1 אֵיכָה יוּעַם זָהָב יִשְׁנֶא הַכֶּתֶם הַטֹּוב תִּשְׁתַּפֵּכְנָה אַבְנֵי־קֹדֶשׁ בְּרֹאשׁ כָּל־חוּצֹות׃ ס | 1 Aleph. How is the gold become dim, the finest colour is changed, the stones of the sanctuary are scattered in the top of every street? |
2 בְּנֵי צִיֹּון הַיְקָרִים הַמְסֻלָּאִים בַּפָּז אֵיכָה נֶחְשְׁבוּ לְנִבְלֵי־חֶרֶשׂ מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵי יֹוצֵר׃ ס | 2 Beth. The noble sons of Sion, and they that were clothed with the best gold: how are they esteemed as earthen vessels, the work of the potter's hands? |
3 גַּם־ [תַּנִּין כ] (תַּנִּים ק) חָלְצוּ שַׁד הֵינִיקוּ גּוּרֵיהֶן בַּת־עַמִּי לְאַכְזָר [כִּי כ] [עֵנִים כ] (כַּיְעֵנִים ק) בַּמִּדְבָּר׃ ס | 3 Ghimel. Even the sea monsters have drawn out the breast, they have given suck to their young: the daughter of my people is cruel, like the ostrich in the desert. |
4 דָּבַק לְשֹׁון יֹונֵק אֶל־חִכֹּו בַּצָּמָא עֹולָלִים שָׁאֲלוּ לֶחֶם פֹּרֵשׂ אֵין לָהֶם׃ ס | 4 Daleth. The tongue of the sucking child hath stuck to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the little ones have asked for bread, and there was none to break it unto them. |
5 הָאֹכְלִים לְמַעֲדַנִּים נָשַׁמּוּ בַּחוּצֹות הָאֱמֻנִים עֲלֵי תֹולָע חִבְּקוּ אַשְׁפַּתֹּות׃ ס | 5 He. They that were fed delicately have died in the streets; they that were brought up in scarlet have embraced the dung. |
6 וַיִּגְדַּל עֲוֹן בַּת־עַמִּי מֵחַטַּאת סְדֹם הַהֲפוּכָה כְמֹו־רָגַע וְלֹא־חָלוּ בָהּ יָדָיִם׃ ס | 6 Vau. And the iniquity of the daughter of my people is made greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, and hands took nothing in her. |
7 זַכּוּ נְזִירֶיהָ מִשֶּׁלֶג צַחוּ מֵחָלָב אָדְמוּ עֶצֶם מִפְּנִינִים סַפִּיר גִּזְרָתָם׃ ס | 7 Zain. Her Nazarites were whiter than snow, purer than milk, more ruddy than the old ivory, fairer than the sapphire. |
8 חָשַׁךְ מִשְּׁחֹור תָּאֳרָם לֹא נִכְּרוּ בַּחוּצֹות צָפַד עֹורָם עַל־עַצְמָם יָבֵשׁ הָיָה כָעֵץ׃ ס | 8 Heth. Their face is now made blacker than coals, and they are not known in the streets: their skin hath stuck to their bones, it is withered, and is become like wood. |
9 טֹובִים הָיוּ חַלְלֵי־חֶרֶב מֵחַלְלֵי רָעָב שֶׁהֵם יָזוּבוּ מְדֻקָּרִים מִתְּנוּבֹת שָׂדָי׃ ס | 9 Teth. It was better with them that were slain by the sword, than with them that died with hunger: for these pined away being consumed for want of the fruits of the earth. |
10 יְדֵי נָשִׁים רַחֲמָנִיֹּות בִּשְּׁלוּ יַלְדֵיהֶן הָיוּ לְבָרֹות לָמֹו בְּשֶׁבֶר בַּת־עַמִּי׃ ס | 10 Jod. The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people. |
11 כִּלָּה יְהוָה אֶת־חֲמָתֹו שָׁפַךְ חֲרֹון אַפֹּו וַיַּצֶּת־אֵשׁ בְּצִיֹּון וַתֹּאכַל יְסֹודֹתֶיהָ׃ ס | 11 Caph. The Lord hath accomplished his wrath, he hath poured out his fierce anger: and he hath kindled a fire in Sion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof. |
