Lamentaciones 2

1¡Cómo el Señor en su ira ha oscurecido a la hija de Sión! ¡Cómo precipitó del cielo a la tierra la gloria de Israel, y en el día de su cólera se olvidó del escabel de sus pies!

2Arrasó el Señor, sin compasión, todas las moradas de Jacob; destruyó en su saña las fortalezas de la hija de Judá; echó por tierra y amancilló el reino y a sus príncipes.

3En el ardor de su ira quebrantó todo el poderío de Israel; retiró su diestra frente al enemigo; encendió en Jacob un fuego ardiente que por todas panes devora.

4Entesó su arco como enemigo, extendió su diestra cual adversario, y destruyó cuanto era de bello aspecto; en el pabellón de la hija de Sión derramó como fuego su ira.

5El Señor se ha trocado en enemigo, ha devorado a Israel; ha derribado todos sus palacios, ha destruido sus fortalezas; ha multiplicado para la hija de Sión los llantos y plañidos.

6Ha devastado su tabernáculo como la choza de un huerto; ha destruido su Santuario; Yahvé ha borrado en Sión las fiestas y los sábados; y en el ardor de su ira ha despreciado al rey y al sacerdote.

7El Señor ha desechado su altar, ha abominado su Santuario; ha entregado a los enemigos los muros de sus baluartes; resonaron gritos en la Casa de Yahvé como en día de fiesta.

8Determinó Yahvé destruir la muralla de la hija de Sión, extendió el cordel, y no retiró su mano de la destrucción, envolvió en luto el antemural y el muro, que languidecen juntos.

9Sus puertas se han hundido en el suelo; destruyó y quebrantó sus cerrojos; su rey y sus príncipes están entre los gentiles; ya no hay Ley, y sus profetas no tienen visiones de Yahvé.

10Sentados en tierra callan los ancianos de la hija de Sión; se cubren la cabeza de ceniza y se visten de cilicio; inclinan a tierra sus cabezas las vírgenes de Jerusalén.

11Mis ojos se consumen de tanto llorar, mis entrañas hierven; se derrama en tierra mi hígado por el quebranto de la hija de mi pueblo, al ver cómo los pequeñuelos y los lactantes desfallecen en las plazas de la ciudad.

12Preguntan a sus madres: ¿Dónde hay pan y vino? cuando, cual heridos, se desmayan en las plazas de la ciudad; cuando exhalan su alma en el regazo de sus madres.

13¿Qué puedo decirte, y a quién compararte, hija de Jerusalén? ¿A quién te asemejaré, para consolarte, oh virgen, hija de Sión? Grande como el mar es tu llaga, ¿quién podrá curarte?

14Tus profetas te anunciaron visiones vanas y necias; no manifestaron tu iniquidad para evitar tu cautiverio; te dieron por visiones profecías falsas y seductoras.

15Baten palmas contra ti cuantos pasan por el camino; silban, y menean la cabeza contra la hija de Jerusalén. ¿Es esta la ciudad que tenía por nombre “Perfecta belleza” y “Gozo de toda la tierra”?

16Abren contra ti la boca todos tus enemigos; silban, rechinan los dientes diciendo: “La hemos devorado”; este es el día esperado; ha llegado ya; lo estamos viendo.

17Yahvé ha ejecutado sus planes, ha cumplido lo decretado desde antiguo; ha destruido sin compasión para gozo del enemigo, ha robustecido a tus adversarios.

18Su corazón clama por auxilio al Señor: ¡Oh muro de la hija de Sión, derrama, cual torrente, tus lágrimas noche y día; no te concedas descanso; ni reposen las niñas de tus ojos.

19Levántate, clama de noche, al comienzo de cada vigilia; derrama, como agua, tu corazón ante la faz del Señor; alza hacia Él tus manos por la vida de tus parvulitos que desfallecen de hambre en las esquinas de todas las calles.

20“¡Mira, Yahvé, y contempla! ¿A quién jamás has tratado así? ¿Han acaso de comer las mujeres el fruto de su seno, los niños que acarician? ¿Han de ser asesinados el sacerdote y el profeta en el Santuario de Yahvé?

21Yacen por tierra en las calles jóvenes y ancianos; mis doncellas y mis mancebos cayeron al filo de la espada; los mataste en el día de tu ira; hiciste matanza sin piedad.

