איכה א׳:י״ד
Lamentations 1:14
Hebrew
אֵיכָ֣ה ׀ יָשְׁבָ֣ה בָדָ֗ד הָעִיר֙ רַבָּ֣תִי עָ֔ם הָיְתָ֖ה כְּאַלְמָנָ֑ה רַבָּ֣תִי בַגּוֹיִ֗ם שָׂרָ֙תִי֙ בַּמְּדִינ֔וֹת הָיְתָ֖ה לָמַֽס׃ {ס} בָּכ֨וֹ תִבְכֶּ֜ה בַּלַּ֗יְלָה וְדִמְעָתָהּ֙ עַ֣ל לֶֽחֱיָ֔הּ אֵֽין־לָ֥הּ מְנַחֵ֖ם מִכׇּל־אֹהֲבֶ֑יהָ כׇּל־רֵעֶ֙יהָ֙ בָּ֣גְדוּ בָ֔הּ הָ֥יוּ לָ֖הּ לְאֹיְבִֽים׃ {ס} גָּֽלְתָ֨ה יְהוּדָ֤ה מֵעֹ֙נִי֙ וּמֵרֹ֣ב עֲבֹדָ֔ה הִ֚יא יָשְׁבָ֣ה בַגּוֹיִ֔ם לֹ֥א מָצְאָ֖ה מָנ֑וֹחַ כׇּל־רֹדְפֶ֥יהָ הִשִּׂיג֖וּהָ בֵּ֥ין הַמְּצָרִֽים׃ {ס} דַּרְכֵ֨י צִיּ֜וֹן אֲבֵל֗וֹת מִבְּלִי֙ בָּאֵ֣י מוֹעֵ֔ד כׇּל־שְׁעָרֶ֙יהָ֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ין כֹּהֲנֶ֖יהָ נֶאֱנָחִ֑ים בְּתוּלֹתֶ֥יהָ נּוּג֖וֹת וְהִ֥יא מַר־לָֽהּ׃ {ס} הָי֨וּ צָרֶ֤יהָ לְרֹאשׁ֙ אֹיְבֶ֣יהָ שָׁל֔וּ כִּֽי־יְהֹוָ֥ה הוֹגָ֖הּ עַ֣ל רֹב־פְּשָׁעֶ֑יהָ עוֹלָלֶ֛יהָ הָלְכ֥וּ שְׁבִ֖י לִפְנֵי־צָֽר׃ {ס} וַיֵּצֵ֥א (מן בת) [מִבַּת־]צִיּ֖וֹן כׇּל־הֲדָרָ֑הּ הָי֣וּ שָׂרֶ֗יהָ כְּאַיָּלִים֙ לֹא־מָצְא֣וּ מִרְעֶ֔ה וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ בְלֹא־כֹ֖חַ לִפְנֵ֥י רוֹדֵֽף׃ {ס} זָֽכְרָ֣ה יְרוּשָׁלַ֗͏ִם יְמֵ֤י עׇנְיָהּ֙ וּמְרוּדֶ֔יהָ כֹּ֚ל מַחֲמֻדֶ֔יהָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֖וּ מִ֣ימֵי קֶ֑דֶם בִּנְפֹ֧ל עַמָּ֣הּ בְּיַד־צָ֗ר וְאֵ֤ין עוֹזֵר֙ לָ֔הּ רָא֣וּהָ צָרִ֔ים שָׂחֲק֖וּ עַ֥ל מִשְׁבַּתֶּֽהָ׃ {ס} חֵ֤טְא חָֽטְאָה֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם עַל־כֵּ֖ן לְנִידָ֣ה הָיָ֑תָה כׇּֽל־מְכַבְּדֶ֤יהָ הִזִּיל֙וּהָ֙ כִּי־רָא֣וּ עֶרְוָתָ֔הּ גַּם־הִ֥יא נֶאֶנְחָ֖ה וַתָּ֥שׇׁב אָחֽוֹר׃ {ס} טֻמְאָתָ֣הּ בְּשׁוּלֶ֗יהָ לֹ֤א זָֽכְרָה֙ אַחֲרִיתָ֔הּ וַתֵּ֣רֶד פְּלָאִ֔ים אֵ֥ין מְנַחֵ֖ם לָ֑הּ רְאֵ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־עׇנְיִ֔י כִּ֥י הִגְדִּ֖יל אוֹיֵֽב׃ {ס} יָדוֹ֙ פָּ֣רַשׂ צָ֔ר עַ֖ל כׇּל־מַחֲמַדֶּ֑יהָ כִּֽי־רָאֲתָ֤ה גוֹיִם֙ בָּ֣אוּ מִקְדָּשָׁ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּ֔יתָה לֹא־יָבֹ֥אוּ בַקָּהָ֖ל לָֽךְ׃ {ס} כׇּל־עַמָּ֤הּ נֶאֱנָחִים֙ מְבַקְשִׁ֣ים לֶ֔חֶם נָתְנ֧וּ (מחמודיהם) [מַחֲמַדֵּיהֶ֛ם] בְּאֹ֖כֶל לְהָשִׁ֣יב נָ֑פֶשׁ רְאֵ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ וְֽהַבִּ֔יטָה כִּ֥י הָיִ֖יתִי זוֹלֵלָֽה׃ {ס} ל֣וֹא אֲלֵיכֶם֮ כׇּל־עֹ֣בְרֵי דֶ֒רֶךְ֒ הַבִּ֣יטוּ וּרְא֔וּ אִם־יֵ֤שׁ מַכְאוֹב֙ כְּמַכְאֹבִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר עוֹלַ֖ל לִ֑י אֲשֶׁר֙ הוֹגָ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּי֖וֹם חֲר֥וֹן אַפּֽוֹ׃ {ס} מִמָּר֛וֹם שָֽׁלַח־אֵ֥שׁ בְּעַצְמֹתַ֖י וַיִּרְדֶּ֑נָּה פָּרַ֨שׂ רֶ֤שֶׁת לְרַגְלַי֙ הֱשִׁיבַ֣נִי אָח֔וֹר נְתָנַ֙נִי֙ שֹֽׁמֵמָ֔ה כׇּל־הַיּ֖וֹם דָּוָֽה׃ {ס} נִשְׂקַד֩ עֹ֨ל פְּשָׁעַ֜י בְּיָד֗וֹ יִשְׂתָּ֥רְג֛וּ עָל֥וּ עַל־צַוָּארִ֖י הִכְשִׁ֣יל כֹּחִ֑י נְתָנַ֣נִי אֲדֹנָ֔י בִּידֵ֖י לֹא־אוּכַ֥ל קֽוּם׃ {ס} סִלָּ֨ה כׇל־אַבִּירַ֤י ׀ אֲדֹנָי֙ בְּקִרְבִּ֔י קָרָ֥א עָלַ֛י מוֹעֵ֖ד לִשְׁבֹּ֣ר בַּחוּרָ֑י גַּ֚ת דָּרַ֣ךְ אֲדֹנָ֔י לִבְתוּלַ֖ת בַּת־יְהוּדָֽה׃ {ס} עַל־אֵ֣לֶּה ׀ אֲנִ֣י בוֹכִיָּ֗ה עֵינִ֤י ׀ עֵינִי֙ יֹ֣רְדָה מַּ֔יִם כִּֽי־רָחַ֥ק מִמֶּ֛נִּי מְנַחֵ֖ם מֵשִׁ֣יב נַפְשִׁ֑י הָי֤וּ בָנַי֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ים כִּ֥י גָבַ֖ר אוֹיֵֽב׃ {ס} פֵּֽרְשָׂ֨ה צִיּ֜וֹן בְּיָדֶ֗יהָ אֵ֤ין מְנַחֵם֙ לָ֔הּ צִוָּ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה לְיַעֲקֹ֖ב סְבִיבָ֣יו צָרָ֑יו הָיְתָ֧ה יְרוּשָׁלַ֛͏ִם לְנִדָּ֖ה בֵּינֵיהֶֽם׃ {ס} צַדִּ֥יק ה֛וּא יְהֹוָ֖ה כִּ֣י פִ֣יהוּ מָרִ֑יתִי שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֣א כׇל־[הָֽעַמִּ֗ים] (עמים) וּרְאוּ֙ מַכְאֹבִ֔י בְּתוּלֹתַ֥י וּבַחוּרַ֖י הָלְכ֥וּ בַשֶּֽׁבִי׃ {ס} קָרָ֤אתִי לַֽמְאַהֲבַי֙ הֵ֣מָּה רִמּ֔וּנִי כֹּהֲנַ֥י וּזְקֵנַ֖י בָּעִ֣יר גָּוָ֑עוּ כִּֽי־בִקְשׁ֥וּ אֹ֙כֶל֙ לָ֔מוֹ וְיָשִׁ֖יבוּ אֶת־נַפְשָֽׁם׃ {ס} רְאֵ֨ה יְהֹוָ֤ה כִּֽי־צַר־לִי֙ מֵעַ֣י חֳמַרְמָ֔רוּ נֶהְפַּ֤ךְ לִבִּי֙ בְּקִרְבִּ֔י כִּ֥י מָר֖וֹ מָרִ֑יתִי מִח֥וּץ שִׁכְּלָה־חֶ֖רֶב בַּבַּ֥יִת כַּמָּֽוֶת׃ {ס} שָׁמְע֞וּ כִּ֧י נֶאֱנָחָ֣ה אָ֗נִי אֵ֤ין מְנַחֵם֙ לִ֔י כׇּל־אֹ֨יְבַ֜י שָׁמְע֤וּ רָֽעָתִי֙ שָׂ֔שׂוּ כִּ֥י אַתָּ֖ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ הֵבֵ֥אתָ יוֹם־קָרָ֖אתָ וְיִֽהְי֥וּ כָמֹֽנִי׃ {ס} תָּבֹ֨א כׇל־רָעָתָ֤ם לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ וְעוֹלֵ֣ל לָ֔מוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עוֹלַ֛לְתָּ לִ֖י עַ֣ל כׇּל־פְּשָׁעָ֑י כִּֽי־רַבּ֥וֹת אַנְחֹתַ֖י וְלִבִּ֥י דַוָּֽי׃ {פ}
English Translation
אaChaps. 1–4 are alphabetical acrostics, i.e., the verses begin with the successive letters of the Heb. alphabet. Chap. 3 is a triple acrostic. In chaps. 2–4 the letter pe precedes the ʻayin. Alas!
Lonely sits the city
Once great with people!
She that was great among nations
Is become like a widow;
The princess among states
Is become a thrall.
ב Bitterly she weeps in the night,
Her cheek wet with tears.
There is none to comfort her
Of all her friends.bfriends Or “lovers,” i.e., political allies.
All her allies have betrayed her;
They have become her foes.
ג Judah has gone into exile
Because of misery and harsh oppression;
When she settled among the nations,
She found no rest;
All her pursuers overtook her
In the narrow places.cIn the narrow places Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
ד Zion’s roads are in mourning,
Empty of festival pilgrims;
All her gates are deserted.
Her priests sigh,
Her maidens are unhappy—
She is utterly disconsolate!
ה Her enemies are now the masters,
Her foes are at ease,
Because GOD has afflicted her
For her many transgressions;
Her infants have gone into captivity
Before the enemy.
ו Gone from Fair Zion are all
That were her glory;
Her leaders were like stags
That found no pasture;
They could only walk feebly
Before the pursuer.
ז All that she treasured
In the days of old
Jerusalem recalled
In her days of woe and sorrow,
When her people fell by enemy hands
With none to help her;
When enemies looked on and gloated
Over her downfall.
