איכה ג׳
Lamentations 3
Hebrew
אֲנִ֤י הַגֶּ֙בֶר֙ רָאָ֣ה עֳנִ֔י בְּשֵׁ֖בֶט עֶבְרָתֽוֹ׃ {ס} אוֹתִ֥י נָהַ֛ג וַיֹּלַ֖ךְ חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אֽוֹר׃ {ס} אַ֣ךְ בִּ֥י יָשֻׁ֛ב יַהֲפֹ֥ךְ יָד֖וֹ כׇּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ {ס} בִּלָּ֤ה בְשָׂרִי֙ וְעוֹרִ֔י שִׁבַּ֖ר עַצְמוֹתָֽי׃ {ס} בָּנָ֥ה עָלַ֛י וַיַּקַּ֖ף רֹ֥אשׁ וּתְלָאָֽה׃ {ס} בְּמַחֲשַׁכִּ֥ים הוֹשִׁיבַ֖נִי כְּמֵתֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם׃ {ס} גָּדַ֧ר בַּעֲדִ֛י וְלֹ֥א אֵצֵ֖א הִכְבִּ֥יד נְחׇשְׁתִּֽי׃ {ס} גַּ֣ם כִּ֤י אֶזְעַק֙ וַאֲשַׁוֵּ֔עַ שָׂתַ֖ם תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃ {ס} גָּדַ֤ר דְּרָכַי֙ בְּגָזִ֔ית נְתִיבֹתַ֖י עִוָּֽה׃ {ס} דֹּ֣ב אֹרֵ֥ב הוּא֙ לִ֔י (אריה) [אֲרִ֖י] בְּמִסְתָּרִֽים׃ {ס} דְּרָכַ֥י סוֹרֵ֛ר וַֽיְפַשְּׁחֵ֖נִי שָׂמַ֥נִי שֹׁמֵֽם׃ {ס} דָּרַ֤ךְ קַשְׁתּוֹ֙ וַיַּצִּיבֵ֔נִי כַּמַּטָּרָ֖א לַחֵֽץ׃ {ס} הֵבִיא֙ בְּכִלְיֹתָ֔י בְּנֵ֖י אַשְׁפָּתֽוֹ׃ {ס} הָיִ֤יתִי שְּׂחֹק֙ לְכׇל־עַמִּ֔י נְגִינָתָ֖ם כׇּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ {ס} הִשְׂבִּיעַ֥נִי בַמְּרוֹרִ֖ים הִרְוַ֥נִי לַעֲנָֽה׃ {ס} וַיַּגְרֵ֤ס בֶּֽחָצָץ֙ שִׁנָּ֔י הִכְפִּישַׁ֖נִי בָּאֵֽפֶר׃ {ס} וַתִּזְנַ֧ח מִשָּׁל֛וֹם נַפְשִׁ֖י נָשִׁ֥יתִי טוֹבָֽה׃ {ס} וָאֹמַר֙ אָבַ֣ד נִצְחִ֔י וְתוֹחַלְתִּ֖י מֵיְהֹוָֽה׃ {ס} זְכׇר־עׇנְיִ֥י וּמְרוּדִ֖י לַעֲנָ֥ה וָרֹֽאשׁ׃ {ס} זָכ֣וֹר תִּזְכּ֔וֹר (ותשיח) [וְתָשׁ֥וֹחַ] עָלַ֖י נַפְשִֽׁי׃ {ס} זֹ֛את אָשִׁ֥יב אֶל־לִבִּ֖י עַל־כֵּ֥ן אוֹחִֽיל׃ {ס} חַֽסְדֵ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ כִּ֣י לֹא־תָ֔מְנוּ כִּ֥י לֹא־כָל֖וּ רַחֲמָֽיו׃ {ס} חֲדָשִׁים֙ לַבְּקָרִ֔ים רַבָּ֖ה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃ {ס} חֶלְקִ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ אָמְרָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֔י עַל־כֵּ֖ן אוֹחִ֥יל לֽוֹ׃ {ס} ט֤וֹב יְהֹוָה֙ לְקֹוָ֔ו לְנֶ֖פֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶֽׁנּוּ׃ {ס} ט֤וֹב וְיָחִיל֙ וְדוּמָ֔ם לִתְשׁוּעַ֖ת יְהֹוָֽה׃ {ס} ט֣וֹב לַגֶּ֔בֶר כִּֽי־יִשָּׂ֥א עֹ֖ל בִּנְעוּרָֽיו׃ {ס} יֵשֵׁ֤ב בָּדָד֙ וְיִדֹּ֔ם כִּ֥י נָטַ֖ל עָלָֽיו׃ {ס} יִתֵּ֤ן בֶּֽעָפָר֙ פִּ֔יהוּ אוּלַ֖י יֵ֥שׁ תִּקְוָֽה׃ {ס} יִתֵּ֧ן לְמַכֵּ֛הוּ לֶ֖חִי