Lamentations 3:1
אֲנִ֤י הַגֶּ֙בֶר֙ רָאָ֣ה עֳנִ֔י בְּשֵׁ֖בֶט עֶבְרָתֽוֹ׃
Lamentations 3:2
אוֹתִ֥י נָהַ֛ג וַיֹּלַ֖ךְ חֹ֥שֶךְ וְלֹא־אֽוֹר׃
Lamentations 3:3
אַ֣ךְ בִּ֥י יָשֻׁ֛ב יַהֲפֹ֥ךְ יָד֖וֹ כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ס
Lamentations 3:4
בִּלָּ֤ה בְשָׂרִי֙ וְעוֹרִ֔י שִׁבַּ֖ר עַצְמוֹתָֽי׃
Lamentations 3:5
בָּנָ֥ה עָלַ֛י וַיַּקַּ֖ף רֹ֥אשׁ וּתְלָאָֽה׃
Lamentations 3:6
בְּמַחֲשַׁכִּ֥ים הוֹשִׁיבַ֖נִי כְּמֵתֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם׃ס
Lamentations 3:7
גָּדַ֧ר בַּעֲדִ֛י וְלֹ֥א אֵצֵ֖א הִכְבִּ֥יד נְחָשְׁתִּֽי׃
Lamentations 3:8
גַּ֣ם כִּ֤י אֶזְעַק֙ וַאֲשַׁוֵּ֔עַ שָׂתַ֖ם תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃
Lamentations 3:9
גָּדַ֤ר דְּרָכַי֙ בְּגָזִ֔ית נְתִיבֹתַ֖י עִוָּֽה׃ס
Lamentations 3:10
דֹּ֣ב אֹרֵ֥ב הוּא֙ לִ֔י אַרְיֵה בְּמִסְתָּרִֽים׃
Lamentations 3:11
דְּרָכַ֥י סוֹרֵ֛ר וַֽיְפַשְּׁחֵ֖נִי שָׂמַ֥נִי שֹׁמֵֽם׃
Lamentations 3:12
דָּרַ֤ךְ קַשְׁתוֹ֙ וַיַּצִּיבֵ֔נִי כַּמַּטָּרָ֖א לַחֵֽץ׃ס
Lamentations 3:13
הֵבִיא֙ בְּכִלְיוֹתָ֔י בְּנֵ֖י אַשְפָּתֽוֹ׃
Lamentations 3:14
הָיִ֤יתִי שְּׂחֹק֙ לְכָל־עַמִּ֔י נְגִינָתָ֖ם כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃
Lamentations 3:15
הִשְׂבִּיעַ֥נִי בַמְּרוֹרִ֖ים הִרְוַ֥נִי לַעֲנָֽה׃ס
Lamentations 3:16
וַיַּגְרֵ֤ס בֶּֽחָצָץ֙ שִׁנָּ֔י הִכְפִּישַׁ֖נִי בָּאֵֽפֶר׃
Lamentations 3:17
וַתִּזְנַ֧ח מִשָּׁל֛וֹם נַפְשִׁ֖י נָשִׁ֥יתִי טוֹבָֽה׃
You have removed my soul from peace; I forgot goodness.
Paraphrase: Any hope of settling down and living with my family in peace and prosperity is shattered. All the good times we used to enjoy are erased from my memory.
Comments:
Lamentations 3:18
וָאֹמַר֙ אָבַ֣ד נִצְחִ֔י וְתוֹחַלְתִּ֖י מֵיְהוָֽה׃ס
and I said, my future has perished, and my hope from YHWH.
Paraphrase: Finally, I realized I had nothing left to hope for. Any thought of pushing through and rebuilding my life after this disaster was out of the question. I eventually came to the point where I lost all hope, even the hope I had that YHWH would deliver me. One by one, all the lights in my life flickered out until I was left in complete darkness.
Comments:
נֶצַח (see here) is so hard to translate.
Lamentations 3:19
זְכָר־עָנְיִ֥י וּמְרוּדִ֖י לַעֲנָ֥ה וָרֹֽאשׁ׃
Remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and gall.
Paraphrase: Oh YHWH, remember I beseech You, my pain and my wandering away from You. Remember the awful bitterness and grief which I daily experience and which makes my life utterly unbearable.
Comments:
Lamentations 3:20
זָכ֣וֹר תִּזְכּ֔וֹר וְתָשִׁיחַ עָלַ֖י נַפְשִֽׁי׃
My soul surely remembers and sinks down beside me.
Paraphrase: It’s as if my soul leaves my body, reflects on all these disasters, and then sinks down in terrible grief alongside me.
Comments:
Here is the usual use of the infinitive absolute.
Lamentations 3:21
זֹ֛את אָשִׁ֥יב אֶל־לִבִּ֖י עַל־כֵּ֥ן אוֹחִֽיל׃ס
This I cause to return to my heart; therefore, I am hopeful.