22Llamaste, como para día señalado, de todas partes terrores contra mí, y en aquel día de la ira de Yahvé no hubo evadido ni fugitivo. El enemigo aniquiló a los que yo había acariciado y criado.”

1[Aleph Quomodo obtexit caligine in furore suo Dominus filiam Sion; projecit de cælo in terram inclytam Israël, et non est recordatus scabelli pedum suorum in die furoris sui !

2Beth Præcipitavit Dominus, nec pepercit omnia speciosa Jacob: destruxit in furore suo munitiones virginis Juda, et dejecit in terram; polluit regnum et principes ejus.

3Ghimel Confregit in ira furoris sui omne cornu Israël; avertit retrorsum dexteram suam a facie inimici, et succendit in Jacob quasi ignem flammæ devorantis in gyro.

4Daleth Tetendit arcum suum quasi inimicus, firmavit dexteram suam quasi hostis, et occidit omne quod pulchrum erat visu in tabernaculo filiæ Sion; effudit quasi ignem indignationem suam.

5He Factus est Dominus velut inimicus, præcipitavit Israël: præcipitavit omnia mœnia ejus, dissipavit munitiones ejus, et replevit in filia Juda humiliatum et humiliatam.

6Vau Et dissipavit quasi hortum tentorium suum; demolitus est tabernaculum suum. Oblivioni tradidit Dominus in Sion festivitatem et sabbatum; et in opprobrium, et in indignationem furoris sui, regem et sacerdotem.

7Zain Repulit Dominus altare suum; maledixit sanctificationi suæ: tradidit in manu inimici muros turrium ejus. Vocem dederunt in domo Domini sicut in die solemni.

8Heth Cogitavit Dominus dissipare murum filiæ Sion; tetendit funiculum suum, et non avertit manum suam a perditione: luxitque antemurale, et murus pariter dissipatus est.

9Teth Defixæ sunt in terra portæ ejus, perdidit et contrivit vectes ejus; regem ejus et principes ejus in gentibus: non est lex, et prophetæ ejus non invenerunt visionem a Domino.

10Jod Sederunt in terra, conticuerunt senes filiæ Sion; consperserunt cinere capita sua, accincti sunt ciliciis: abjecerunt in terram capita sua virgines Jerusalem.

11Caph Defecerunt præ lacrimis oculi mei, conturbata sunt viscera mea; effusum est in terra jecur meum super contritione filiæ populi mei, cum deficeret parvulus et lactens in plateis oppidi.

12Lamed Matribus suis dixerunt: Ubi est triticum et vinum? cum deficerent quasi vulnerati in plateis civitatis, cum exhalarent animas suas in sinu matrum suarum.

13Mem Cui comparabo te, vel cui assimilabo te, filia Jerusalem? cui exæquabo te, et consolabor te, virgo, filia Sion? magna est enim velut mare contritio tua: quis medebitur tui?

14Nun Prophetæ tui viderunt tibi falsa et stulta; nec aperiebant iniquitatem tuam, ut te ad pœnitentiam provocarent; viderunt autem tibi assumptiones falsas, et ejectiones.

15Samech Plauserunt super te manibus omnes transeuntes per viam; sibilaverunt et moverunt caput suum super filiam Jerusalem: Hæccine est urbs, dicentes, perfecti decoris, gaudium universæ terræ?

16Phe Aperuerunt super te os suum omnes inimici tui: sibilaverunt, et fremuerunt dentibus, et dixerunt: Devorabimus: en ista est dies quam exspectabamus; invenimus, vidimus.

17Ain Fecit Dominus quæ cogitavit; complevit sermonem suum, quem præceperat a diebus antiquis: destruxit, et non pepercit, et lætificavit super te inimicum, et exaltavit cornu hostium tuorum.

18Sade Clamavit cor eorum ad Dominum super muros filiæ Sion: Deduc quasi torrentem lacrimas per diem et noctem; non des requiem tibi, neque taceat pupilla oculi tui.

19Coph Consurge, lauda in nocte, in principio vigiliarum; effunde sicut aquam cor tuum ante conspectum Domini: leva ad eum manus tuas pro anima parvulorum tuorum, qui defecerunt in fame in capite omnium compitorum.

