאשֵׁ֔נוּ אֽוֹי־נָ֥א לָ֖נוּ כִּ֥י חָטָֽאנוּ׃	¹⁶ The crown has fallen from our heads. Woe to us, for we have sinned.
¹⁷ עַל־זֶ֗ה הָיָ֤ה דָוֶה֙ לִבֵּ֔נוּ עַל־אֵ֖לֶּה חָשְׁכ֥וּ עֵינֵֽינוּ׃	¹⁷ Because of this, our hearts are sickened. This is why our eyes grow dim.
¹⁸ עַ֤ל הַר־צִיּוֹן֙ שֶׁשָּׁמֵ֔ם שׁוּעָלִ֖ים הִלְּכוּ־בֽוֹ׃ פ	¹⁸ For the mountain of Ẓíōn, which lies desolate, while the foxes prowl over it.
¹⁹ אַתָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ לְעוֹלָ֣ם תֵּשֵׁ֔ב כִּסְאֲךָ֖ לְדֹ֥ר וָדֽוֹר׃	¹⁹ Yet You Adonai will sit forever upon Your throne, through all generations.
²⁰ לָ֤מָּה לָנֶ֙צַח֙ תִּשְׁכָּחֵ֔נוּ תַּֽעַזְבֵ֖נוּ לְאֹ֥רֶךְ יָמִֽים׃	²⁰ You cannot mean to forget us forever, and forsake us for all time?
²¹ הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יְהוָ֤ה ׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ ונשוב וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃	²¹ Turn us back to Yourself God, and we shall return. Renew our days as of old.
²² כִּ֚י אִם־מָאֹ֣ס מְאַסְתָּ֔נוּ קָצַ֥פְתָּ עָלֵ֖ינוּ עַד־מְאֹֽד׃	²² You can’t have rejected us utterly. You have raged against us, it is enough.
הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יְהוָ֤ה ׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃	²¹ Turn us back to Yourself God, and we shall return. final melody Renew our days as of old.