Lamentazioni 4

NOVA VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 ALEPH. Quomodo obscuratum est aurum, mutatum est obryzum optimum! Dispersi sunt lapides sancti in capite omnium platearum.	1 How the gold has tarnished, how the fine gold has changed! The sacred stones lie scattered at thecorner of every street.
2 BETH. Filii Sion incliti et ponderati auro primo, quomodo reputati sunt in vasa testea, opus manuum figuli!	2 The children of Zion, as precious as finest gold -- to think that they should now be reckoned likecrockery made by a potter!
3 GHIMEL. Sed et thoes nudaverunt mammam, lactaverunt catulos suos; filia populi mei crudelis quasi struthio in deserto.	3 The very jackals give the breast, and suckle their young: but the daughter of my people is as cruel asthe ostriches of the desert.
4 DALETH. Adhaesit lingua lactantis ad palatum eius in siti; parvuli petierunt panem, et non erat qui frangeret eis.	4 The tongue of the baby at the breast sticks to its palate for thirst; little children ask for bread, no onegives them any.
5 HE. Qui vescebantur voluptuose, interierunt in viis; qui nutriebantur in coccinis, amplexati sunt stercora.	5 Those who used to eat only the best, now lie dying in the streets; those who were reared in the purpleclaw at the rubbish heaps,
6 VAU. Et maior effecta est iniquitas filiae populi mei peccato Sodomae, quae subversa est in momento, et non laborabant in ea manus.	6 for the wickedness of the daughter of my people exceeded the sins of Sodom, which was overthrown ina moment without a hand being laid on it.
7 ZAIN. Candidiores nazaraei eius nive, nitidiores lacte, rubicundiores in corpore coralliis, sapphirus aspectus eorum.	7 Once her young people were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; rosier than coral their bodies, theirhue like sapphire.
8 HETH. Denigrata est super carbones facies eorum, et non sunt cogniti in plateis: adhaesit cutis eorum ossibus, aruit et facta est quasi lignum.	8 Now their faces are blacker than soot, they are not recognised in the streets, the skin has shrunk overtheir bones, as dry as a stick.
9 TETH. Melius fuit occisis gladio quam interfectis fame, quoniam isti extabuerunt consumpti a sterilitate terrae.	9 Happier those killed by the sword than those kil ed by famine: they waste away, sunken for lack of thefruits of the earth.
10 IOD. Manus mulierum misericordium coxerunt filios suos: facti sunt cibus earum in contritione filiae populi mei.	10 With their own hands, kindly women cooked their children; this was their food when the daughter ofmy people was ruined.
11 CAPH. Complevit Dominus furorem suum, effudit iram indignationis suae; et succendit ignem in Sion, qui devoravit fundamenta eius.	11 Yahweh indulged his fury, he vented his fierce anger, he lit a fire in Zion which devoured herfoundations.
12 LAMED. Non crediderunt reges terrae et universi habitatores orbis, quoniam ingrederetur hostis et inimicus per portas Ierusalem.	12 The kings of the earth never believed, nor did any of the inhabitants of the world, that foe or enemywould ever penetrate the gates of Jerusalem.
13 MEM. Propter peccata prophetarum eius et iniquitates sacerdotum eius, qui effuderunt in medio eius sanguinem iustorum.	13 Owing to the sins of her prophets and the crimes of her priests, who had shed the blood of the upright,in the heart of the city,
14 NUN. Erraverunt caeci in plateis, polluti sunt in sanguine, ita ut nemo posset attingere lacinias eorum.	14 they wandered blindly through the streets, polluted with blood, so that no one dared to touch theirclothes.
15 SAMECH. “ Recedite! Pollutus est ”, clamaverunt eis; “ Recedite, abite, nolite tangere! ”. Cum fugerent et errarent, dixerunt inter gentes: “ Non addent ultra ut incolant ”.	15 'Keep away! Unclean!' people shouted, 'Keep away! Keep away! Don't touch!' If they left and fled tothe nations, they were not al owed to stay there either.
16 PHE. Facies Domini dispersit eos, non addet ut respiciat eos; facies sacerdotum non respexerunt neque senum miserti sunt.	16 The face of Yahweh destroyed them, he wil look on them no more. There was no respect for thepriests, no deference for the elders.
17 AIN. Adhuc deficiunt oculi nostri ad auxilium nostrum vanum? In specula nostra respeximus ad gentem, quae salvare non potest.	17 Continual y we were wearing out our eyes, watching for help -- in vain. From our towers we watchedfor a nation which could not save us anyway.
18 SADE. Insidiati sunt vestigiis nostris, ne iremus per plateas nostras. “ Appropinquavit finis noster, completi sunt dies nostri, quia venit finis noster ”.	18 Men dogged our steps, to keep us out of our streets. Our end was near, our days were done, our endhad come.
19 COPH. Velociores fuerunt persecutores nostri aquilis caeli; super montes persecuti sunt nos, in deserto insidiati sunt nobis.	19 Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky; they hounded our steps through the mountains, theylay in ambush for us in the wilds.
20 RES. Spiritus oris nostri, unctus Domini, captus est in foveis eorum, de quo dicebamus: “ Sub umbra sua vivemus in gentibus ”.	20 The breath of our nostrils, Yahweh's anointed, was caught in their traps, he of whom we said, 'In hisshadow we shall live among the nations.'
21 SIN. Gaude et laetare, filia Edom, quae habitas in terra Us; ad te quoque perveniet calix, inebriaberis atque nudaberis.	21 Rejoice, exult, daughter of Edom, you who reside in Uz! To you in turn the cup wil pass; you wil getdrunk and strip yourself naked!
22 THAU. Completa est iniquitas tua, filia Sion, non addet ultra ut transmigret te; visitavit iniquitatem tuam, filia Edom, discooperuit peccata tua.	22 Your wickedness is atoned for, daughter of Zion, he will never banish you again. But your wickedness,daughter of Edom, wil he punish, your sins he will lay bare!