12 לֹא הֶאֱמִינוּ מַלְכֵי־אֶרֶץ [וְכֹל כ] (כֹּל ק) יֹשְׁבֵי תֵבֵל כִּי יָבֹא צַר וְאֹויֵב בְּשַׁעֲרֵי יְרוּשָׁלִָם׃ ס | 12 Lamed. The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world would not have believed, that the adversary and the enemy should enter in by the gates of Jerusalem. |
13 מֵחַטֹּאת נְבִיאֶיהָ עֲוֹנֹות כֹּהֲנֶיהָ הַשֹּׁפְכִים בְּקִרְבָּהּ דַּם צַדִּיקִים׃ ס | 13 Mem. For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her. |
14 נָעוּ עִוְרִים בַּחוּצֹות נְגֹאֲלוּ בַּדָּם בְּלֹא יוּכְלוּ יִגְּעוּ בִּלְבֻשֵׁיהֶם׃ ס | 14 Nun. They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they were defiled with blood: and when they could not help walking in it, they held up their skirts. |
15 סוּרוּ טָמֵא קָרְאוּ לָמֹו סוּרוּ סוּרוּ אַל־תִּגָּעוּ כִּי נָצוּ גַּם־נָעוּ אָמְרוּ בַּגֹּויִם לֹא יֹוסִיפוּ לָגוּר׃ ס | 15 Samech. Depart you that are defiled, they cried out to them: Depart, get ye hence, touch not: for they quarrelled, and being removed, they said among the Gentiles: He will no more dwell among them. |
16 פְּנֵי יְהוָה חִלְּקָם לֹא יֹוסִיף לְהַבִּיטָם פְּנֵי כֹהֲנִים לֹא נָשָׂאוּ [זְקֵנִים כ] (וּזְקֵנִים ק) לֹא חָנָנוּ׃ ס | 16 Phe. The face of the Lord hath divided them, he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, neither had they pity on the ancient. |
17 [עֹודֵינָה כ] (עֹודֵינוּ ק) תִּכְלֶינָה עֵינֵינוּ אֶל־עֶזְרָתֵנוּ הָבֶל בְּצִפִּיָּתֵנוּ צִפִּינוּ אֶל־גֹּוי לֹא יֹושִׁעַ׃ ס | 17 Ain. While we were yet standing, our eyes failed, expecting help for us in vain, when we looked attentively towards a nation that was not able to save. |
18 צָדוּ צְעָדֵינוּ מִלֶּכֶת בִּרְחֹבֹתֵינוּ קָרַב קִצֵּינוּ מָלְאוּ יָמֵינוּ כִּי־בָא קִצֵּינוּ׃ ס | 18 Sade. Our steps have slipped in the way of our streets, our end draweth near: our days are fulfilled, for our end is come. |
19 קַלִּים הָיוּ רֹדְפֵינוּ מִנִּשְׁרֵי שָׁמָיִם עַל־הֶהָרִים דְּלָקֻנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר אָרְבוּ לָנוּ׃ ס | 19 Coph. Our persecutors were swifter than the eagles of the air: they pursued us upon the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness. |
20 רוּחַ אַפֵּינוּ מְשִׁיחַ יְהוָה נִלְכַּד בִּשְׁחִיתֹותָם אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְנוּ בְּצִלֹּו נִחְיֶה בַגֹּויִם׃ ס | 20 Res. The breath of our mouth, Christ the Lord, is taken in our sins: to whom we said: Under thy shadow we shall live among the Gentiles. |
21 שִׂישִׂי וְשִׂמְחִי בַּת־אֱדֹום [יֹושַׁבְתִּי כ] (יֹושֶׁבֶת ק) בְּאֶרֶץ עוּץ גַּם־עָלַיִךְ תַּעֲבָר־כֹּוס תִּשְׁכְּרִי וְתִתְעָרִי׃ ס | 21 Sin. Rejoice, and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Hus: to thee also shall the cup come, thou shalt be made drunk, and naked. |
22 תַּם־עֲוֹנֵךְ בַּת־צִיֹּון לֹא יֹוסִיף לְהַגְלֹותֵךְ פָּקַד עֲוֹנֵךְ בַּת־אֱדֹום גִּלָּה עַל־חַטֹּאתָיִךְ׃ פ | 22 Thau. Thy iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Sion, he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he visited thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he hath discovered thy sins. The Prayer of Jeremias the Prophet. |