Lamentations 4

1 ΠΩΣ ἀμαυρωθήσεται χρυσίον, ἀλλοιωθήσεται τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ ἀγαθόν; ἐξεχύθησαν λίθοι ἅγιοι ἀπ' ἀρχῆς πασῶν ἐξόδων.

1 ALEPH. How will the gold be tarnished, [and] the fine silver changed! the sacred stones have been poured forth at the top of all the streets.

2 Υἱοὶ Σιὼν οἱ τίμιοι, οἱ ἐπῃρμένοι ἐν χρυσίῳ, πῶς ἐλογίσθησαν εἰς ἀγγεῖα ὀστράκινα, ἔργα χειρῶν κεραμέως;

2 BETH. The precious sons of Zion, who were equalled in value with gold, how are they counted as earthen vessels, the works of the hands of the potter!

3 Καί γε δράκοντες ἐξέδυσαν μαστούς, ἐθήλασαν σκύμνοι αὐτῶν· θυγατέρες λαοῦ μου εἰς ἀνίατον ὡς στρουθίον ἐν ἐρήμῳ.

3 GIMEL. Nay, serpents have drawn out the breasts, they give suck to their young, the daughters of my people are incurably cruel, as an ostrich in a desert.

4 Ἐκολλήθη ἡ γλῶσσα θηλάζοντες πρὸς τὸν φάρυγγα αὐτοῦ ἐν δίψει· νήπια ᾔτηησαν ἄρτον, ὁ διακλῶν οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς.

4 DALETH. The tongue of the sucking child cleaves to the roof of its mouth for thirst: the little children ask for bread, [and] there is none to break [it] to them.

5 Οἱ ἔσθοντες τὰς τρυφὰς ἠφανίσθησαν ἐν ταῖς ἐξόδοις, οἱ τιθηνούμενοι ἐπὶ κόκκων περιεβάλλοντο κοπρίας.

5 HE. They that feed on dainties are desolate in the streets: they that used to be nursed in scarlet have clothed themselves with dung.

6 Καὶ ἐμεγαλύνθη ἀνομία θυγατρὸς λαοῦ μου ὑπὲρ ἀνομίας Σοδόμων τῆς κατεστραμμένης ὥσπερ σπουδῇ, καὶ οὐκ ἐπόνεσαν ἐν αὐτῇ χεῖρας.

6 VAU. And the iniquity of the daughter of my people has been increased beyond the iniquities of Sodoma, [the city] that was overthrown very suddenly, and none laboured against her [with their] hands.

7 Ἐκαθαριώθησαν Ναζιραῖοι αὐτῆς ὑπὲρ χιόνα, ἔλαμψαν ὑπὲρ γάλα, ἐπυρώθησαν ὑπὲρ λίθους σαπφείρου τὸ ἀπόσπασμα αὐτῶν.

7 ZAIN. Her Nazarites were made purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were purified [as] with fire, their polishing was superior to sapphire stone.

8 Ἐσκότασεν ὑπὲρ ἀσβόλην τὸ εἶδος αὐτῶν, οὐκ ἐπεγνώσθησαν ἐν ταῖς ἐξόδοις· ἐπάγη δέρμα αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὰ ὀστέα αὐτῶν, ἐξηράνθησαν, ἐγενήθησαν ὥσπερ ξύλον.

8 HETH. Their countenance is become blacker than smoke; they are not known in the streets: their skin has cleaved to their bones; they are withered, they are become as a stick.

9 Καλοὶ ἦσαν οἱ τραυματίαι ρομφαίας ἢ οἱ τραυματίαι λιμοῦ· ἐπορεύθησαν ἐκκεκεντημένοι ἀπὸ γεννημάτων ἀγρῶν.

9 TETH. The slain with the sword were better than they that were slain with hunger: they have departed, pierced through from [lack of] the fruits of the field.

10 Χεῖρες γυναικῶν οἰκτριρμόνων ἥψησαν τὰ παιδία αὐτῶν, ἐγενήθησαν εἰς βρῶσιν αὐταῖς ἐν τῷ συννντρίμματι τῆς θυγατρὸς τοῦ λαοῦ μου.

10 JOD. The hands of tender-hearted women have sodden their own children: they became meat for them in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

11 Συνετέλεσε Κύριος θυμὸν αὐτοῦ, ἐξέχεε θυμὸν ὀργῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνῆψε πῦρ ἐν Σιών, καὶ κατέφαγε τὰ θεμέλια αὐτῆς.

11 CHAPH. The Lord has accomplished his wrath; he has poured out fierce anger, and has kindled a fire in Sion, and it has devoured her foundations.

12 Οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν βασιλεῖς γῆς, πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν οἰκουμένην, ὅτι εἰσελεύσεται ἐχθρὸς καὶ ἐκθλίβων διὰ τῶν πυλῶν Ἱερουσαλήμ.

12 LAMED. The kings of the earth, [even] all that dwell in the world, believed not that an enemy and oppressor would enter through the gates of Jerusalem.

13 Ἐξ ἁμαρτιῶν προφητῶν αὐτῆς, ἀδικιῶν ἱερέων αὐτῆς τῶν ἐκχεόντων αἷμα δίκαιον ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς.

13 MEM. For the sins of her prophets, [and] iniquities of her priests, who shed righteous blood in the midst of her,

14 Ἐσαλεύθησαν ἐγρήγοροι αὐτῆς ἐν ταῖς ἐξόδοις, ἐμολύνθησαν ἐν αἵματι· ἐν τῷ μὴ δύνασθαι αὐτοὺς ἥψαντο ἐνδυμάτων αὐτῶν.

14 NUN. her watchmen staggered in the streets, they were defiled with blood in their weakness, they touched their raiment [with it].

15 Ἀπόστητε ἐκαθάρτων  καλέσατε αὐτούς  ἀπόστητε, ἀπόστητε, μὴ ἅπτεσθε, ὅτι ἀνήφθησαν καί γε ἐσαλεύθησαν· εἴπατε ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν· οὐ μὴ προσθῶσι τοῦ παροικεῖν.

15 SAMECH. Depart you⌃ from the unclean ones: call you⌃ them: depart, depart, touch [them] not: for they are on fire, yes, they stagger: say you⌃ amongst the nations, They shall no more sojourn [there].

16 Πρόσωπον Κυρίου μερὶς αὐτῶν, οὐ προσθήσει ἐπιβλέπψαι αὐτοῖς· πρόσωπον ἱερέων οὐκ ἔλαβον, πρεσβύτας οὐκ ἠλέησαν.

16 AIN. The presence of the Lord [was] their portion; [but] he will not again look upon them: they regarded not the person of the priests, they pitied not the prophets.

17 Ἔτι ὄντων ἡμῶν ἐξέλιπον οἱ ὀοφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν εἰς τὴν βοήθειαν ἡμῶν μάταια· ἀποσκοπευόντων ἡμῶν ἀπεσκοπεύσαμεν εἰς ἔθνος οὐ σῷζον.

17 PHE. While we yet lived our eyes failed, while we looked in vain for our help. TSADE. We looked to a nation that could not save.

18 Ἐθηρεύσαμεν μικροὺς ἡμῶν τοῦ μὴυ προεύεσθαι ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις ἡμῶν·19 ἤγγικεν ὁ καιρὸς ἡμῶν, ἐκπληρώθησαν αἱ ἡμέραι ἡμῶν, πάρεστιν ὁ καιρὸς ἡμῶν. Κοῦφοι ἐγένοντο οἱ διώκοντες ἡμᾶς ὑπὲρ ἀετοὺς οὐρανοῦ, ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων ἐξέπτησαν, ἐν ἐρήμῳ ἐνύδρευσαν ἡμᾶς.

18 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky, they flew on the mountains, in the wilderness they laid wait for us. (verse 19 in Brenton's English)

20 Πνεῦμα προσώπου ἡμῶν χριστὸς Κυρίου συνελήφθη ἐν ταῖς διαφθοραῖς αὐτῶν, οὗ εἴπαμεν· ἐν τῇ σκιᾷ αὐτοῦ ζησόμεθα ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι.

20 RECHS. The breath of our nostrils, [our] anointed Lord, was taken in their destructive snares, of whom we said, In his shadow we shall live amongst the Gentiles.

21 Χαῖρε καὶ εὐφραίνου, θύγατερ Ἰδουμαίας ἡ κατοικοῦσα ἐπὶ γῆς· καί γε ἐπὶ σὲ διελεὑύσεται τὸ ποτήριον Κυρίου καὶ μεθυσθήσῃ καὶ ἀποχεεῖς.

21 CHSEN. Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Idumea, that dwell in the land: yet the cup of the Lord shall pass through to you: you shall be drunken, and pour forth.

22 Ἐξέλιπεν ἡ ἀνομία σου, θύγατερ Σιών, οὐ προσθήσει τοῦ ἀποικίσαι σε. ἐπεσκέψατο ἀνομίας σου, θύγατερ Ἐδώμ· ἀπεκάλυψεν ἐπὶ τὰ ἀσεβήματά σου.

22 THAU. O daughter of Sion, your iniquity has come to an end; he shall no more carry you captive: he has visited your iniquities, O daughter of Edom; he has revealed your sins.