Aleph Quomodo obscuratum est aurum, mutatus est color optimus! dispersi sunt lapides sanctuarii in capite omnium platearum!

All dim, now, and discoloured, the gold that once shone so fair! Heaped up at every street-corner lie hallowed stones.

Aleph. How is the gold become dim, the finest colour is changed, the stones of the sanctuary are scattered in the top of every street?

Beth Filii Sion inclyti, et amicti auro primo: quomodo reputati sunt in vasa testea, opus manuum figuli!

Bright they shone once in all their renown, the men of Sion, and now what are they? Little regarded as common earthenware, of the potter’s fashioning.

Beth. The noble sons of Sion, and they that were clothed with the best gold: how are they esteemed as earthen vessels, the work of the potter’s hands?

Ghimel Sed et lamiæ nudaverunt mammam, lactaverunt catulos suos: filia populi mei crudelis quasi struthio in deserto.

Cub of jackal is fed at its dam’s breast; and has my people grown unnatural towards its own children, like some ostrich in the desert?

Ghimel. Even the sea monsters have drawn out the breast, they have given suck to their young: the daughter of my people is cruel, like the ostrich in the desert.

Daleth Adhæsit lingua lactentis ad palatum ejus in siti; parvuli petierunt panem, et non erat qui frangeret eis.

Dry throat and parching tongue for babe at the breast; children asking for bread, and never a crust to share with them!

Daleth. The tongue of the sucking child hath stuck to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the little ones have asked for bread, and there was none to break it unto them.

He Qui vescebantur voluptuose, interierunt in viis; qui nutriebantur in croceis, amplexati sunt stercora.

Ever they fared daintily, that now lie starved in the streets; ever went richly arrayed, and now their fingers clutch at the dung-hill.

He. They that were fed delicately have died in the streets; they that were brought up in scarlet have embraced the dung.

Vau Et major effecta est iniquitas filiæ populi mei peccato Sodomorum, quæ subversa est in momento, et non ceperunt in ea manus.

Faithless Juda! Heavier punishment she must needs undergo than guilty Sodom, that perished all in a moment, and never a blow struck.

Vau. And the iniquity of the daughter of my people is made greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, and hands took nothing in her.

Zain Candidiores Nazaræi ejus nive, nitidiores lacte, rubicundiores ebore antiquo, sapphiro pulchriores.

Gone, the fair bloom of princely cheeks, snowy-pure, cream-white, red as tinted ivory, and all sapphire-clear;

Zain. Her Nazarites were whiter than snow, purer than milk, more ruddy than the old ivory, fairer than the sapphire.

Heth Denigrata est super carbones facies eorum et non sunt cogniti in plateis; adhæsit cutis eorum ossibus: aruit, et facta est quasi lignum.

Here is no recognizing them, out in the streets, coal-black, skin clinging to bones, dry as wood!

Heth. Their face is now made blacker than coals, and they are not known in the streets: their skin hath stuck to their bones, it is withered, and is become like wood.

Teth Melius fuit occisis gladio quam interfectis fame, quoniam isti extabuerunt consumpti a sterilitate terræ.

It were better to have fallen at the sword’s point than yield thus to the stab of hunger, wasted away through famine.

Teth. It was better with them that were slain by the sword, than with them that died with hunger: for these pined away being consumed for want of the fruits of the earth.

Jod Manus mulierum misericordium coxerunt filios suos; facti sunt cibus earum in contritione filiæ populi mei.

Juda brought low, and mother-love forgotten; that women should eat their own children, cooked with their own hands!

Jod. The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

Caph Complevit Dominus furorem suum, effudit iram indignationis suæ: et succendit ignem in Sion, et devoravit fundamenta ejus.

Kindled at last is the Lord’s anger; rains down from heaven the storm of his vengeance, lighting a flame that burns Sion to the ground.

Caph. The Lord hath accomplished his wrath, he hath poured out his fierce anger: and he hath kindled a fire in Sion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof.

