אֵיכָה

Lamentations — Chapter 2

Read Lamentations Chapter 2 in Biblical Hebrew alongside the King James Version (KJV) — 22 verses. Original Hebrew text with vowel points (nikud) and full English translation.

אֵיכָ֣ה יָעִ֤יב בְּאַפּוֹ֙ אֲדֹנָ֔י אֶת בַּת צִיּ֖וֹן הִשְׁלִ֣יךְ מִשָּׁמַ֔יִם אֶ֖רֶץ תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֤א זָכַר֙ הֲד֣וֹם רַגְלָ֔יו בְּי֖וֹם אַפּֽוֹ׃

KJVHow hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger!

How the Lord in his anger has set the daughter of Zion under a cloud! He has cast down from heaven to earth the splendor of Israel; he has not remembered his footstool in the day of his anger.

בִּלַּ֣ע אֲדֹנָ֗י וְלֹ֤א חָמַל֙ אֵ֚ת כָּל נְא֣וֹת יַעֲקֹ֔ב הָרַ֤ס בְּעֶבְרָתוֹ֙ מִבְצְרֵ֣י בַת יְהוּדָ֔ה הִגִּ֥יעַ לָאָ֖רֶץ חִלֵּ֑ל מַמְלָכָ֖ה וְשָׂרֶֽיהָ׃

KJVThe Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied: he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Judah; he hath brought them down to the ground: he hath polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof.

The Lord has swallowed up without mercy all the habitations of Jacob; in his wrath he has broken down the strongholds of the daughter of Judah; he has brought down to the ground in dishonor the kingdom and its rulers.

גָּדַ֤ע בָּחֳרִי אַ֙פּוֹ֙ כֹּ֣ל קֶ֣רֶן יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הֵשִׁ֤יב אָחוֹר֙ יְמִינ֔וֹ מִפְּנֵ֖י אוֹיֵ֑ב וַיִּבְעַ֤ר בְּיַעֲקֹב֙ כְּאֵ֣שׁ לֶהָבָ֔ה אָכְלָ֖ה סָבִֽיב׃

KJVHe hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about.

He has cut down in fierce anger all the might of Israel; he has withdrawn his right hand from before the enemy; he has burned like a flaming fire in Jacob, consuming all around.

דָּרַ֤ךְ קַשְׁתּוֹ֙ כְּאוֹיֵ֔ב נִצָּ֥ב יְמִינ֖וֹ כְּצָ֑ר וַיַּהֲרֹ֗ג כֹּ֚ל מַחֲמַדֵּ֣י עָ֔יִן בְּאֹ֙הֶל֙ בַּת צִיּ֔וֹן שָׁפַ֥ךְ כָּאֵ֖שׁ חֲמָתֽוֹ׃

KJVHe hath bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire.

He has bent his bow like an enemy, with his right hand set like a foe; and he has killed all who were precious to the eye in the tent of the daughter of Zion; he has poured out his fury like fire.

הָיָ֤ה אֲדֹנָי֙ כְּאוֹיֵ֔ב בִּלַּ֥ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בִּלַּ֣ע כָּל אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֑יהָ שִׁחֵ֣ת מִבְצָרָ֔יו וַיֶּ֙רֶב֙ בְּבַת יְהוּדָ֔ה תַּאֲנִיָּ֖ה וַאֲנִיָּֽה׃

KJVThe Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

The Lord has become like an enemy; he has swallowed up Israel; he has swallowed up all its palaces; he has laid in ruins its strongholds, and multiplied in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

וַיַּחְמֹ֤ס כַּגַּן֙ שֻׂכּ֔וֹ שִׁחֵ֖ת מוֹעֲד֑וֹ שִׁכַּ֨ח יְהוָ֜ה בְּצִיּ֗וֹן מוֹעֵד֙ וְשַׁבָּ֔ת וַיִּנְאַ֥ץ בְּזַֽעַם אַפּ֖וֹ מֶ֥לֶךְ וְכֹהֵֽן׃

KJVAnd he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden: he hath destroyed his places of the assembly: the LORD hath caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest.

He has laid waste his booth like a garden, ruined his meeting place; the LORD has made Zion forget feast and Sabbath, and in his fierce indignation has spurned king and priest.

זָנַ֤ח אֲדֹנָי֙ מִזְבְּח֔וֹ נִאֵ֖ר מִקְדָּשׁ֑וֹ הִסְגִּ֤יר בְּיַד אוֹיֵב֙ חוֹמ֣וֹת אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֔יהָ ק֣וֹל נָתְנ֔וּ בְּבֵית יְהוָ֖ה כְּי֥וֹם מוֹעֵֽד׃

KJVThe Lord hath cast off his altar, he hath abhorred his sanctuary, he hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces; they have made a noise in the house of the LORD, as in the day of a solemn feast.

The Lord has scorned his altar, disowned his sanctuary; he has delivered into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces; they raised a clamor in the house of the LORD as on the day of a feast.