Paraphrase: But now, a new thought comes to my mind. I work hard to remember all the great acts of deliverance which God performed for His people in the past. Once I begin thinking of these things, the lights of hope begin to shine again.
Comments:
Lamentations 3:22
חַֽסְדֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ כִּ֣י לֹא־תָ֔מְנוּ כִּ֥י לֹא־כָל֖וּ רַחֲמָֽיו׃
It is the faithfulness of YHWH that we are not finished that His compassions do not end.
Paraphrase: Yes, it’s God’s faithfulness to the covenant that He made with us that brings back hope. He will never turn His back on us. On the contrary, I see now that YHWH loves His people, He’s chosen them, and He will always preserve them no matter what disasters may happen to them.
Comments:
Glueck writes on hesed: “From the preceding analysis it becomes clear that hesed is received or shown only by those among whom a definite relationship exists.”
Lamentations 3:23
חֲדָשִׁים֙ לַבְּקָרִ֔ים רַבָּ֖ה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃
New each morning; great is Your trustworthiness.
Paraphrase: Now that I’m seeing things this way, I see that actually Your mercy to us is new each morning. Every morning, I see Your faithfulness and love for us. Then I have to sing, “Great is Your Faithfulness!” Join me, people, in singing:
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the God of gods, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
To Him who alone does great wonders, For His lovingkindness is everlasting; (Psalm 136:1-4)
Comments:
Lamentations 3:24
חֶלְקִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אָמְרָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֔י עַל־כֵּ֖ן אוֹחִ֥יל לֽוֹ׃ס
“My portion is YHWH,” says my soul, “Therefore, I hope in Him.”
Paraphrase: Everything around me may very well be going to pieces, but my hope is not built on these things. The thing that I’m looking to in these times is not a plot of land or a prosperous estate. My portion is YHWH Himself. I pin my happiness and peace on Him; He will provide for me all that I need in this life.
Comments:
חֵלֶק is synonymous with חֶלְקָה. On the idea behind portion, see Wright.
Lamentations 3:25
ט֤וֹב יְהוָה֙ לְקוָֹ֔ו לְנֶ֖פֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶֽׁנּוּ׃
Lamentations 3:26
ט֤וֹב וְיָחִיל֙ וְדוּמָ֔ם לִתְשׁוּעַ֖ת יְהוָֽה׃
Lamentations 3:27
ט֣וֹב לַגֶּ֔בֶר כִּֽי־יִשָּׂ֥א עֹ֖ל בִּנְעוּרָֽיו׃ס
Lamentations 3:28
יֵשֵׁ֤ב בָּדָד֙ וְיִדֹּ֔ם כִּ֥י נָטַ֖ל עָלָֽיו׃
Lamentations 3:29
יִתֵּ֤ן בֶּֽעָפָר֙ פִּ֔יהוּ אוּלַ֖י יֵ֥שׁ תִּקְוָֽה׃
Lamentations 3:30
יִתֵּ֧ן לְמַכֵּ֛הוּ לֶ֖חִי יִשְׂבַּ֥ע בְּחֶרְפָּֽה׃ס
Lamentations 3:31
כִּ֣י לֹ֥א יִזְנַ֛ח לְעוֹלָ֖ם אֲדֹנָֽי׃
Lamentations 3:32
כִּ֣י אִם־הוֹגָ֔ה וְרִחַ֖ם כְּרֹ֥ב חַסְדּוֹ׃
Lamentations 3:33
כִּ֣י לֹ֤א עִנָּה֙ מִלִּבּ֔וֹ וַיַּגֶּ֖ה בְנֵי־אִֽישׁ׃ס
Lamentations 3:34
לְדַכֵּא֙ תַּ֣חַת רַגְלָ֔יו כֹּ֖ל אֲסִ֥ירֵי אָֽרֶץ׃
Lamentations 3:35
לְהַטּוֹת֙ מִשְׁפַּט־גָּ֔בֶר נֶ֖גֶד פְּנֵ֥י עֶלְיֽוֹן׃