Lamed Non crediderunt reges terræ, et universi habitatores orbis, quoniam ingrederetur hostis et inimicus per portas Jerusalem.

Little dreamed they, king and common folk the world over, that any assault of the foe should storm Jerusalem gates;

Lamed. The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world would not have believed, that the adversary and the enemy should enter in by the gates of Jerusalem.

Mem Propter peccata prophetarum ejus, et iniquitates sacerdotum ejus, qui effuderunt in medio ejus sanguinem justorum.

Malice and lawlessness it was of priest and prophet, whereby innocent men came to their deaths, that brought such punishment.

Mem. For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.

Nun Erraverunt cæci in plateis, polluti sunt in sanguine; cumque non possent, tenuerunt lacinias suas.

Now, as they walk blindly through the streets, they are defiled with blood; no help for it, gather their skirts about them as they may;

Nun. They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they were defiled with blood: and when they could not help walking in it, they held up their skirts.

Samech Recedite polluti, clamaverunt eis; recedite, abite, nolite tangere: jurgati quippe sunt, et commoti dixerunt inter gentes: Non addet ultra ut habitet in eis.

Out of my way! cries one to another; Back, pollution, do not touch me! The very Gentiles protest in alarm, Here is no place for them!

Samech. Depart you that are defiled, they cried out to them: Depart, get ye hence, touch not: for they quarrelled, and being removed, they said among the Gentiles: He will no more dwell among them.

Phe Facies Domini divisit eos, non addet ut respiciat eos; facies sacerdotum non erubuerunt, neque senum miserti sunt.

Protection the Lord gives them no longer, they are dispersed under his frown; the priesthood no honour claims, old age no pity.

Phe. The face of the Lord hath divided them, he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, neither had they pity on the ancient.

Ain Cum adhuc subsisteremus, defecerunt oculi nostri ad auxilium nostrum vanum; cum respiceremus attenti ad gentem quæ salvare non poterat.

Quenched is the hope our eyes strained for, while hope was left us; looking for help so eagerly to a nation that had none to give!

Ain. While we were yet standing, our eyes failed, expecting help for us in vain, when we looked attentively towards a nation that was not able to save.

Sade Lubricaverunt vestigia nostra in itinere platearum nostrarum; appropinquavit finis noster, completi sunt dies nostri, quia venit finis noster.

Refuge for us in the treacherous highways is none; we are near the end; all is over, this is the end;

Sade. Our steps have slipped in the way of our streets, our end draweth near: our days are fulfilled, for our end is come.

Coph Velociores fuerunt persecutores nostri aquilis cæli; super montes persecuti sunt nos, in deserto insidiati sunt nobis.

Swifter than flight of eagles the pursuit; even on the mountains they give chase, even in the desert take us by surprise.

Coph. Our persecutors were swifter than the eagles of the air: they pursued us upon the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

Res Spiritus oris nostri, christus Dominus, captus est in peccatis nostris, cui diximus: In umbra tua vivemus in gentibus.

Through our fault he who is breath of life to us, our anointed king, is led away captive; under his shadow we hoped our race should thrive.

Res. The breath of our mouth, Christ the Lord, is taken in our sins: to whom we said: Under thy shadow we shall live among the Gentiles.

Sin Gaude et lætare, filia Edom, quæ habitas in terra Hus! ad te quoque perveniet calix: inebriaberis, atque nudaberis.

Until thy turn comes, shout on, Edom, triumph on, land of Hus; the same cup thou too shalt drink, and be drunken, and stripped bare.

Sin. Rejoice, and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Hus: to thee also shall the cup come, thou shalt be made drunk, and naked.

Thau Completa est iniquitas tua, filia Sion: non addet ultra ut transmigret te. Visitavit iniquitatem tuam, filia Edom; discooperuit peccata tua.

Vengeful audit-day! Sion’s account closed, recovered her fortunes; Edom called to account, discovered her guilt!

Thau. Thy iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Sion, he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he hath visited thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he hath discovered thy sins.