חָשַׁ֤ב יְהוָה֙ לְהַשְׁחִ֔ית חוֹמַ֖ת בַּת צִיּ֑וֹן נָטָ֣ה קָ֔ו לֹ֥א הֵשִׁ֛יב יָד֖וֹ מִבַּלֵּ֑עַ וַיַּאֲבֶ֞ל חֵ֤ל וְחוֹמָה֙ יַחְדָּ֔ו אֻמְלָלֽוּ׃

KJVThe LORD hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion: he hath stretched out a line; he hath not withdrawn his hand from destroying: therefore he made the rampart and the wall to lament; they languished together.

The LORD determined to lay in ruins the wall of the daughter of Zion; he stretched out the measuring line; he did not restrain his hand from destroying; he caused rampart and wall to lament; they languished together.

טָבְע֤וּ בָאָ֙רֶץ֙ שְׁעָרֶ֔יהָ אִבַּ֥ד וְשִׁבַּ֖ר בְּרִיחֶ֑יהָ מַלְכָּ֤הּ וְשָׂרֶ֙יהָ֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם אֵ֣ין תּוֹרָ֔ה גַּם נְבִיאֶ֖יהָ לֹ֥א מָצְאוּ חָז֥וֹן מֵיְהוָֽה׃

KJVHer gates are sunk into the ground; he hath destroyed and broken her bars: her king and her princes are among the Gentiles: the law is no more; her prophets also find no vision from the LORD.

Her gates have sunk into the ground; he has ruined and broken her bars; her king and princes are among the nations; the law is no more; her prophets find no vision from the LORD.

יֵֽשְׁבוּ֩ לָאָ֨רֶץ יִדְּמ֜וּ זִקְנֵ֣י בַת צִיּ֗וֹן הֶעֱל֤וּ עָפָר֙ עַל רֹאשָׁ֔ם חָגְר֖וּ שַׂקִּ֑ים הוֹרִ֤ידוּ לָאָ֙רֶץ֙ רֹאשָׁ֔ן בְּתוּל֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

KJVThe elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground, and keep silence: they have cast up dust upon their heads; they have girded themselves with sackcloth: the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground.

The elders of the daughter of Zion sit on the ground in silence; they have thrown dust on their heads and put on sackcloth; the young women of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground.

כָּל֤וּ בַדְּמָעוֹת֙ עֵינַ֔י חֳמַרְמְר֖וּ מֵעַ֑י נִשְׁפַּ֤ךְ לָאָ֙רֶץ֙ כְּבֵדִ֔י עַל שֶׁ֙בֶר֙ בַּת עַמִּ֔י בְּהִתְעַטֵּ֥ף עוֹלֵ֛ל וְיוֹנֵ֖ק בִּרְחֹב֥וֹת קִרְיָֽה׃

KJVMine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city.

My eyes are spent with weeping; my stomach churns; my bile is poured out to the ground because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, because infants and babies faint in the streets of the city.

לְאִמֹּתָ֣ם יֹֽאמְרוּ֩ אַיֵּ֨ה דָּגָ֤ן וָיַ֙יִן֙ בְּהִתְעַטְּפָ֔ם כֶּחָלָ֖ל בִּרְחֹב֣וֹת עִ֑יר בְּהִשְׁתַּפֵּ֣ךְ נַפְשָׁ֗ם אֶ֚ל חֵ֣יק אִמֹּתָ֔ם׃

KJVThey say to their mothers, Where is corn and wine? when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mothers' bosom.

They cry to their mothers, "Where is grain and wine?" as they faint like a wounded man in the streets of the city, as their life is poured out on their mothers' bosom.

מָ֣ה אֲעִידֵ֗ךְ מָ֤ה אֲדַמֶּה לָּךְ֙ הַבַּת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם מָ֥ה אַשְׁוֶ֛ה לָ֖ךְ וַאֲנַחֲמֵ֑ךְ בְּתוּלַ֣ת בַּת צִיּ֔וֹן כִּ֤י גָדוֹל֙ כַּיָּ֣ם שִׁבְרֵ֔ךְ מִ֖י יִרְפָּא לָֽךְ׃

KJVWhat thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee?

What can I say for you, to what compare you, O daughter of Jerusalem? What can I liken to you, that I may comfort you, O virgin daughter of Zion? For your ruin is vast as the sea; who can heal you?

נְבִיאַ֗יִךְ חָ֤זוּ לָּךְ֙ שָׁוְ֣א וְתָפֵ֔ל וְלֹ֥א גִלּ֖וּ עַל עֲוֺנֵ֑ךְ לְהָשִׁ֣יב שְׁבוּתֵ֔ךְ וַיֶּחֱז֣וּ לָ֔ךְ מַשְׂא֖וֹת שָׁ֥וְא וּמַדּוּחִֽים׃

KJVThy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.

Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes, but have seen for you oracles that are false and misleading.

סָפְקוּ֩ עָלַ֨יִךְ כַּפַּ֜יִם כָּל עֹבְרֵ֣י דֶ֗רֶךְ שָׁרְקוּ֙ וַיָּנִ֣עוּ רֹאשָׁ֔ם עַל בַּת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם הֲזֹ֣את הָעִ֔יר שֶׁיֹּֽאמְר֖וּ כְּלִ֣ילַת יֹ֑פִי מָשׂ֥וֹשׂ לְכָל הָאָֽרֶץ׃

KJVAll that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?