ח Jerusalem has greatly sinned,
Therefore she is become a mockery.
All who admired her despise her,
For they have seen her disgraced;ddisgraced Lit. “nakedness,” i.e., her shame.
And she can only sigh
And shrink back.
ט Her impurityeimpurity I.e., her moral guilt or the impurity of sexual immorality; cf. Jer. 2.22. clings to her skirts.
She gave no thought to her future;
She has sunk appallingly,
With none to comfort her.—
“See, O ETERNAL One, my misery;
How the enemy jeers!”
י The foe has laid hands
On everything dear to her.
She has seen her Sanctuary
Invaded by nations
That You have denied admission
Into Your community.
כ All her inhabitants sigh
As they search for bread;
They have bartered their treasuresftreasures i.e., jewels or children; cf. Hos. 9.16. for food,
To keep themselves alive.—
“See, O ETERNAL One, and behold,
How abjectgHow abject Or (ironically) “What a glutton”; cf. Prov. 23.20–21. I have become!”
ל hA lament by Zion personified. “May it never befall you,iMay it never befall you Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
All who pass along the road—
Look about and see:
Is there any agony like mine,
Which was dealt out to me
When GOD afflicted me
On this day of wrath?
מ From above [God] sent a fire
Down into my bones,
Then spread a net for my feet
And hurled me backward—
Leaving me forlorn,
In constant misery.
נ jMeaning of parts of vv. 14 and 15 uncertain. The yoke of my offenses is bound fast,
Lashed tight by God’s hand;
Imposed upon my neck,
It saps my strength;
The Sovereign has delivered me into the hands
Of those I cannot withstand.
ס The Sovereign in my midst has rejected
All my heroes,
And proclaimed a set time against me
To crush my young men.
As in a press the Sovereign has trodden
Fair Maiden Judah.
ע For these things do I weep,
My eyes flow with tears:
Far from me is any comforter
Who might revive my spirit;
My children are forlorn,
For the foe has prevailed.”
פ Zion spreads out her hands,
She has no one to comfort her;
GOD has summoned against Jacob
His enemies all about him;
Jerusalem has become an outcastkan outcast Or “a menstruous woman”; cf. Ezek. 36.17. among them.
צ lAnother lament by Zion personified. “GOD is in the right,
For I have been disobedient.
Hear, all you peoples,
And behold my agony:
My maidens and my youths
Have gone into captivity!
ק I cried out to my friends,mfriends See note at v. 2.
But they played me false.
My priests and my elders
Have perished in the city
As they searched for food
To keep themselves alive.
ר See, O ETERNAL One, the distress I am in!
My heart is in anguish,
I know how wrong I wasnI know how wrong I was Lit. “My heart has turned over within me”; cf. Exod. 14.5; Hos. 11.8.
To disobey.
Outside the sword deals death;
Indoors, the plague.
ש When they heard how I was sighing,
There was none to comfort me;
All my foes heard of my plight and exulted.
For it is Your doing:
You have brought on the day that You threatened.
Oh, let them become like me!oYou have brought on the day that You threatened. / Oh, let them become like me! Emendation yields “Oh, bring on them what befell me, / And let them become like me!”
ת Let all their wrongdoing come before You,
And deal with them
As You have dealt with me
For all my transgressions.
For my sighs are many,
And my heart is sick.”
Lonely sits the city
Once great with people!
She that was great among nations
Is become like a widow;
The princess among states
Is become a thrall.
ב Bitterly she weeps in the night,
Her cheek wet with tears.
There is none to comfort her
Of all her friends.bfriends Or “lovers,” i.e., political allies.
All her allies have betrayed her;
They have become her foes.
ג Judah has gone into exile
Because of misery and harsh oppression;
When she settled among the nations,
She found no rest;
All her pursuers overtook her
In the narrow places.cIn the narrow places Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
ד Zion’s roads are in mourning,
Empty of festival pilgrims;
All her gates are deserted.
Her priests sigh,
Her maidens are unhappy—
She is utterly disconsolate!
ה Her enemies are now the masters,
Her foes are at ease,
Because GOD has afflicted her
For her many transgressions;
Her infants have gone into captivity
Before the enemy.
ו Gone from Fair Zion are all
That were her glory;
Her leaders were like stags
That found no pasture;
They could only walk feebly
Before the pursuer.
ז All that she treasured
In the days of old
Jerusalem recalled
In her days of woe and sorrow,
When her people fell by enemy hands
With none to help her;
When enemies looked on and gloated
Over her downfall.
ח Jerusalem has greatly sinned,
Therefore she is become a mockery.
All who admired her despise her,
For they have seen her disgraced;ddisgraced Lit. “nakedness,” i.e., her shame.
And she can only sigh
And shrink back.
ט Her impurityeimpurity I.e., her moral guilt or the impurity of sexual immorality; cf. Jer. 2.22. clings to her skirts.
She gave no thought to her future;
She has sunk appallingly,
With none to comfort her.—
“See, O ETERNAL One, my misery;
How the enemy jeers!”
י The foe has laid hands
On everything dear to her.
She has seen her Sanctuary
Invaded by nations
That You have denied admission
Into Your community.
כ All her inhabitants sigh
As they search for bread;
They have bartered their treasuresftreasures i.e., jewels or children; cf. Hos. 9.16. for food,
To keep themselves alive.—
“See, O ETERNAL One, and behold,
How abjectgHow abject Or (ironically) “What a glutton”; cf. Prov. 23.20–21. I have become!”
ל hA lament by Zion personified. “May it never befall you,iMay it never befall you Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
All who pass along the road—
Look about and see:
Is there any agony like mine,
Which was dealt out to me
When GOD afflicted me
On this day of wrath?
מ From above [God] sent a fire
Down into my bones,
Then spread a net for my feet
And hurled me backward—
Leaving me forlorn,
In constant misery.
נ jMeaning of parts of vv. 14 and 15 uncertain. The yoke of my offenses is bound fast,
Lashed tight by God’s hand;
Imposed upon my neck,
It saps my strength;
The Sovereign has delivered me into the hands
Of those I cannot withstand.
ס The Sovereign in my midst has rejected
All my heroes,
And proclaimed a set time against me
To crush my young men.
As in a press the Sovereign has trodden
Fair Maiden Judah.
ע For these things do I weep,
My eyes flow with tears:
Far from me is any comforter
Who might revive my spirit;
My children are forlorn,
For the foe has prevailed.”
פ Zion spreads out her hands,
She has no one to comfort her;
GOD has summoned against Jacob
His enemies all about him;
Jerusalem has become an outcastkan outcast Or “a menstruous woman”; cf. Ezek. 36.17. among them.
צ lAnother lament by Zion personified. “GOD is in the right,
For I have been disobedient.
Hear, all you peoples,
And behold my agony:
My maidens and my youths
Have gone into captivity!
ק I cried out to my friends,mfriends See note at v. 2.
But they played me false.
My priests and my elders
Have perished in the city
As they searched for food
To keep themselves alive.
ר See, O ETERNAL One, the distress I am in!
My heart is in anguish,
I know how wrong I wasnI know how wrong I was Lit. “My heart has turned over within me”; cf. Exod. 14.5; Hos. 11.8.
To disobey.
Outside the sword deals death;
Indoors, the plague.
ש When they heard how I was sighing,
There was none to comfort me;
All my foes heard of my plight and exulted.
For it is Your doing:
You have brought on the day that You threatened.
Oh, let them become like me!oYou have brought on the day that You threatened. / Oh, let them become like me! Emendation yields “Oh, bring on them what befell me, / And let them become like me!”
ת Let all their wrongdoing come before You,
And deal with them
As You have dealt with me
For all my transgressions.
For my sighs are many,
And my heart is sick.”
About This Text
Source
Lamentations
Category
Tanach
Reference
Lamentations 1:14
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