Fri, 03 May 2024 18:46:28 -0500 Yom Shishi, Chodesh Sheni 24, 6024 — יום ששי חדש שני כד ו׳כד

Tanakh
Book of Lamentations, Chapter: 1 2 3 4 5

Lamentations

Chapter 1

איכה ׀ ישבה בדד העיר רבתי עם היתה כאלמנה רבתי בגוים שרתי במדינות היתה למס׃ ס	א	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! {S}
בכו תבכה בלילה ודמעתה על לחיה אין־לה מנחם מכל־אהביה כל־רעיה בגדו בה היו לה לאיבים׃ ס	ב	2	She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; she hath none to comfort her among all her lovers; all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies. {S}
גלתה יהודה מעני ומרב עבדה היא ישבה בגוים לא מצאה מנוח כל־רדפיה השיגוה בין המצרים׃ ס	ג	3	Judah is gone into exile because of affliction, and because of great servitude; she dwelleth among the nations, she findeth no rest; all her pursuers overtook her within the straits. {S}
דרכי ציון אבלות מבלי באי מועד כל־שעריה שוממין כהניה נאנחים בתולתיה נוגות והיא מר־לה׃ ס	ד	4	The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn assembly; all her gates are desolate, her priests sigh; her virgins are afflicted, and she herself is in bitterness. {S}
היו צריה לראש איביה שלו כי־יהוה הוגה על רב־פשעיה עולליה הלכו שבי לפני־צר׃ ס	ה	5	Her adversaries are become the head, her enemies are at ease; for Yehovah hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions; her young children are gone into captivity before the adversary. {S}
ויצא מבת־ציון מן־בת כל־הדרה היו שריה כאילים לא־מצאו מרעה וילכו בלא־כח לפני רודף׃ ס	ו	6	And gone is from the daughter of Zion all her splendour; her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer. {S}
זכרה ירושלם ימי עניה ומרודיה כל מחמדיה אשר היו מימי קדם בנפל עמה ביד־צר ואין עוזר לה ראוה צרים שחקו על משבתה׃ ס	ז	7	Yerushalam remembereth in the days of her affliction and of her anguish all her treasures that she had from the days of old; now that her people fall by the hand of the adversary, and none doth help her, the adversaries have seen her, they have mocked at her desolations. {S}
חטא חטאה ירושלם על־כן לנידה היתה כל־מכבדיה הזילוה כי־ראו ערותה גם־היא נאנחה ותשב אחור׃ ס	ח	8	Yerushalam hath grievously sinned, therefore she is become as one unclean; all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness; she herself also sigheth, and turneth backward. {S}
טמאתה בשוליה לא זכרה אחריתה ותרד פלאים אין מנחם לה ראה יהוה את־עניי כי הגדיל אויב׃ ס	ט	9	Her filthiness was in her skirts, she was not mindful of her end; therefore is she come down wonderfully, she hath no comforter. 'Behold, Yehovah, my affliction, for the enemy hath magnified himself.' {S}
ידו פרש צר על כל־מחמדיה כי־ראתה גוים באו מקדשה אשר צויתה לא־יבאו בקהל לך׃ ס	י	10	The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her treasures; for she hath seen that the heathen are entered into her sanctuary, concerning whom Thou didst command that they should not enter into Thy congregation. {S}
כל־עמה נאנחים מבקשים לחם נתנו מחמדיהם מחמודיהם באכל להשיב נפש ראה יהוה והביטה כי הייתי זוללה׃ ס	יא	11	All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for food to refresh the soul. 'See, Yehovah, and behold, how abject I am become.' {S}
לוא אליכם כל־עברי דרך הביטו וראו אם־יש מכאוב כמכאבי אשר עולל לי אשר הוגה יהוה ביום חרון אפו׃ ס	יב	12	'Let it not come unto you, all ye that pass by! Behold, and see if there be any pain like unto my pain, which is done unto me, wherewith Yehovah hath afflicted me in the day of His fierce anger. {S}
ממרום שלח־אש בעצמתי וירדנה פרש רשת לרגלי השיבני אחור נתנני שממה כל־היום דוה׃ ס	יג	13	From on high 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. {S}
נשקד על פשעי בידו ישתרגו עלו על־צוארי הכשיל כחי נתנני אדני בידי לא־אוכל קום׃ ס	יד	14	The yoke of my transgressions is impressed by His hand; they are knit together, they are come up upon my neck; He hath made my strength to fail; the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, against whom I am not able to stand. {S}
סלה כל־אבירי ׀ אדני בקרבי קרא עלי מועד לשבר בחורי גת דרך אדני לבתולת בת־יהודה׃ ס	יה	15	The Lord hath set at nought all my mighty men in the midst of me; He hath called a solemn assembly against me to crush my young men; the Lord hath trodden as in a winepress the virgin the daughter of Judah.' {S}
על־אלה ׀ אני בוכיה עיני ׀ עיני ירדה מים כי־רחק ממני מנחם משיב נפשי היו בני שוממים כי גבר אויב׃ ס	יו	16	'For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water; because the comforter is far from me, even he that should refresh my soul; my children are desolate, because the enemy hath prevailed.' {S}
פרשה ציון בידיה אין מנחם לה צוה יהוה ליעקב סביביו צריו היתה ירושלם לנדה ביניהם׃ ס	יז	17	Zion spreadeth forth her hands; there is none to comfort her; Yehovah hath commanded concerning Jacob, that they that are round about him should be his adversaries; Yerushalam is among them as one unclean. {S}
צדיק הוא יהוה כי פיהו מריתי שמעו־נא כל־העמים עמים וראו מכאבי בתולתי ובחורי הלכו בשבי׃ ס	יח	18	'Yehovah is righteous; for I have rebelled against His word; hear, I pray you, all ye peoples, and behold my pain: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity. {S}
קראתי למאהבי המה רמוני כהני וזקני בעיר גועו כי־בקשו אכל למו וישיבו את־נפשם׃ ס	יט	19	I called for my lovers, but they deceived me; my priests and mine elders perished in the city, while they sought them food to refresh their souls. {S}
ראה יהוה כי־צר־לי מעי חמרמרו נהפך לבי בקרבי כי מרו מריתי מחוץ שכלה־חרב בבית כמות׃ ס	כ	20	Behold, Yehovah, for I am in distress, mine inwards burn; my heart is turned within me, for I have grievously rebelled. Abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is the like of death. {S}
שמעו כי נאנחה אני אין מנחם לי כל־איבי שמעו רעתי ששו כי אתה עשית הבאת יום־קראת ויהיו כמוני׃ ס	כא	21	They have heard that I sigh, there is none to comfort me; all mine enemies have heard of my trouble, and are glad, for Thou hast done it; Thou wilt bring the day that Thou hast proclaimed, and they shall be like unto me. {S}
תבא כל־רעתם לפניך ועולל למו כאשר עוללת לי על כל־פשעי כי־רבות אנחתי ולבי דוי׃ פ	כב	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.' {P}

Groves Center Legend For Leningrad Codex Notes

Q	Marks a place where we agree with BHQ against BHS in reading L.
n	Marks an anomalous form.
p	We read punctuation in L differently from BHS.
y	Yathir readings in L which we have designated as Qeres when both Dothan and BHS list a Qere.

Chapter 2

איכה יעיב באפו ׀ אדני את־בת־ציון השליך משמים ארץ תפארת ישראל ולא־זכר הדם־רגליו ביום אפו׃ ס	א	1	How hath the Lord covered with a cloud the daughter of Zion in His anger! He hath cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and hath not remembered His footstool in the day of His anger. {S}
בלע אדני ולא לא חמל את כל־נאות יעקב הרס בעברתו מבצרי בת־יהודה הגיע לארץ חלל ממלכה ושריה׃ ס	ב	2	The Lord hath swallowed up unsparingly all the habitations of Jacob; He hath thrown down in His wrath the strongholds of the daughter of Judah; He hath brought them down to the ground; He hath profaned the kingdom and the princes thereof. {S}
גדע בחרי אף כל קרן ישראל השיב אחור ימינו מפני אויב ויבער ביעקב כאש להבה אכלה סביב׃ ס	ג	3	He hath cut off in fierce anger all the horn of Israel; He hath drawn back His right hand from before the enemy; and He hath burned in Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about. {S}
דרך קשתו כאויב נצב ימינו כצר ויהרג כל מחמדי־עין באהל בת־ציון שפך כאש חמתו׃ ס	ד	4	He hath bent His bow like an enemy, standing with His right hand as an adversary, and hath slain all that were pleasant to the eye; in the tent of the daughter of Zion He hath poured out His fury like fire. {S}
היה אדני ׀ כאויב בלע ישראל בלע כל־ארמנותיה שחת מבצריו וירב בבת־יהודה תאניה ואניה׃ ס	ה	5	The Lord is become as an enemy, He hath swallowed up Israel; He hath swallowed up all her palaces, He hath destroyed his strongholds; and He hath multiplied in the daughter of Judah mourning and moaning. {S}
ויחמס כגן שכו שחת מועדו שכח יהוה ׀ בציון מועד ושבת וינאץ בזעם־אפו מלך וכהן׃ ס	ו	6	And He hath stripped His tabernacle, as if it were a garden, He hath destroyed His place of assembly; Yehovah hath caused to be forgotten in Zion appointed season and sabbath, and hath rejected in the indignation of His anger the king and the priest. {S}
זנח אדני ׀ מזבחו נאר מקדשו הסגיר ביד־אויב חומת ארמנותיה קול נתנו בבית־יהוה כיום מועד׃ ס	ז	7	The 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 Yehovah, as in the day of a solemn assembly. {S}
חשב יהוה ׀ להשחית חומת בת־ציון נטה קו לא־השיב ידו מבלע ויאבל־חל וחומה יחדו אמללו׃ ס	ח	8	Yehovah hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion; He hath stretched out the line, He hath not withdrawn His hand from destroying; but He hath made the rampart and wall to mourn, they languish together. {S}
טבעו בארץ שעריה אבד ושבר בריחיה מלכה ושריה בגוים אין תורה גם־נביאיה לא־מצאו חזון מיהוה׃ ס	ט	9	Her gates are sunk into the ground; He hath destroyed and broken her bars; her king and her princes are among the nations, instruction is no more; yea, her prophets find no vision from Yehovah. {S}
ישבו לארץ ידמו זקני בת־ציון העלו עפר על־ראשם חגרו שקים הורידו לארץ ראשן בתולת ירושלם׃ ס	י	10	They sit upon the ground, and keep silence, the elders of the daughter of Zion; they have cast up dust upon their heads, they have girded themselves with sackcloth; the virgins of Yerushalam hang down their heads to the ground. {S}
כלו בדמעות עיני חמרמרו מעי נשפך לארץ כבדי על־שבר בת־עמי בעטף עולל ויונק ברחבות קריה׃ ס	יא	11	Mine eyes do fail with tears, mine inwards burn, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the breach of the daughter of my people; because the young children and the sucklings swoon in the broad places of the city. {S}
לאמתם יאמרו איה דגן ויין בהתעטפם כחלל ברחבות עיר בהשתפך נפשם אל־חיק אמתם׃ ס	יב	12	They say to their mothers: 'Where is corn and wine?' when they swoon as the wounded in the broad places of the city, when their soul is poured out into their mothers' bosom. {S}
מה־אעידך מה אדמה־לך הבת ירושלם מה אשוה־לך ואנחמך בתולת בת־ציון כי־גדול כים שברך מי ירפא־לך׃ ס	יג	13	What shall I take to witness for thee? What shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Yerushalam? 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? {S}
נביאיך חזו לך שוא ותפל ולא־גלו על־עונך להשיב שבותך שביתך ויחזו לך משאות שוא ומדוחים׃ ס	יד	14	Thy prophets have seen visions for thee of vanity and delusion; and they have not uncovered thine iniquity, to bring back thy captivity; but have prophesied for thee burdens of vanity and seduction. {S}
ספקו עליך כפים כל־עברי דרך שרקו וינעו ראשם על־בת ירושלם הזאת העיר שיאמרו כלילת יפי משוש לכל־הארץ׃ ס	יה	15	All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Yerushalam: 'Is this the city that men called the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth?' {S}
פצו עליך פיהם כל־אויביך שרקו ויחרקו־שן אמרו בלענו אך זה היום שקוינהו מצאנו ראינו׃ ס	יו	16	All thine enemies have opened their mouth wide 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.' {S}
עשה יהוה אשר זמם בצע אמרתו אשר צוה מימי־קדם הרס ולא חמל וישמח עליך אויב הרים קרן צריך׃ ס	יז	17	Yehovah hath done that which He devised; He hath performed His word that He commanded in the days of old; He hath thrown down unsparingly; and He hath caused the enemy to rejoice over thee, He hath exalted the horn of thine adversaries. {S}
צעק לבם אל־אדני חומת בת־ציון הורידי כנחל דמעה יומם ולילה אל־תתני פוגת לך אל־תדם בת־עינך׃ ס	יח	18	Their 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 respite; let not the apple of thine eye cease. {S}
קומי ׀ רני בלילה בליל לראש אשמרות שפכי כמים לבך נכח פני אדני שאי אליו כפיך על־נפש עולליך העטופים ברעב בראש כל־חוצות׃ ס	יט	19	Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches; pour out thy 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 at the head of every street.' {S}
ראה יהוה והביטה למי עוללת כה אם־תאכלנה נשים פרים עללי טפחים אם־יהרג במקדש אדני כהן ונביא׃ ס	כ	20	'See, Yehovah, and consider, to whom Thou hast done thus! Shall the women eat their fruit, the children that are dandled in the hands? Shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord? {S}
שכבו לארץ חוצות נער וזקן בתולתי ובחורי נפלו בחרב הרגת ביום אפך טבחת לא חמלת׃ ס	כא	21	The youth and the old man 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 slaughtered unsparingly. {S}
תקרא כיום מועד מגורי מסביב ולא היה ביום אף־יהוה פליט ושריד אשר־טפחתי ורביתי איבי כלם׃ פ	כב	22	Thou hast called, as in the day of a solemn assembly, my terrors on every side, and there was none in the day of Yehovah's anger that escaped or remained; those that I have dandled and brought up hath mine enemy consumed.' {P}

Groves Center Legend For Leningrad Codex Notes

Q	Marks a place where we agree with BHQ against BHS in reading L.
n	Marks an anomalous form.
p	We read punctuation in L differently from BHS.

Chapter 3

אני הגבר ראה עני בשבט עברתו׃	א	1	I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of His wrath.
אותי נהג וילך חשך ולא־אור׃	ב	2	He hath led me and caused me to walk in darkness and not in light.
אך בי ישב יהפך ידו כל־היום׃ ס	ג	3	Surely against me He turneth His hand again and again all the day. {S}
בלה בשרי ועורי שבר עצמותי׃	ד	4	My flesh and my skin hath He worn out; He hath broken my bones.
בנה עלי ויקף ראש ותלאה׃	ה	5	He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
במחשכים הושיבני כמתי עולם׃ ס	ו	6	He hath made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead. {S}
גדר בעדי ולא אצא הכביד נחשתי׃	ז	7	He hath hedged me about, that I cannot go forth; He hath made my chain heavy.
גם כי אזעק ואשוע שתם תפלתי׃	ח	8	Yea, when I cry and call for help, He shutteth out my prayer.
גדר דרכי בגזית נתיבתי עוה׃ ס	ט	9	He hath enclosed my ways with hewn stone, He hath made my paths crooked. {S}
דב ארב הוא לי ארי אריה במסתרים׃	י	10	He is unto me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places.
דרכי סורר ויפשחני שמני שמם׃	יא	11	He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; He hath made me desolate.
דרך קשתו ויציבני כמטרא לחץ׃ ס	יב	12	He hath bent His bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow. {S}
הביא בכליותי בני אשפתו׃	יג	13	He hath caused the arrows of His quiver to enter into my reins.
הייתי שחק לכל־עמי נגינתם כל־היום׃	יד	14	I am become a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.
השביעני במרורים הרוני לענה׃ ס	יה	15	He hath filled me with bitterness, He hath sated me with wormwood. {S}
ויגרס בחצץ שני הכפישני באפר׃	יו	16	He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, He hath made me to wallow in ashes.
ותזנח משלום נפשי נשיתי טובה׃	יז	17	And my soul is removed far off from peace, I forgot prosperity.
ואמר אבד נצחי ותוחלתי מיהוה׃ ס	יח	18	And I said: 'My strength is perished, and mine expectation from Yehovah.' {S}
זכר־עניי ומרודי לענה וראש׃	יט	19	Remember mine affliction and mine anguish, the wormwood and the gall.
זכור תזכור ותשוח ותשיח עלי נפשי׃	כ	20	My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is bowed down within me.
זאת אשיב אל־לבי על־כן אוחיל׃ ס	כא	21	This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. {S}
חסדי יהוה כי לא־תמנו כי לא־כלו רחמיו׃	כב	22	Surely Yehovah's mercies are not consumed, surely His compassions fail not.
חדשים לבקרים רבה אמונתך׃	כג	23	They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness.
חלקי יהוה אמרה נפשי על־כן אוחיל לו׃ ס	כד	24	'Yehovah is my portion', saith my soul; 'Therefore will I hope in Him.' {S}
טוב יהוה לקוו לנפש תדרשנו׃	כה	25	Yehovah is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.
טוב ויחיל ודומם לתשועת יהוה׃	כו	26	It is good that a man should quietly wait for the salvation of Yehovah.
טוב לגבר כי־ישא על בנעוריו׃ ס	כז	27	It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. {S}
ישב בדד וידם כי נטל עליו׃	כח	28	Let him sit alone and keep silence, because He hath laid it upon him.
יתן בעפר פיהו אולי יש תקוה׃	כט	29	Let him put his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope.
יתן למכהו לחי ישבע בחרפה׃ ס	ל	30	Let him give his cheek to him that smiteth him, let him be filled full with reproach. {S}
כי לא יזנח לעולם אדני׃	לא	31	For the Lord will not cast off for ever.
כי אם־הוגה ורחם כרב חסדיו חסדו׃	לב	32	For though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies.
כי לא ענה מלבו ויגה בני־איש׃ ס	לג	33	For He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. {S}
לדכא תחת רגליו כל אסירי ארץ׃	לד	34	To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
להטות משפט־גבר נגד פני עליון׃	לה	35	To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High,
לעות אדם בריבו אדני לא ראה׃ ס	לו	36	To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not. {S}
מי זה אמר ותהי אדני לא צוה׃	לז	37	Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
מפי עליון לא תצא הרעות והטוב׃	לח	38	Out of the mouth of the Most High proceedeth not evil and good?
מה־יתאונן אדם חי גבר על־חטאיו חטאו׃ ס	לט	39	Wherefore doth a living man complain, a strong man because of his sins? {S}
נחפשה דרכינו ונחקרה ונשובה עד־יהוה׃	מ	40	Let us search and try our ways, and return to Yehovah.
נשא לבבנו אל־כפים אל־אל בשמים׃	מא	41	Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
נחנו פשענו ומרינו אתה לא סלחת׃ ס	מב	42	We have transgressed and have rebelled; Thou hast not pardoned. {S}
סכתה באף ותרדפנו הרגת לא חמלת׃	מג	43	Thou hast covered with anger and pursued us; Thou hast slain unsparingly.
סכותה בענן לך מעבור תפלה׃	מד	44	Thou hast covered Thyself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.
סחי ומאוס תשימנו בקרב העמים׃ ס	מה	45	Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples. {S}
פצו עלינו פיהם כל־איבינו׃	מו	46	All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.
פחד ופחת היה לנו השאת והשבר׃	מז	47	Terror and the pit are come upon us, desolation and destruction.
פלגי־מים תרד עיני על־שבר בת־עמי׃ ס	מח	48	Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water, for the breach of the daughter of my people. {S}
עיני נגרה ולא תדמה מאין הפגות׃	מט	49	Mine eye is poured out, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
עד־ישקיף וירא יהוה משמים׃	נ	50	Till Yehovah look forth, and behold from heaven.
עיני עוללה לנפשי מכל בנות עירי׃ ס	נא	51	Mine eye affected my soul, because of all the daughters of my city. {S}
צוד צדוני כצפור איבי חנם׃	נב	52	They have chased me sore like a bird, that are mine enemies without cause.
צמתו בבור חיי וידו־אבן בי׃	נג	53	They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast stones upon me.
צפו־מים על־ראשי אמרתי נגזרתי׃ ס	נד	54	Waters flowed over my head; I said: 'I am cut off.' {S}
קראתי שמך יהוה מבור תחתיות׃	נה	55	I called upon Thy name, Yehovah, Out of the lowest dungeon.
קולי שמעת אל־תעלם אזנך לרוחתי לשועתי׃	נו	56	Thou heardest my voice; hide not Thine ear at my sighing, at my cry.
קרבת ביום אקראך אמרת אל־תירא׃ ס	נז	57	Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon Thee; Thou saidst: 'Fear not.' {S}
רבת אדני ריבי נפשי גאלת חיי׃	נח	58	O Lord, Thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; Thou hast redeemed my life.
ראיתה יהוה עותתי שפטה משפטי׃	נט	59	Yehovah, Thou hast seen my wrong; judge Thou my cause.
ראיתה כל־נקמתם כל־מחשבתם לי׃ ס	ס	60	Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their devices against me. {S}
שמעת חרפתם יהוה כל־מחשבתם עלי׃	סא	61	Thou hast heard their taunt, Yehovah, and all their devices against me;
שפתי קמי והגיונם עלי כל־היום׃	סב	62	The lips of those that rose up against me, and their muttering against me all the day.
שבתם וקימתם הביטה אני מנגינתם׃ ס	סג	63	Behold Thou their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their song. {S}
תשיב להם גמול יהוה כמעשה ידיהם׃	סד	64	Thou wilt render unto them a recompense, Yehovah, according to the work of their hands.
תתן להם מגנת־לב תאלתך להם׃	סה	65	Thou wilt give them hardness of heart, Thy curse unto them.
תרדף באף ותשמידם מתחת שמי יהוה׃ פ	סו	66	Thou wilt pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Yehovah. {P}

Groves Center Legend For Leningrad Codex Notes

P	We read the punctuation in L differently from BHQ.
Q	Marks a place where we agree with BHQ against BHS in reading L.
n	Marks an anomalous form.
p	We read punctuation in L differently from BHS.
q	We have abandoned or added a ketib/qere relative to BHS. In doing this we agree with L against BHS.

Chapter 4

איכה יועם זהב ישנא הכתם הטוב תשתפכנה אבני־קדש בראש כל־חוצות׃ ס	א	1	How is the gold become dim! How is the most fine gold changed! The hallowed stones are poured out at the head of every street. {S}
בני ציון היקרים המסלאים בפז איכה נחשבו לנבלי־חרש מעשה ידי יוצר׃ ס	ב	2	The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! {S}
גם־תנים תנין חלצו שד היניקו גוריהן בת־עמי לאכזר כיענים כי ענים במדבר׃ ס	ג	3	Even the jackals draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones; the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. {S}
דבק לשון יונק אל־חכו בצמא עוללים שאלו לחם פרש אין להם׃ ס	ד	4	The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst; the young children ask bread, and none breaketh it unto them. {S}
האכלים למעדנים נשמו בחוצות האמנים עלי תולע חבקו אשפתות׃ ס	ה	5	They that did feed on dainties are desolate in the streets; they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. {S}
ויגדל עון בת־עמי מחטאת סדם ההפוכה כמו־רגע ולא־חלו בה ידים׃ ס	ו	6	For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands fell upon her. {S}
זכו נזיריה משלג צחו מחלב אדמו עצם מפנינים ספיר גזרתם׃ ס	ז	7	Her princes were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as of sapphire; {S}
חשך משחור תארם לא נכרו בחוצות צפד עורם על־עצמם יבש היה כעץ׃ ס	ח	8	Their visage is blacker than coal; they are not known in the streets; their skin is shrivelled upon their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick. {S}
טובים היו חללי־חרב מחללי רעב שהם יזובו מדקרים מתנובת שדי׃ ס	ט	9	They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field. {S}
ידי נשים רחמניות בשלו ילדיהן היו לברות למו בשבר בת־עמי׃ ס	י	10	The hands of women full of compassion have sodden their own children; they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people. {S}
כלה יהוה את־חמתו שפך חרון אפו ויצת־אש בציון ותאכל יסודתיה׃ ס	יא	11	Yehovah hath accomplished His fury, He hath poured out His fierce anger; and He hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured the foundations thereof. {S}
לא האמינו מלכי־ארץ כל וכל ישבי תבל כי יבא צר ואויב בשערי ירושלם׃ ס	יב	12	The kings of the earth believed not, neither all the inhabitants of the world, that the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Yerushalam. {S}
מחטאת נביאיה עונות כהניה השפכים בקרבה דם צדיקים׃ ס	יג	13	It is because of the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her. {S}
נעו עורים בחוצות נגאלו בדם בלא יוכלו יגעו בלבשיהם׃ ס	יד	14	They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, so that men cannot touch their garments. {S}
סורו טמא קראו למו סורו סורו אל־תגעו כי נצו גם־נעו אמרו בגוים לא יוסיפו לגור׃ ס	יה	15	'Depart ye! unclean!' men cried unto them, 'Depart, depart, touch not'; yea, they fled away and wandered; men said among the nations: 'They shall no more sojourn here.' {S}
פני יהוה חלקם לא יוסיף להביטם פני כהנים לא נשאו וזקנים זקנים לא חננו׃ ס	יו	16	The anger of Yehovah hath divided them; He will no more regard them; they respected not the persons of the priests, they were not gracious unto the elders. {S}
עוֹדֵ֙ינוּ֙ עודינה תִּכְלֶ֣ינָה עֵינֵ֔ינוּ אֶל־עֶזְרָתֵ֖נוּ הָ֑בֶל בְּצִפִּיָּתֵ֣נוּ צִפִּ֔ינוּ אֶל־גּ֖וֹי לֹ֥א יוֹשִֽׁעַ׃ ס	יז	17	As for us, our eyes do yet fail for our vain help; in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save. {S}
צדו צעדינו מלכת ברחבתינו קרב קצינו מלאו ימינו כי־בא קצינו׃ ס	יח	18	They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our broad places; our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come. {S}
קלים היו רדפינו מנשרי שמים על־ההרים דלקנו במדבר ארבו לנו׃ ס	יט	19	Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heaven; they chased us upon the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness. {S}
רוח אפינו משיח יהוה נלכד בשחיתותם אשר אמרנו בצלו נחיה בגוים׃ ס	כ	20	The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Yehovah, was taken in their pits; of whom we said: 'Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.' {S}
שישי ושמחי בת־אדום יושבת יושבתי בארץ עוץ גם־עליך תעבר־כוס תשכרי ותתערי׃ ס	כא	21	Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz: the cup shall pass over unto thee also; thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked. {S}
תם־עונך בת־ציון לא יוסיף להגלותך פקד עונך בת־אדום גלה על־חטאתיך׃ פ	כב	22	The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion, He will no more carry thee away into captivity; He will punish thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom, He will uncover thy sins. {P}