יִשְׂבַּ֥ע בְּחֶרְפָּֽה׃ {ס} כִּ֣י לֹ֥א יִזְנַ֛ח לְעוֹלָ֖ם אֲדֹנָֽי׃ {ס} כִּ֣י אִם־הוֹגָ֔ה וְרִחַ֖ם כְּרֹ֥ב חֲסָדָֽיו׃ {ס} כִּ֣י לֹ֤א עִנָּה֙ מִלִּבּ֔וֹ וַיַּגֶּ֖ה בְּנֵי־אִֽישׁ׃ {ס} לְדַכֵּא֙ תַּ֣חַת רַגְלָ֔יו כֹּ֖ל אֲסִ֥ירֵי אָֽרֶץ׃ {ס} לְהַטּוֹת֙ מִשְׁפַּט־גָּ֔בֶר נֶ֖גֶד פְּנֵ֥י עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ {ס} לְעַוֵּ֤ת אָדָם֙ בְּרִיב֔וֹ אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹ֥א רָאָֽה׃ {ס} מִ֣י זֶ֤ה אָמַר֙ וַתֶּ֔הִי אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹ֥א צִוָּֽה׃ {ס} מִפִּ֤י עֶלְיוֹן֙ לֹ֣א תֵצֵ֔א הָרָע֖וֹת וְהַטּֽוֹב׃ {ס} מַה־יִּתְאוֹנֵן֙ אָדָ֣ם חָ֔י גֶּ֖בֶר עַל־חֲטָאָֽו׃ {ס} נַחְפְּשָׂ֤ה דְרָכֵ֙ינוּ֙ וְֽנַחְקֹ֔רָה וְנָשׁ֖וּבָה עַד־יְהֹוָֽה׃ {ס} נִשָּׂ֤א לְבָבֵ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־כַּפָּ֔יִם אֶל־אֵ֖ל בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ {ס} נַ֤חְנוּ פָשַׁ֙עְנוּ֙ וּמָרִ֔ינוּ אַתָּ֖ה לֹ֥א סָלָֽחְתָּ׃ {ס} סַכּ֤וֹתָה בָאַף֙ וַֽתִּרְדְּפֵ֔נוּ הָרַ֖גְתָּ לֹ֥א חָמָֽלְתָּ׃ {ס} סַכּ֤וֹתָה בֶֽעָנָן֙ לָ֔ךְ מֵעֲב֖וֹר תְּפִלָּֽה׃ {ס} סְחִ֧י וּמָא֛וֹס תְּשִׂימֵ֖נוּ בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָעַמִּֽים׃ {ס} פָּצ֥וּ עָלֵ֛ינוּ פִּיהֶ֖ם כׇּל־אֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃ {ס} פַּ֧חַד וָפַ֛חַת הָ֥יָה לָ֖נוּ הַשֵּׁ֥את וְהַשָּֽׁבֶר׃ {ס} פַּלְגֵי־מַ֙יִם֙ תֵּרַ֣ד עֵינִ֔י עַל־שֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃ {ס} עֵינִ֧י נִגְּרָ֛ה וְלֹ֥א תִדְמֶ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ין הֲפֻגֽוֹת׃ {ס} עַד־יַשְׁקִ֣יף וְיֵ֔רֶא יְהֹוָ֖ה מִשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ {ס} עֵינִי֙ עֽוֹלְלָ֣ה לְנַפְשִׁ֔י מִכֹּ֖ל בְּנ֥וֹת עִירִֽי׃ {ס} צ֥וֹד צָד֛וּנִי כַּצִּפּ֖וֹר אֹיְבַ֥י חִנָּֽם׃ {ס} צָֽמְת֤וּ בַבּוֹר֙ חַיָּ֔י וַיַּדּוּ־אֶ֖בֶן בִּֽי׃ {ס} צָֽפוּ־מַ֥יִם עַל־רֹאשִׁ֖י אָמַ֥רְתִּי נִגְזָֽרְתִּי׃ {ס} קָרָ֤אתִי שִׁמְךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה מִבּ֖וֹר תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹת׃ {ס} קוֹלִ֖י שָׁמָ֑עְתָּ אַל־תַּעְלֵ֧ם אׇזְנְךָ֛ לְרַוְחָתִ֖י לְשַׁוְעָתִֽי׃ {ס} קָרַ֙בְתָּ֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֶקְרָאֶ֔ךָּ אָמַ֖רְתָּ אַל־תִּירָֽא׃ {ס} רַ֧בְתָּ אֲדֹנָ֛י רִיבֵ֥י נַפְשִׁ֖י גָּאַ֥לְתָּ חַיָּֽי׃ {ס} רָאִ֤יתָה יְהֹוָה֙ עַוָּ֣תָתִ֔י שׇׁפְטָ֖ה מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃ {ס} רָאִ֙יתָה֙ כׇּל־נִקְמָתָ֔ם כׇּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם לִֽי׃ {ס} שָׁמַ֤עְתָּ חֶרְפָּתָם֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה כׇּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם עָלָֽי׃ {ס} שִׂפְתֵ֤י קָמַי֙ וְהֶגְיוֹנָ֔ם עָלַ֖י כׇּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ {ס} שִׁבְתָּ֤ם וְקִֽימָתָם֙ הַבִּ֔יטָה אֲנִ֖י מַנְגִּינָתָֽם׃ {ס} תָּשִׁ֨יב לָהֶ֥ם גְּמ֛וּל יְהֹוָ֖ה כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יְדֵיהֶֽם׃ {ס} תִּתֵּ֤ן לָהֶם֙ מְגִנַּת־לֵ֔ב תַּאֲלָֽתְךָ֖ לָהֶֽם׃ {ס} תִּרְדֹּ֤ף בְּאַף֙ וְתַשְׁמִידֵ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת שְׁמֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}
English Translation
א I am the manathe man A Job-like figure, a counterpart to the female city who was given voice in 1.12–16, 18–22; 2.20–22. who has known affliction
Underbwho has known affliction / Under Emendation yields “whom the Sovereign has shepherded with.” the rod of God’s wrath; It is I who was driven on and on
In unrelieved darkness; On none but me God’s hand descends
Again and again, without cease.
ב My flesh and skin has been worn away;
My bones have been shattered. All around me have been built
MiserycMisery Taking roʼsh as equivalent to resh. and hardship; I am made to dwell in darkness,
Like those long dead.
ג I have been walled in and I cannot break out;
And am weighed down with chains. And when I cry and plead,
[God] shuts out my prayer— Walling in my ways with hewn blocks,
And making my paths a maze.
ד A lurking bear [God] is to me,
A lion in hiding— Forcing me off my waydForcing me off my way Meaning of Heb. uncertain. and mangling me,
Leaving me numb. [God] has bent the bow and made me
The target of divine arrows—
ה Shooting into my vitals
A quiver’s shafts. I have become a laughingstock to all people,
The butt of their gibes all day long. I have been filled with bitterness,
And sated with wormwood.
