Lamentations 3

ani haggever ra'ah oni beshevet evrato

א I am the man who has known affliction Under the rod of God’s wrath;

oti nahag vayyolakh khoshekh velo-or

It is I who was driven on and on In unrelieved darkness;

akh bi yashuv yahafokh yado kol-hayyom

On none but me God’s hand descends Again and again, without cease.

billah vesari ve'ori shibbar atsmotay

ב My flesh and skin has been worn away; My bones have been shattered.

banah alay vayyaqqaf rosh utela'ah

All around me have been built Misery and hardship;

bemakhashakkim hoshivani kemete olam

I am made to dwell in darkness, Like those long dead.

gadar ba'adi velo etse hikhbid nekhoshti

ג I have been walled in and I cannot break out; And am weighed down with chains.

gam ki ezaq va'ashavvea satam tefillati

And when I cry and plead, [God] shuts out my prayer—

gadar derakhay begazit netivotay ivvah

Walling in my ways with hewn blocks, And making my paths a maze.

dov orev hu li (ryh) [ari] bemistarim

ד A lurking bear [God] is to me, A lion in hiding—

derakhay sorer vayefashekheni samani shomem

Forcing me off my way and mangling me, Leaving me numb.

darakh qashto vayyatsiveni kammattara lakhets

[God] has bent the bow and made me The target of divine arrows—

hevi bekhilyotay bene ashpato

ה Shooting into my vitals A quiver’s shafts.

hayiti sekhoq lekhol-ammi neginatam kol-hayyom

I have become a laughingstock to all people, The butt of their gibes all day long.

hisbi'ani vammerorim hirvani la'anah

I have been filled with bitterness, And sated with wormwood.

vayyagres bekhatsats shinnay hikhpishani ba'efer

ו [God] has broken my teeth on gravel, Has ground me into the dust.

vattiznakh mishalom nafshi nashiti tovah

My life was bereft of peace, I forgot what happiness was.

va'omar avad nitskhi vetokhalti me-Adonai

I thought my strength and hope Had perished before GOD.

zekhor-onyi umerudi la'anah varosh

ז To recall my distress and my misery Was wormwood and poison;

zakhor tizkor (vtshykh) [vetashoakh] alay nafshi

Whenever I thought of them, I was bowed low.

zot ashiv el-libbi al-ken okhil

But this do I call to mind, Therefore I have hope:

khasde Adonai ki lo-tamenu ki lo-khalu rakhamayw

ח The kindness of GOD has not ended, And God’s mercies are not spent.

khadashim labbeqarim rabbah emunatekha

They are renewed every morning— Ample is Your grace!

khelqi Adonai amerah nafshi al-ken okhil lo

“GOD is my portion,” I say with full heart; This is the One in whom I have hope.

tov Adonai leqovav lenefesh tidreshennu

ט Good comes to those who trust in GOD, To the one who seeks God’s presence;

tov veyakhil vedumam litshu'at Adonai

It is good to wait patiently Till rescue comes from GOD.

tov laggever ki-yissa ol binurayw

It is good for a man, when young, To bear a yoke;

yeshev badad veyiddom ki natal alayw

י Let him sit alone and be patient, When it is laid upon him.

yitten be'afar pihu ulay yesh tiqvah

Let him put his mouth to the dust— There may yet be hope.

yitten lemakkehu lekhi yisba bekherpah

Let him offer his cheek to the aggressor; Let him be surfeited with mockery.

ki lo yiznakh le'olam adonay

כ For the Sovereign does not Reject forever,

ki im-hogah verikham kerov khasadayw

But first afflicts, then pardons In abundant kindness.

ki lo innah millibbo vayyaggeh bene-ish

For [God] does not willfully bring grief Or affliction to those involved,

ledakke takhat raglayw kol asire arets

ל Crushing underfoot All the prisoners of the earth.

lehattot mishpat-gaver neged pene elyon

To deny a man his rights In the presence of the Most High,

le'avvet adam berivo adonay lo ra'ah

To wrong a man in his cause— This the Sovereign does not choose.

mi zeh amar vattehi adonay lo tsivvah

מ Whose decree was ever fulfilled, Unless the Sovereign willed it?

mippi elyon lo tetse hara'ot vehattov

Is it not at the word of the Most High, That weal and woe befall?

mah-yyitonen adam khay gever al-khata'av

Of what shall a living man complain? Each one of his own sins!

nakhpesah derakhenu venakhqorah venashuvah ad-Adonai

נ Let us search and examine our ways, And turn back to GOD;

nissa levavenu el-kappayim el-el bashamayim

Let us lift up our hearts with our hands To God in heaven:

nakhnu fashanu umarinu attah lo salakheta

We have transgressed and rebelled, And You have not forgiven.

sakkotah va'af vattirdefenu haragta lo khamaleta

ס You have clothed Yourself in anger and pursued us, You have slain without pity.

sakkotah ve'anan lakh me'avor tefillah

You have screened Yourself off with a cloud, That no prayer may pass through.

sekhi uma'os tesimenu beqerev ha'ammim

You have made us filth and refuse In the midst of the peoples.

patsu alenu pihem kol-oyevenu

פ All our enemies loudly Rail against us.

pakhad vafakhat hayah lanu hashet vehashaver

Panic and pitfall are our lot, Death and destruction.

palge-mayim terad eni al-shever bat-ammi

My eyes shed streams of water Over the ruin of my poor people.

eni niggerah velo tidmeh me'en hafugot

ע My eyes shall flow without cease, Without respite,

ad-yashqif veyere Adonai mishamayim

Until GOD looks down And beholds from heaven.

eni olelah lenafshi mikkol benot iri

My eyes have brought me grief Over all the maidens of my city.

tsod tsaduni katsippor oyevay khinnam

צ My foes have snared me like a bird, Without any cause.

tsametu vabbor khayyay vayyaddu-even bi

They have ended my life in a pit And cast stones at me.

tsafu-mayim al-roshi amarti nigzareti

Waters flowed over my head; I said: I am lost!

qarati shimkha Adonai mibbor takhtiyyot

ק I have called on Your name, O ETERNAL One, From the depths of the Pit.

qoli shama'eta al-talem oznekha leravkhati leshavati

Hear my plea; Do not shut Your ear To my groan, to my cry!

qaravta beyom eqra'ekka amarta al-tira

You have ever drawn nigh when I called You; You have said, “Do not fear!”

ravta adonay rive nafshi ga'alta khayyay

ר You championed my cause, O my Sovereign, You have redeemed my life.

ra'itah Adonai avvatati shoftah mishpati

You have seen, O ETERNAL One, the wrong done me; Oh, vindicate my right!

ra'itah kol-niqmatam kol-makhshevotam li

You have seen all their malice, All their designs against me;

shamata kherpatam Adonai kol-makhshevotam alay

ש You have heard, O ETERNAL One, their taunts, All their designs against me,

sifte qamay vehegyonam alay kol-hayyom

The mouthings and chattering of my adversaries Against me all day long.

shivtam veqimatam habbitah ani manginatam

See how, at their ease or at work, I am the butt of their gibes.

tashiv lahem gemul Adonai kema'aseh yedehem

ת Give them, O ETERNAL One, their deserts According to their deeds.

titten lahem meginnat-lev ta'alatekha lahem

Give them anguish of heart; Your curse be upon them!

tirdof be'af vetashmidem mittakhat sheme Adonai

Oh, pursue them in wrath and destroy them From under GOD’s heavens!