Lamentations 3:36
לְעַוֵּ֤ת אָדָם֙ בְּרִיב֔וֹ אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹ֥א רָאָֽה׃ס
Lamentations 3:37
מִ֣י זֶ֤ה אָמַר֙ וַתֶּ֔הִי אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹא צִוָּֽה׃
Lamentations 3:38
מִפִּ֤י עֶלְיוֹן֙ לֹ֣א תֵצֵ֔א הָרָע֖וֹת וְהַטּֽוֹב׃
Lamentations 3:39
מַה־יִּתְאוֹנֵן֙ אָדָ֣ם חָ֔י גֶּ֖בֶר על־חֶטְאוֹ׃ס
Lamentations 3:40
נַחְפְּשָׂ֤ה דְרָכֵ֙ינוּ֙ וְֽנַחְקֹ֔רָה וְנָשׁ֖וּבָה עַד־יְהוָֽה׃
Lamentations 3:41
נִשָּׂ֤א לְבָבֵ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־כַּפָּ֔יִם אֶל־אֵ֖ל בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
Lamentations 3:42
נַ֤חְנוּ פָשַׁ֙עְנוּ֙ וּמָרִ֔ינוּ אַתָּ֖ה לֹ֥א סָלָֽחְתָּ׃ס
Lamentations 3:43
סַכֹּ֤תָה בָאַף֙ וַֽתִּרְדְּפֵ֔נוּ הָרַ֖גְתָּ לֹ֥א חָמָֽלְתָּ׃
Lamentations 3:44
סַכּ֤וֹתָה בֶֽעָנָן֙ לָ֔ךְ מֵעֲב֖וֹר תְּפִלָּֽה׃
Lamentations 3:45
סְחִ֧י וּמָא֛וֹס תְּשִׂימֵ֖נוּ בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָעַמִּֽים׃ס
Lamentations 3:46
פָּצ֥וּ עָלֵ֛ינוּ פִּיהֶ֖ם כָּל־אֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃
Lamentations 3:47
פַּ֧חַד וָפַ֛חַת הָ֥יָה לָ֖נוּ הַשֵּׁ֥את וְהַשָּֽׁבֶר׃
Lamentations 3:48
פַּלְגֵי־מַ֙יִם֙ תֵּרַ֣ד עֵינִ֔י עַל־שֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃ס
Lamentations 3:49
עֵינִ֧י נִגְּרָ֛ה וְלֹ֥א תִדמֶ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ין הֲפֻגֽוֹת׃
Lamentations 3:50
עַד־יַשְׁקִ֣יף וְיֵ֔רֶא יְהוָ֖ה מִשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
Lamentations 3:51
עֵינִי֙ עֽוֹלְלָ֣ה לְנַפְשִׁ֔י מִכֹּ֖ל בְּנ֥וֹת עִירִֽי׃ס
Lamentations 3:52
צ֥וֹד צָד֛וּנִי כַּצִּפּ֖וֹר אֹיְבַ֥י חִנָּֽם׃
Lamentations 3:53
צָֽמְת֤וּ בַבּוֹר֙ חַיָּ֔י וַיַּדּוּ־אֶ֖בֶן בִּֽי׃
Lamentations 3:54
צָֽפוּ־מַ֥יִם עַל־רֹאשִׁ֖י אָמַ֥רְתִּי נִגְזָֽרְתִּי׃ס
Lamentations 3:55
קָרָ֤אתִי שִׁמְךָ֙ יְהוָ֔ה מִבּ֖וֹר תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹת׃
Lamentations 3:56
קוֹלִ֖י שָׁמָ֑עְתָּ אַל־תַּעְלֵ֧ם אָזְנְךָ֛ לְרַוְחָתִ֖י לְשַׁוְעָתִֽי׃
Lamentations 3:57
קָרַ֙בְתָּ֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֶקְרָאֶ֔ךָּ אָמַ֖רְתָּ אַל־תִּירָֽא׃ס
Lamentations 3:58
רַ֧בְתָּ אֲדֹנָ֛י רִיבֵ֥י נַפְשִׁ֖י גָּאַ֥לְתָּ חַיָּֽי׃
Lamentations 3:59
רָאִ֤יתָה יְהוָה֙ עַוָּ֣תָתִ֔י שָׁפְטָ֖ה מִשְפָּטִֽי׃
Lamentations 3:60
רָאִ֙יתָה֙ כָּל־נִקְמָתָ֔ם כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם לִֽי׃ס
Lamentations 3:61
שָׁמַ֤עְתָּ חֶרְפָּתָם֙ יְהוָ֔ה כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם עָלָֽי׃
Lamentations 3:62
שִׂפְתֵ֤י קָמַי֙ וְהֶגְיוֹנָ֔ם עָלַ֖י כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃
Lamentations 3:63
שִׁבְתָּ֤ם וְקִֽימָתָם֙ הַבִּ֔יטָה אֲנִ֖י מַנְגִּינָתָֽם׃ס
Lamentations 3:64
תָּשִׁ֨יב לָהֶ֥ם גְּמ֛וּל יְהוָ֖ה כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יְדֵיהֶֽם׃
Lamentations 3:65
תִּתֵּ֤ן לָהֶם֙ מְגִנַּת־לֵ֔ב תַּאֲלָֽתְךָ֖ לָהֶֽם׃
Lamentations 3:66
תִּרְדֹּ֤ף בְּאַף֙ וְתַשְׁמִידֵ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת שְׁמֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃פ