Lamentations 4 אֵיכָה

¹אֵיכָה֙ יוּעַ֣ם זָהָ֔ב יִשְׁנֶ֖א הַכֶּ֣תֶם הַטּ֑וֹב תִּשְׁתַּפֵּ֨כְנָה֙ אַבְנֵי־קֹ֔דֶשׁ בְּרֹ֖אשׁ כָּל־חוּצֽוֹת׃

ekha yu'am zahav yishne hakketem hattov tishtappekhna avne-kodesh berosh kal-chutzot

1How is the gold become dim! How is the most fine gold changed! The hallowed stones are poured out At the head of every street.

²בְּנֵ֤י צִיּוֹן֙ הַיְקָרִ֔ים הַמְסֻלָּאִ֖ים בַּפָּ֑ז אֵיכָ֤ה נֶחְשְׁבוּ֙ לְנִבְלֵי־חֶ֔רֶשׂ מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יְדֵ֥י יוֹצֵֽר׃

bene tziyyon haykarim hamsulla'im bappaz ekha nechshevu lenivle-cheres ma'ase yede yotzer

2The precious sons of Zion, Comparable to fine gold, How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, The work of the hands of the potter!

³גַּם־תנין [תַּנִּים֙] חָ֣לְצוּ שַׁ֔ד הֵינִ֖יקוּ גּוּרֵיהֶ֑ן בַּת־עַמִּ֣י לְאַכְזָ֔ר כי ענים [כַּיְעֵנִ֖ים] בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃

gam-tannim chaltzu shad heniku gurehen bat-ammi le'akhzar khy kay'enim bammidbar

3Even the jackals draw out the breast, They give suck to their young ones; The daughter of my people is become cruel, Like the ostriches in the wilderness.

⁴דָּבַ֨ק לְשׁ֥וֹן יוֹנֵ֛ק אֶל־חכּ֖וֹ בַּצָּמָ֑א עֽוֹלָלִים֙ שָׁ֣אֲלוּ לֶ֔חֶם פֹּרֵ֖שׂ אֵ֥ין לָהֶֽם׃

davak leshon yonek el-chko batzama olalim sha'alu lechem pores en lahem

4The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth To the roof of his mouth for thirst; The young children ask bread, And none breaketh it unto them.

⁵הָאֹֽכְלִים֙ לְמַ֣עֲדַנִּ֔ים נָשַׁ֖מּוּ בַּחוּצ֑וֹת הָאֱמֻנִים֙ עֲלֵ֣י תוֹלָ֔ע חִבְּק֖וּ אַשְׁפַּתּֽוֹת׃

ha'okhlim lema'adannim nashammu bachutzot ha'emunim ale tola' chibbeku ashpattot

5They that did feed on dainties Are desolate in the streets; They that were brought up in scarlet Embrace dunghills.

⁶וַיִּגְדַּל֙ עֲוֺ֣ן בַּת־עַמִּ֔י מֵֽחַטַּ֖את סְדֹ֑ם הַֽהֲפוּכָ֣ה כְמוֹ־רָ֔גַע וְלֹא־חָ֥לוּ בָ֖הּ יָדָֽיִם׃

vayyigdal avon bat-ammi mechattat sedom hahafukha khemo-raga' velo-chalu vah yadayim

6For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater Than the sin of Sodom, That was overthrown as in a moment, And no hands fell upon her.

⁷זַכּ֤וּ נְזִירֶ֨יהָ֙ מִשֶּׁ֔לֶג צַח֖וּ מֵחָלָ֑ב אָ֤דְמוּ עֶ֨צֶם֙ מִפְּנִינִ֔ים סַפִּ֖יר גִּזְרָתָֽם׃

zakku nezireha misheleg tzachu mechalav admu etzem mippeninim sappir gizratam

7Her princes were purer than snow, They were whiter than milk, They were more ruddy in body than rubies, Their polishing was as of sapphire;

⁸חָשַׁ֤ךְ מִשְּׁחוֹר֙ תָּֽאֳרָ֔ם לֹ֥א נִכְּר֖וּ בַּחוּצ֑וֹת צָפַ֤ד עוֹרָם֙ עַל־עַצְמָ֔ם יָבֵ֖שׁ הָיָ֥ה כָעֵֽץ׃

chashakh mishechor ta'oram lo nikkeru bachutzot tzafad oram al-atzmam yavesh haya kha'etz

8Their visage is blacker than a coal; They are not known in the streets; Their skin is shrivelled upon their bones; It is withered, it is become like a stick.

