Lamentations 4
JPS Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)
Septuagint (Brenton Greek text, with Apocrypha)
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.
1ΑΛΕΦ. Πῶς ἀμαυρωθήσεται χρυσίον, ἀλλοιωθήσεται τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ ἀγαθόν; ἐξεχύθησαν λίθοι ἅγιοι ἐπʼ ἀρχῆς πασῶν ἐξόδων.
2The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
2ΒΗΘ. Οἱ υἱοὶ Σιὼν οἱ τίμιοι, οἱ ἐπῃρμένοι ἐν χρυσίῳ, πῶς ἐλογίσθησαν εἰς ἀγγεῖα ὀστράκινα, ἔργα χειρῶν κεραμέως;
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.
3ΓΙΜΕΛ. Καί γε δράκοντες ἐξέδυσαν μαστοὺς, ἐθήλασαν σκύμνοι αὐτῶν θυγατέρας λαοῦ μου εἰς ἀνίατον, ὡς στρουθίον ἐν ἐρήμῳ.
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.
4ΔΑΛΕΘ. Ἐκολλήθη ἡ γλῶσσα θηλάζοντος πρὸς τὸν φάρυγγα αὐτοῦ ἐν δίψει, νήπια ᾔτησαν ἄρτον, ὁ διακλῶν οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς.
5They that did feed on dainties are desolate in the streets; they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
5Η. Οἱ ἔσθοντες τὰς τρυφὰς ἠφανίσθησαν ἐν ταῖς ἐξόδοις, οἱ τιθηνούμενοι ἐπὶ κόκκων περιεβάλλοντο κοπρίας.
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.
6ΟΥΑΥ. Καὶ ἐμεγαλύνθη ἀνομία θυγατρὸς λαοῦ μου ὑπὲρ ἀνομίας Σοδόμων τῆς κατεστραμμένης ὥσπερ σπουδὴ, καὶ οὐκ ἐπόνεσαν ἐν αὐτῇ χεῖρας.
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;
7ΖΑΙΝ. Ἐκαθαριώθησαν Ναζιραῖοι αὐτῆς ὑπὲρ χιόνα, ἔλαμψαν ὑπὲρ γάλα, ἐπυρώθησαν, ὑπὲρ λίθου σαπφείρου τὸ ἀπόσπασμα αὐτῶν.
8Their visage is blacker than coal; they are not known in the streets; their skin is shrivelled upon their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.
8ΗΘ. Ἐσκότασεν ὑπὲρ ἀσβόλην τὸ εἶδος αὐτῶν, οὐκ ἐπεγνώσθησαν ἐν ταῖς ἐξόδοις· ἐπάγη δέρμα αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὰ ὀστέα αὐτῶν, ἐξηράνθησαν, ἐγενήθησαν ὥσπερ ξύλον.
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.
9ΤΗΘ. Καλοὶ ἦσαν οἱ τραυματίαι ῥομφαίας, ἢ οἱ τραυματίαι λιμοῦ· ἐπορεύθησαν ἐκκεκεντημένοι ἀπὸ γεννημάτων ἀγρῶν.
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.
10ΙΩΔ. Χεῖρες γυναικῶν οἰκτιρμόνων ἥψησαν τὰ παιδία αὐτῶν, ἐγενήθησαν εἰς βρῶσιν αὐταῖς, ἐν τῷ συντρίμματι τῆς θυγατρὸς τοῦ λαοῦ μου.
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.
11ΧΑΦ. Συνετέλεσε Κύριος θυμὸν αὐτοῦ, ἐξέχεε θυμὸν ὀργῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνῆψε πῦρ ἐν Σιὼν, καὶ κατέφαγε τὰ θεμέλια αὐτῆς.
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.
12ΛΑΜΕΔ. Οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν βασιλεῖς γῆς, πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν οἰκουμένην, ὅτι εἰσελεύσεται ἐχθρὸς καὶ ἐκθλίβων διὰ τῶν πυλῶν Ἱερουσαλήμ.
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.
13ΜΗΜ. Ἐξ ἁμαρτιῶν προφητῶν αὐτῆς, ἀδικιῶν ἱερέων αὐτῆς, τῶν ἐκχεόντων αἷμα δίκαιον ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς.
14They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, so that men cannot touch their garments.
14ΝΟΥΝ. Ἐσαλεύθησαν ἐγρήγοροι αὐτῆς ἐν ταῖς ἐξόδοις, ἐμολύνθησαν ἐν αἵματι ἐν τῷ μὴ δύνασθαι αὐτοὺς, ἥψαντο ἐνδυμάτων αὐτῶν.
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.'
15ΣΑΜΕΧ. Ἀπόστητε ἀκαθάρτων, καλέσατε αὐτοὺς, ἀπόστητε, ἀπόστητε, μὴ ἅπτεσθε, ὅτι ἀνήφθησαν, καί γε ἐσαλεύθησαν· εἴπατε ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, οὐ μὴ προσθῶσι τοῦ παροικεῖν.
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.
16ΑΙΝ. Πρόσωπον Κυρίου μερὶς αὐτῶν, οὐ προσθήσει ἐπιβλέψαι αὐτοῖς· πρόσωπον ἱερέων οὐκ ἔλαβον, προφήτας οὐκ ἠλέησαν.
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.
17ΦΗ. Ἔτι ὄντων ἡμῶν ἐξέλιπον οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν, εἰς τὴν βοήθειαν ἡμῶν μάταια ἀποσκοπευόντων ἡμῶν.
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.
18ΤΣΑΔΗ. Ἀπεσκοπεύσαμεν εἰς ἔθνος οὐ σῶζον, ἐθηρεύσαμεν μικροὺς ἡμῶν, τοῦ μὴ πορεύεσθαι ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις ἡμῶν.
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.
19ΚΩΦ. Ἤγγικεν ὁ καιρὸς ἡμῶν, ἐπληρώθησαν αἱ ἡμέραι ἡμῶν, πάρεστιν ὁ καιρὸς ἡμῶν. Κοῦφοι ἐγένοντο οἱ διώκοντες ἡμᾶς ὑπὲρ ἀετοὺς οὐρανοῦ, ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων ἐξέπτησαν, ἐν ἐρήμῳ ἐνήδρευσαν ἡμᾶς.
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.'
20ΡΗΧΣ. Πνεῦμα προσώπου ἡμῶν χριστὸς Κύριος συνελήφθη ἐν ταῖς διαφθοραῖς αὐτῶν, οὗ εἴπαμεν, ἐν τῇ σκιᾶ αὐτοῦ ζησόμεθα ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι.
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.
21ΧΣΕΝ. Χαῖρε καὶ εὐφραίνου θύγατερ Ἰδουμαίας ἡ κατοικοῦσα ἐπὶ γῆς, καί γε ἐπὶ σὲ διελεύσεται τὸ ποτήριον Κυρίου, μεθυσθήσῃ καὶ ἀποχεεῖς.
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.
22ΘΑΥ. Ἐξέλιπεν ἡ ἀνομία σου θύγατερ Σιὼν, οὐ προσθήσει τοῦ ἀποικίσαι σε· ἐπεσκέψατο ἀνομίας σου θύγατερ Ἐδὼμ, ἀπεκάλυψεν ἐπὶ τὰ ἀσεβήματά σου.
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