ו [God] has broken my teeth on gravel,
Has ground me into the dust. My life was bereft of peace,
I forgot what happiness was. I thought my strength and hope
Had perished before GOD.
ז To recall my distress and my misery
Was wormwood and poison; Whenever I thought of them,
I was bowed low. But this do I call to mind,
Therefore I have hope:
ח The kindness of GOD has not ended,
And God’s mercies are not spent. They are renewed every morning—
Ample is Your grace! “GOD is my portion,” I say with full heart;
This is the One in whom I have hope.
ט Good comes to those who trust in GOD,
To the one who seeks God’s presence; It is good to wait patiently
Till rescue comes from GOD. It is good for a man, when young,
To bear a yoke;
י Let him sit alone and be patient,
When it is laid upon him. Let him put his mouth to the dust—
There may yet be hope. Let him offer his cheek to the aggressor;
Let him be surfeited with mockery.
כ For the Sovereign does not
Reject forever, But first afflicts, then pardons
In abundant kindness. For [God] does not willfully bring grief
Or affliction to those involved,ethose involved In misdeeds—and who thus deserve punishment.
ל Crushing underfoot
All the prisoners of the earth. To deny a man his rights
In the presence of the Most High, To wrong a man in his cause—
This the Sovereign does not choose.
מ Whose decree was ever fulfilled,
Unless the Sovereign willed it? Is it not at the word of the Most High,
That weal and woe befall? Of what shall a living man complain?
Each one of his own sins!
נ Let us search and examine our ways,
And turn back to GOD; Let us lift up our hearts withfwith Lit. “to”; emendation yields “rather than”; cf. Joel 2.13. our hands
To God in heaven: We have transgressed and rebelled,
And You have not forgiven.
ס You have clothed Yourself in anger and pursued us,
You have slain without pity. You have screened Yourself off with a cloud,
That no prayer may pass through. You have made us filth and refuse
In the midst of the peoples.
פ All our enemies loudly
Rail against us. Panic and pitfall are our lot,
Death and destruction. My eyes shed streams of water
Over the ruin of my poorgmy poor Lit. “the daughter of my”; so frequently in poetry. people.
ע My eyes shall flow without cease,
Without respite, Until GOD looks down
And beholds from heaven. My eyes have brought me griefhUntil … grief Emendation yields: 50“Until GOD looks down from heaven / And beholds 51my affliction. / GOD has brought me grief.”
Over all the maidens of my city.
צ My foes have snared me like a bird,
Without any cause. They have ended my life in a pit
And cast stones at me. Waters flowed over my head;
I said: I am lost!
ק I have called on Your name, O ETERNAL One,
From the depths of the Pit. Hear my plea;
Do not shut Your ear
To my groan, to my cry! You have ever drawn nigh when I called You;
You have said, “Do not fear!”
ר You championed my cause, O my Sovereign,
You have redeemed my life. You have seen, O ETERNAL One, the wrong done me;
Oh, vindicate my right! You have seen all their malice,
All their designs against me;
ש You have heard, O ETERNAL One, their taunts,
All their designs against me, The mouthings and chattering of my adversaries
Against me all day long. See how, at their ease or at work,
I am the butt of their gibes.
ת Give them, O ETERNAL One, their deserts
According to their deeds. Give them anguishianguish Meaning of Heb. uncertain. of heart;
Your curse be upon them! Oh, pursue them in wrath and destroy them
From under GOD’s heavens!
Underbwho has known affliction / Under Emendation yields “whom the Sovereign has shepherded with.” the rod of God’s wrath; It is I who was driven on and on
In unrelieved darkness; On none but me God’s hand descends
Again and again, without cease.
ב My flesh and skin has been worn away;
My bones have been shattered. All around me have been built
MiserycMisery Taking roʼsh as equivalent to resh. and hardship; I am made to dwell in darkness,
Like those long dead.
ג I have been walled in and I cannot break out;
And am weighed down with chains. And when I cry and plead,
[God] shuts out my prayer— Walling in my ways with hewn blocks,
And making my paths a maze.