⁹טוֹבִ֤ים הָיוּ֙ חַלְלֵי־חֶ֔רֶב מֵֽחַלְלֵ֖י רָעָ֑ב שֶׁ֣הֵ֤ם יָז֨וּבוּ֙ מְדֻקָּרִ֔ים מִתְּנוּבֹ֖ת שָׂדָֽי׃

tovim hayu challe-cherev mechalle ra'av shehem yazuvu medukkarim mittenuvot saday

9They that are slain with the sword are better Than they that are slain with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, For want of the fruits of the field.

¹⁰יְדֵ֗י נָשִׁים֙ רַחֲמָ֣נִיּ֔וֹת בִּשְּׁל֖וּ יַלְדֵיהֶ֑ן הָי֤וּ לְבָרוֹת֙ לָ֔מוֹ בְּשֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃

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

10The hands of women full of compassion Have sodden their own children; They were their food In the destruction of the daughter of my people.

¹¹כִּלָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֶת־חֲמָת֔וֹ שָׁפַ֖ךְ חֲר֣וֹן אַפּ֑וֹ וַיַּצֶּת־אֵ֣שׁ בְּצִיּ֔וֹן וַתֹּ֖אכַל יְסוֹדֹתֶֽיהָ׃

killa ADONAI et-chamato shafakh charon appo vayyatzet-esh betziyyon vattokhal yesodoteha

11The LORD hath accomplished His fury, He hath poured out His fierce anger; And He hath kindled a fire in Zion, Which hath devoured the foundations thereof.

¹²לֹ֤א הֶאֱמִ֨ינוּ֙ מַלְכֵי־אֶ֔רֶץ וכל [כֹּ֖ל] יֹשְׁבֵ֣י תֵבֵ֑ל כִּ֤י יָבֹא֙ צַ֣ר וְאוֹיֵ֔ב בְּשַׁעֲרֵ֖י יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

lo he'eminu malkhe-eretz kol yoshve tevel ki yavo tzar veoyev besha'are yerushalam

12The kings of the earth believed not, Neither all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy would enter Into the gates of Jerusalem.

¹³מֵֽחַטֹּ֣את נְבִיאֶ֔יהָ עֲוֺנ֖וֹת כֹּהֲנֶ֑יהָ הַשֹּׁפְכִ֥ים בְּקִרְבָּ֖הּ דַּ֥ם צַדִּיקִֽים׃

mechattot nevi'eha avonot kohaneha hashofkhim bekirbah dam tzaddikim

13It is because of the sins of her prophets, And the iniquities of her priests, That have shed the blood of the just In the midst of her.

¹⁴נָע֤וּ עִוְרִים֙ בַּֽחוּצ֔וֹת נְגֹֽאֲל֖וּ בַּדָּ֑ם בְּלֹ֣א יֽוּכְל֔וּ יִגְּע֖וּ בִּלְבֻשֵׁיהֶֽם׃

na'u ivrim bachutzot nego'alu baddam belo yukhlu yigge'u bilvushehem

14They wander as blind men in the streets, They are polluted with blood, So that men cannot Touch their garments.

¹⁵ס֣וּרוּ טָמֵ֞א קָ֣רְאוּ לָ֗מוֹ ס֤וּרוּ ס֨וּרוּ֙ אַל־תִּגָּ֔עוּ כִּ֥י נָצ֖וּ גַּם־נָ֑עוּ אָֽמְרוּ֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם לֹ֥א יוֹסִ֖יפוּ לָגֽוּר׃

suru tame karu lamo suru suru al-tigga'u ki natzu gam-na'u amru baggoyim lo yosifu lagur

15’Depart ye! unclean! ’ men cried unto them, ‘Depart, depart, touch not’; Yea, they fled away and wandered; Men said among the nations: ‘They shall no more sojourn here.’

