Lamentations 4

ekhah yu'am zahav yishne hakketem hattov tishtappekhenah avne-qodesh berosh kol-khutsot

א Alas! The gold is dulled, Debased the finest gold! The sacred gems are spilled At every street corner.

bene tsiyyon hayeqarim hamesulla'im bappaz ekhah nekhshevu lenivle-kheres ma'aseh yede yotser

ב The precious children of Zion; Once valued as gold— Alas, they are accounted as earthen pots, Work of a potter’s hands!

gam-[tannim] (tnyn) khaletsu shad heniqu gurehen bat-ammi le'akhzar (khy nym) [kayenim] bammidbar

ג Even jackals offer the breast And suckle their young; But my poor people has turned cruel, Like ostriches of the desert.

davaq leshon yoneq el-khikko batsama olalim sha'alu lekhem pores en lahem

ד The tongue of the suckling cleaves To its palate for thirst. Little children beg for bread; None gives them a morsel.

ha'okhelim lema'adannim nashammu bakhutsot ha'emunim ale tola khibbequ ashpattot

ה Those who feasted on dainties Lie famished in the streets; Those who were reared in purple Have embraced refuse heaps.

vayyigdal avon bat-ammi mekhattat sedom hahafukhah khemo-raga velo-khalu vah yadayim

ו The guilt of my poor people Exceeded the iniquity of Sodom, Which was overthrown in a moment, Without a hand striking it.

zakku nezireha misheleg tsakhu mekhalav ademu etsem mippeninim sappir gizratam

ז Her elect were purer than snow, Whiter than milk; Their limbs were ruddier than coral, Their bodies were like sapphire.

khashakh mishekhor to'oram lo nikkeru bakhutsot tsafad oram al-atsmam yavesh hayah kha'ets

ח Now their faces are blacker than soot, They are not recognized in the streets; Their skin has shriveled on their bones, It has become dry as wood.

tovim hayu khalle-kherev mekhalle ra'av shehem yazuvu meduqqarim mittenuvot saday

ט Better off were the slain of the sword Than those slain by famine, Who pined away, [as though] wounded, For lack of the fruits of the field.

yede nashim rakhamaniyyot bishelu yaldehen hayu levarot lamo beshever bat-ammi

י With their own hands, tenderhearted women Have cooked their children; Such became their fare, In the disaster of my poor people.

killah Adonai et-khamato shafakh kharon appo vayyatset-esh betsiyyon vattokhal yesodoteha

כ GOD gave full vent to fury, And poured out blazing wrath— Kindling a fire in Zion That consumed its foundations.

lo he'eminu malkhe-erets (vkhl) [kol] yosheve tevel ki yavo tsar ve'oyev besha'are yerushalai͏m

ל The kings of the earth did not believe, Nor any of the inhabitants of the world, That foe or adversary could enter The gates of Jerusalem.

mekhattovt nevi'eha avonot kohaneha hashofekhim beqirbah dam tsaddiqim

מ It was for the sins of her prophets, The iniquities of her priests, Who had shed in her midst The blood of the just.

na'u ivrim bakhutsot nego'alu baddam belo yukhelu yigge'u bilvushehem

נ They wandered blindly through the streets, Defiled with blood, So that no one was able To touch their garments.

suru tame qare'u lamo suru suru al-tigga'u ki natsu gam-na'u ameru baggoyim lo yosifu lagur

ס “Away! Unclean!” people shouted at them, “Away! Away! Touch not!” So they wandered and wandered again; For the nations had resolved: “They shall stay here no longer.”

pene Adonai khilleqam lo yosif lehabbitam pene khohanim lo nasa'u (zqnym) [uzeqenim] lo khananu

פ GOD’s countenance has turned away from them, And will look on them no more. They showed no regard for priests, No favor to elders.

(vdynh) [odenu] tikhlenah enenu el-ezratenu havel betsippiyyatenu tsippinu el-goy lo yoshia

ע Even now our eyes pine away In vain for deliverance. As we waited, still we wait For a nation that cannot help.

tsadu tse'adenu millekhet birkhovotenu qarav qitsenu male'u yamenu ki-va qitsenu

צ Our steps were checked, We could not walk in our squares. Our doom is near, our days are done— Alas, our doom has come!

qallim hayu rodefenu minnishre shamayim al-heharim delaqunu bammidbar arevu lanu

ק Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles in the sky; They chased us in the mountains, Lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

ruakh appenu meshiakh Adonai nilkad bishkhitotam asher amarnu betsillo nikhyeh vaggoyim

ר The breath of our life, GOD’s anointed, Was captured in their traps— He in whose shade we had thought To live among the nations.

sisi vesimkhi bat-edom (yvshvty) [yoshevet] be'erets uts gam-alayikh ta'avor-kos tishkeri vetitari

ש Rejoice and exult, Fair Edom, Who dwell in the land of Uz! To you, too, the cup shall pass, You shall get drunk and expose your nakedness.

tam-avonekh bat-tsiyyon lo yosif lehaglotekh paqad avonekh bat-edom gillah al-khattotayikh

ת Your iniquity, Fair Zion, is expiated; You will be exiled no longer. Your iniquity, Fair Edom, [God] will note, And uncover your sins.