ד A lurking bear [God] is to me,
A lion in hiding— Forcing me off my waydForcing me off my way Meaning of Heb. uncertain. and mangling me,
Leaving me numb. [God] has bent the bow and made me
The target of divine arrows—
ה Shooting into my vitals
A quiver’s shafts. I have become a laughingstock to all people,
The butt of their gibes all day long. I have been filled with bitterness,
And sated with wormwood.
ו [God] has broken my teeth on gravel,
Has ground me into the dust. My life was bereft of peace,
I forgot what happiness was. I thought my strength and hope
Had perished before GOD.
ז To recall my distress and my misery
Was wormwood and poison; Whenever I thought of them,
I was bowed low. But this do I call to mind,
Therefore I have hope:
ח The kindness of GOD has not ended,
And God’s mercies are not spent. They are renewed every morning—
Ample is Your grace! “GOD is my portion,” I say with full heart;
This is the One in whom I have hope.
ט Good comes to those who trust in GOD,
To the one who seeks God’s presence; It is good to wait patiently
Till rescue comes from GOD. It is good for a man, when young,
To bear a yoke;
י Let him sit alone and be patient,
When it is laid upon him. Let him put his mouth to the dust—
There may yet be hope. Let him offer his cheek to the aggressor;
Let him be surfeited with mockery.
כ For the Sovereign does not
Reject forever, But first afflicts, then pardons
In abundant kindness. For [God] does not willfully bring grief
Or affliction to those involved,ethose involved In misdeeds—and who thus deserve punishment.
ל Crushing underfoot
All the prisoners of the earth. To deny a man his rights
In the presence of the Most High, To wrong a man in his cause—
This the Sovereign does not choose.
מ Whose decree was ever fulfilled,
Unless the Sovereign willed it? Is it not at the word of the Most High,
That weal and woe befall? Of what shall a living man complain?
Each one of his own sins!
נ Let us search and examine our ways,
And turn back to GOD; Let us lift up our hearts withfwith Lit. “to”; emendation yields “rather than”; cf. Joel 2.13. our hands
To God in heaven: We have transgressed and rebelled,
And You have not forgiven.
ס You have clothed Yourself in anger and pursued us,
You have slain without pity. You have screened Yourself off with a cloud,
That no prayer may pass through. You have made us filth and refuse
In the midst of the peoples.
פ All our enemies loudly
Rail against us. Panic and pitfall are our lot,
Death and destruction. My eyes shed streams of water
Over the ruin of my poorgmy poor Lit. “the daughter of my”; so frequently in poetry. people.
ע My eyes shall flow without cease,
Without respite, Until GOD looks down
And beholds from heaven. My eyes have brought me griefhUntil … grief Emendation yields: 50“Until GOD looks down from heaven / And beholds 51my affliction. / GOD has brought me grief.”
Over all the maidens of my city.
צ My foes have snared me like a bird,
Without any cause. They have ended my life in a pit
And cast stones at me. Waters flowed over my head;
I said: I am lost!
ק I have called on Your name, O ETERNAL One,
From the depths of the Pit. Hear my plea;
Do not shut Your ear
To my groan, to my cry! You have ever drawn nigh when I called You;
You have said, “Do not fear!”
ר You championed my cause, O my Sovereign,
You have redeemed my life. You have seen, O ETERNAL One, the wrong done me;
Oh, vindicate my right! You have seen all their malice,
All their designs against me;
ש You have heard, O ETERNAL One, their taunts,
All their designs against me, The mouthings and chattering of my adversaries
Against me all day long. See how, at their ease or at work,
I am the butt of their gibes.
ת Give them, O ETERNAL One, their deserts
According to their deeds. Give them anguishianguish Meaning of Heb. uncertain. of heart;
Your curse be upon them! Oh, pursue them in wrath and destroy them
From under GOD’s heavens!
About This Text
Source
Lamentations
Category
Tanach
Reference
Lamentations 3
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