Lamentations

The Lamentations of Jeremiah, chapter 1, Vulgate and King James Version

This chapter is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

Chapter 1 Vulgate

   1 ALEPH. Quomodo sedet sola civitas plena populo! Facta est quasi vidua domina gentium; princeps provinciarum facta est sub tributo.
   2 BETH. Plorans plorat in nocte, et lacrimae eius in maxillis eius; non est qui consoletur eam ex omnibus caris eius: omnes amici eius spreverunt eam et facti sunt ei inimici.
   3 GHIMEL. Migravit Iudas prae afflictione et multitudine servitutis; habitat inter gentes nec invenit requiem: omnes persecutores eius apprehenderunt eam inter angustias.
   4 DALETH. Viae Sion lugent, eo quod non sint qui veniant ad sollemnitatem; omnes portae eius destructae, sacerdotes eius gementes, virgines eius afflictae, et ipsa oppressa amaritudine.
   5 HE. Facti sunt hostes eius in caput, inimici eius in securitate, quia Dominus afflixit eam propter multitudinem iniquitatum eius; parvuli eius ducti sunt captivi ante faciem tribulantis.
   6 VAU. Et egressus est a filia Sion omnis decor eius; facti sunt principes eius velut cervi non invenientes pascua et abierunt absque fortitudine ante faciem persequentis.
   7 ZAIN. Recordata est Ierusalem dierum afflictionis suae et peregrinationis, omnium desiderabilium suorum, quae habuerat a diebus antiquis, cum caderet populus eius in manu hostili, et non esset auxiliator; viderunt eam hostes et deriserunt interitum eius.
   8 HETH. Peccatum peccavit Ierusalem, propterea abominabilis facta est; omnes, qui glorificabant eam, spreverunt illam, quia viderunt ignominiam eius: ipsa autem gemens conversa est retrorsum.
   9 TETH. Sordes eius in fimbriis eius, nec recordata est finis sui; deposita est vehementer, non habens consolatorem." Vide, Domine, afflictionem meam, quoniam erectus est inimicus!".
   10 IOD. Manum suam misit hostis ad omnia desiderabilia eius, quia vidit gentes ingressas sanctuarium suum, de quibus praeceperas, ne intrarent in ecclesiam tuam.
   11 CAPH. Omnis populus eius gemens et quaerens panem; dederunt pretiosa quaeque pro cibo ad refocillandam animam." Vide, Domine, et considera, quoniam facta sum vilis!
   12 LAMED. O vos omnes, qui transitis per viam, attendite et videte, si est dolor sicut dolor meus, quem paravit mihi, quo afflixit me Dominus in die irae furoris sui.
   13 MEM. De excelso misit ignem, in ossa mea immisit eum; expandit rete pedibus meis, convertit me retrorsum: posuit me desolatam, tota die maerore confectam.
   14 NUN. Vigilavit super iniquitates meas, in manu eius convolutae sunt et impositae collo meo; debilitavit virtutem meam: dedit me Dominus in manu, de qua non potero surgere.
   15 SAMECH. Sprevit omnes fortes meos Dominus in medio mei; vocavit adversum me conventum, ut contereret iuvenes meos: torcular calcavit Dominus virgini filiae Iudae.
   16 AIN. Idcirco ego plorans, et oculus meus deducens aquas, quia longe factus est a me consolator reficiens animam meam; facti sunt filii mei desolati, quoniam invaluit inimicus".
   17 PHE. Expandit Sion manus suas, non est qui consoletur eam; mandavit Dominus adversum Iacob in circuitu eius hostes eius: facta est Ierusalem quasi polluta menstruis inter eos.
   18 SADE. "Iustus est Dominus, quia contra os eius rebellis fui. Audite, obsecro, universi populi, et videte dolorem meum: virgines meae et iuvenes mei abierunt in captivitatem.
   19 COPH. Vocavi amicos meos, et ipsi deceperunt me; sacerdotes mei et senes mei in urbe consumpti sunt, quia quaesierunt cibum sibi, ut refocillarent animam suam.
   20 RES. Vide, Domine, quoniam tribulor; efferbuerunt viscera mea, subversum est cor meum in memetipsa, quoniam valde rebellis fui; foris orbavit me gladius et domi mors.
   21 SIN. Audi, quia ingemisco ego, et non est qui consoletur me; omnes inimici mei audierunt malum meum, laetati sunt quoniam tu fecisti. Adduc diem, quem proclamasti, et fient similes mei.
   22 THAU. Ingrediatur omne malum eorum coram te, et fac eis, sicut fecisti mihi propter omnes iniquitates meas; multi enim gemitus mei, et cor meum maerens".

King James Version

   1 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!
   2 She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.
   3 Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.
   4 The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.
   5 Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.
   6 And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.
   7 Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths.
   8 Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.
   9 Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.
   10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.
   11 All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O LORD, and consider; for I am become vile.
   12 ¶ Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.
   13 From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.
   14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.
   15 The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.
   16 For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.
   17 Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
   18 ¶ The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.
   19 I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.
   20 Behold, O LORD; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.
   21 They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.
   22 Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.