Lamentations 5

zekhor Adonai meh-hayah lanu (hvyt) [habbitah] ure'eh et-kherpatenu

Remember, O ETERNAL One, what has befallen us; Behold, and see our disgrace!

nakhalatenu nehefkhah lezarim battenu lenokhrim

Our heritage has passed to aliens, Our homes to strangers.

yetomim hayinu (yn) [ve'en] av immotenu ke'almanot

We have become orphans, fatherless; Our mothers are like widows.

memenu bekhesef shatinu etsenu bimkhir yavo'u

We must pay to drink our own water, Obtain our own kindling at a price.

al tsavvarenu nirdafenu yaganu (l) [velo] hunakh-lanu

We are hotly pursued; Exhausted, we are given no rest.

mitsrayim natannu yad ashur lisboa lakhem

We hold out a hand to Egypt; To Assyria, for our fill of bread.

avotenu khate'u (ynm) [ve'enam] (nkhnv) [va'anakhnu] avonotehem savalenu

Our ancestors sinned and are no more; And we must bear their guilt.

avadim mashelu vanu poreq en miyyadam

Slaves are ruling over us, With none to rescue us from them.

benafshenu navi lakhmenu mippene kherev hammidbar

We get our bread at the peril of our lives, Because of the sword of the wilderness.

orenu ketannur nikhmaru mippene zalafot ra'av

Our skin glows like an oven, With the fever of famine.

nashim betsiyyon innu betulot be'are yehudah

Those slaves have abused women in Zion, Maidens in the towns of Judah.

sarim beyadam nitlu pene zeqenim lo nehdaru

Princes have been hanged by them; No respect has been shown to elders.

bakhurim tekhon nasa'u une'arim ba'ets kashalu

Young men must carry millstones, And youths stagger under loads of wood.

zeqenim misha'ar shavatu bakhurim minneginatam

The elders are gone from the gate, The youngsters from their music.

shavat mesos libbenu nehpakh le'evel mekholenu

Gone is the joy of our hearts; Our dancing is turned into mourning.

nafelah ateret roshenu oy-na lanu ki khatanu

The crown has fallen from our head; Woe to us that we have sinned!

al-zeh hayah daveh libbenu al-elleh khashekhu enenu

Because of this our hearts are sick, Because of these our eyes are dimmed:

al har-tsiyyon sheshamem shu'alim hillekhu-vo

Because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate; Jackals prowl over it.

attah Adonai le'olam teshev kisakha ledor vador

But You, O ETERNAL One, are enthroned forever, Your throne endures through the ages.

lammah lanetsakh tishkakhenu ta'azvenu le'orekh yamim

Why have You forgotten us utterly, Forsaken us for all time?

hashivenu Adonai elekha (vnshvv) [venashuvah] khaddesh yamenu keqedem

Take us back, O ETERNAL One, to Yourself, And let us come back; Renew our days as of old!

ki im-ma'os me'astanu qatsafta alenu ad-me'od

For truly, You have rejected us, Bitterly raged against us. Take us back, O ETERNAL One, to Yourself, And let us come back; Renew our days as of old!