20Res Vide, Domine, et considera quem vindemiaveris ita. Ergone comedent mulieres fructum suum, parvulos ad mensuram palmæ? si occiditur in sanctuario Domini sacerdos et propheta?

21Sin Jacuerunt in terra foris puer et senex; virgines meæ et juvenes mei ceciderunt in gladio: interfecisti in die furoris tui, percussisti, nec misertus es.

22Thau Vocasti quasi ad diem solemnem, qui terrerent me de circuitu; et non fuit in die furoris Domini qui effugeret, et relinqueretur: quos educavi et enutrivi, inimicus meus consumpsit eos.]

1Aleph. How hath the Lord covered with obscurity the daughter of Sion in his wrath! how hath he cast down from heaven to the earth the glorious one of Israel, and hath not remembered his footstool in the day of his anger!

2Beth. The Lord hath cast down headlong, and hath not spared, all that was beautiful in Jacob: he hath destroyed in his wrath the strong holds of the virgin of Juda, and brought them down to the ground: he hath made the kingdom unclean, and the princes thereof.

3Ghimel. He hath broken in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy: and he hath kindled in Jacob as it were a flaming fire devouring round about.

4Daleth. He hath bent his bow as an enemy, he hath fixed his right hand as an adversary: and he hath killed all that was fair to behold in the tabernacle of the daughter of Sion, he hath poured out his indignation like fire.

5He. The Lord is become as an enemy: he hath cast down Israel headlong, he hath overthrown all the walls thereof: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath multiplied in the daughter of Juda the afflicted, both men and women.

6Vau. And he hath destroyed his tent as a garden, he hath thrown down his tabernacle: the Lord hath caused feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Sion: and hath delivered up king and priest to reproach, and to the indignation of his wrath.

7Zain. The Lord hath cast off his altar, he hath cursed his sanctuary: he hath delivered the walls of the towers thereof into the hand of the enemy: they have made a noise in the house of the Lord, as in the day of a solemn feast.

8Heth. The Lord hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Sion: he hath stretched out his line, and hath not withdrawn his hand from destroying: and the bulwark hath mourned, and the wall hath been destroyed together.

9Teth. Her 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, and her prophets have found no vision from the Lord.

10Jod. The ancients of the daughter of Sion sit upon the ground, they have held their peace: they have sprinkled their heads with dust, they are girded with haircloth, the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground.

11Caph. My eyes have failed with weeping, my bowels are troubled: my liver is poured out upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people, when the children, and the sucklings, fainted away in the streets of the city.

12Lamed. They said to their mothers: Where is corn and wine? when they fainted away as the wounded in the streets of the city: when they breathed out their souls in the bosoms of their mothers.

13Mem. To what shall I compare thee? or to what shall I liken thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? to what shall I equal thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Sion? for great as the sea is thy destruction: who shall heal thee?

14Nun. Thy prophets have seen false and foolish things for thee: and they have not laid open thy iniquity, to excite thee to penance: but they have seen for thee false revelations and banishments.

15Samech. All they that passed by the way have clapped their hands at thee: they have hissed, and wagged their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying: Is this the city of perfect beauty, the joy of all the earth?

16Phe. All thy enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they have hissed, and gnashed with the teeth, and have said: We will swallow her up: lo, this is the day which we looked for: we have found it, we have seen it.

17Ain. The Lord hath done that which he purposed, he hath fulfilled his word, which he commanded in the days of old: he hath destroyed, and hath not spared, and he hath caused the enemy to rejoice over thee, and hath set up the horn of thy adversaries.

18Sade. Their heart cried to the Lord upon the walls of the daughter of Sion: Let tears run down like a torrent day and night: give thyself no rest, and let not the apple of thy eye cease.

19Coph. Arise, give praise in the night, in the beginning of the watches: pour out thy heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands to him for the life of thy little children, that have fainted for hunger at the top of all the streets.

20Res. Behold, O Lord, and consider whom thou hast thus dealt with: shall women then eat their own fruit, their children of a span long? shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?

21Sin. The child and the old man lie without on the ground: my virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword: thou hast slain them in the day of thy wrath: thou hast killed, and shewn them no pity.

22Thau. Thou hast called as to a festival, those that should terrify me round about, and there was none in the day of the wrath of the Lord that escaped and was left: those that I brought up, and nourished, my enemy hath consumed them.