All who pass along the way clap their hands at you; they hiss and wag their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem: "Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of all the earth?"

פָּצ֤וּ עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ פִּיהֶ֔ם כָּל אוֹיְבַ֖יִךְ שָֽׁרְק֛וּ וַיַּחַרְקוּ שֵׁ֔ן אָמְר֖וּ בִּלָּ֑עְנוּ אַ֣ךְ זֶ֔ה הַיּ֥וֹם שֶׁקִּוִּינֻ֖הוּ מָצָ֥אנוּ רָאִֽינוּ׃

KJVAll thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it.

All your enemies open their mouths against you; they hiss, they gnash their teeth, they cry: "We have swallowed her! Ah, this is the day we longed for; now we have found it; we have seen it!"

עָשָׂ֨ה יְהוָ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר זָמָ֗ם בִּצַּ֤ע אֶמְרָתוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֔ה מִ֖ימֵי קֶ֑דֶם הָרַ֣ס וְלֹ֣א חָמָ֔ל וַיְשַׂמַּ֤ח עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ אוֹיֵ֔ב הֵרִ֥ים קֶ֖רֶן צָרָֽיִךְ׃

KJVThe LORD hath done that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he hath thrown down, and hath not pitied: and he hath caused thine enemy to rejoice over thee, he hath set up the horn of thine adversaries.

The LORD has done what he purposed; he has carried out his word, which he commanded long ago; he has thrown down without pity; he has made the enemy rejoice over you and exalted the might of your foes.

צָעַ֤ק לִבָּם֙ אֶל אֲדֹנָ֔י חוֹמַ֖ת בַּת צִיּ֑וֹן הוֹרִ֣ידִי כַנַּ֗חַל דִּמְעָה֙ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַ֔יְלָה אַל תִּתְּנִ֥י פוּגַ֖ת לָ֑ךְ אַל תִּדֹּ֖ם בַּת עֵינֵֽךְ׃

KJVTheir heart cried unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night: give thyself no rest; let not the apple of thine eye cease.

Their heart cried to the Lord. O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears stream down like a torrent day and night! Give yourself no rest, your eyes no respite!

ק֣וּמִי רֹ֣נִּי בַלַּ֡יְלָה לְרֹ֣אשׁ אַשְׁמֻר֣וֹת שִׁפְכִ֣י כַמַּ֣יִם לִבֵּ֣ךְ נֹ֣כַח פְּנֵ֣י אֲדֹנָ֡י שְׂאִ֣י אֵלָ֣יו כַּפַּ֣יִךְ עַל נֶ֣פֶשׁ עֽוֹלָלַ֗יִךְ הָעֲטוּפִ֣ים בְּרָעָ֔ב בְּרֹ֖אשׁ כָּל חוּצֽוֹת׃

KJVArise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.

Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the night watches! Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint for hunger at the head of every street.

רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ וְהַבִּ֔יטָה לְמִ֖י עוֹלַ֣לְתָּ כֹּ֑ה אִם תֹּאכַ֣לְנָה נָשִׁ֗ים פִּרְיָ֛ם עֹלֲלֵ֥י טִפֻּחִ֖ים אִם יֵהָרֵ֛ג בְּמִקְדַּ֥שׁ אֲדֹנָ֖י כֹּהֵ֥ן וְנָבִֽיא׃

KJVBehold, O LORD, and consider to whom thou hast done this. Shall the women eat their fruit, and children of a span long? shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?

Look, O LORD, and see! With whom have you dealt thus? Should women eat the fruit of their womb, the children of their tender care? Should priest and prophet be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord?

שָׁכְב֤וּ לָאָ֙רֶץ֙ חוּצ֔וֹת נַ֖עַר וְזָקֵ֑ן בְּתוּלֹתַ֤י וּבַחוּרַי֙ נָפְל֣וּ בֶחָ֔רֶב הָרַ֙גְתָּ֙ בְּי֣וֹם אַפֶּ֔ךָ טָבַ֖חְתָּ לֹ֥א חָמָֽלְתָּ׃

KJVThe young and the old lie on the ground in the streets: my virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword; thou hast slain them in the day of thine anger; thou hast killed, and not pitied.

In the dust of the streets lie the young and the old; my young women and my young men have fallen by the sword; you have killed them in the day of your anger, slaughtering without pity.

תִּקְרָ֤א כְיוֹם מוֹעֵד֙ מְגוּרַ֣י מִסָּבִ֔יב וְלֹ֥א הָיָ֛ה בְּי֥וֹם אַף יְהוָ֖ה פָּלִ֣יט וְשָׂרִ֑יד אֲשֶׁ֥ר טִפַּ֛חְתִּי וְרִבִּ֖יתִי אֹיְבִ֥י כִלָּֽם׃

KJVThou hast called as in a solemn day my terrors round about, so that in the day of the LORD'S anger none escaped nor remained: those that I have swaddled and brought up hath mine enemy consumed.

You summoned as if to a feast day my terrors on every side, and on the day of the anger of the LORD no one escaped or survived; those whom I held and raised, my enemy destroyed.