¹⁶פְּנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ חִלְּקָ֔ם לֹ֥א יוֹסִ֖יף לְהַבִּיטָ֑ם פְּנֵ֤י כֹהֲנִים֙ לֹ֣א נָשָׂ֔אוּ זקנים [וּזְקֵנִ֖ים] לֹ֥א חָנָֽנוּ׃

pene ADONAI chillekam lo yosif lehabbitam pene khohanim lo nasau uzekenim lo chananu

16The anger of the LORD hath divided them; He will no more regard them; They respected not the persons of the priests, They were not gracious unto the elders.

¹⁷עודינה [עוֹדֵ֨ינוּ֙] תִּכְלֶ֣ינָה עֵינֵ֔ינוּ אֶל־עֶזְרָתֵ֖נוּ הָ֑בֶל בְּצִפִּיָּתֵ֣נוּ צִפִּ֔ינוּ אֶל־גּ֖וֹי לֹ֥א יוֹשִֽׁעַ׃

odenu tikhlena enenu el-ezratenu havel betzippiyyatenu tzippinu el-goy lo yoshia

17As for us, our eyes do yet fail For our vain help; In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save.

¹⁸צָד֣וּ צְעָדֵ֔ינוּ מִלֶּ֖כֶת בִּרְחֹבֹתֵ֑ינוּ קָרַ֥ב קִצֵּ֛ינוּ מָלְא֥וּ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כִּי־בָ֥א קִצֵּֽינוּ׃

tzadu tze'adenu millekhet birchovotenu karav kitzenu malu yamenu ki-va kitzenu

18They hunt our steps, That we cannot go in our broad places; Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; For our end is come.

¹⁹קַלִּ֤ים הָיוּ֙ רֹדְפֵ֔ינוּ מִנִּשְׁרֵ֖י שָׁמָ֑יִם עַל־הֶהָרִ֣ים דְּלָקֻ֔נוּ בַּמִּדְבָּ֖ר אָ֥רְבוּ לָֽנוּ׃

kallim hayu rodfenu minnishre shamayim al-heharim delakunu bammidbar arvu lanu

19Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the heaven; They chased us upon the mountains, They lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

²⁰ר֤וּחַ אַפֵּ֨ינוּ֙ מְשִׁ֣יחַ יְהוָ֔ה נִלְכַּ֖ד בִּשְׁחִיתוֹתָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֔רְנוּ בְּצִלּ֖וֹ נִֽחְיֶ֥ה בַגּוֹיִֽם׃

ruach appenu meshiach ADONAI nilkad bishchitotam asher amarnu betzillo nichye vaggoyim

20The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, Was taken in their pits; Of whom we said: ‘Under his shadow We shall live among the nations.’

²¹שִׂ֤ישִׂי וְשִׂמְחִי֙ בַּת־אֱד֔וֹם יושבתי [יוֹשֶׁ֖בֶת] בְּאֶ֣רֶץ ע֑וּץ גַּם־עָלַ֨יִךְ֙ תַּעֲבָר־כּ֔וֹס תִּשְׁכְּרִ֖י וְתִתְעָרִֽי׃

sisi vesimchi bat-edom yoshevet be'eretz utz gam-alayikh ta'avar-kos tishkeri vetit'ari

21Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, That dwellest in the land of Uz: The cup shall pass over unto thee also; Thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.

²²תַּם־עֲוֺנֵךְ֙ בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן לֹ֥א יוֹסִ֖יף לְהַגְלוֹתֵ֑ךְ פָּקַ֤ד עֲוֺנֵךְ֙ בַּת־אֱד֔וֹם גִּלָּ֖ה עַל־חַטֹּאתָֽיִךְ׃

tam-avonekh bat-tziyyon lo yosif lehaglotekh pakad avonekh bat-edom gilla al-chattotayikh

22The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion, He will no more carry thee away into captivity; He will punish thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom, He will uncover thy sins.