Groves Center Legend For Leningrad Codex Notes

Q	Marks a place where we agree with BHQ against BHS in reading L.
a	Adaptations to a Qere which L and BHS, by their design, do not indicate.
n	Marks an anomalous form.
v	We read one or more vowels in L differently from BHS.

Chapter 5

זכר יהוה מה־היה לנו הביטה הביט וראה את־חרפתנו׃	א	1	Remember, Yehovah, what is come upon us; behold, and see our reproach.
נחלתנו נהפכה לזרים בתינו לנכרים׃	ב	2	Our inheritance is turned unto strangers, our houses unto aliens.
יתומים היינו ואין אין אב אמתינו כאלמנות׃	ג	3	We are become orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.
מימינו בכסף שתינו עצינו במחיר יבאו׃	ד	4	We have drunk our water for money; our wood cometh to us for price.
על צוארנו נרדפנו יגענו ולא לא הונח לנו׃	ה	5	To our very necks we are pursued; we labour, and have no rest.
מצרים נתנו יד אשור לשבע לחם׃	ו	6	We have given the hand to Egypt, and to Assyria, to have bread enough;
אבתינו חטאו ואינם אינם ואנחנו אנחנו עונתיהם סבלנו׃	ז	7	Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities.
עבדים משלו בנו פרק אין מידם׃	ח	8	Servants rule over us; there is none to deliver us out of their hand.
בנפשנו נביא לחמנו מפני חרב המדבר׃	ט	9	We get our bread with the peril of our lives because of the sword of the wilderness.
עורנו כתנור נכמרו מפני זלעפות רעב׃	י	10	Our skin is hot like an oven because of the burning heat of famine.
נשים בציון ענו בתלת בערי יהודה׃	יא	11	They have ravished the women in Zion, the maidens in the cities of Judah.
שרים בידם נתלו פני זקנים לא נהדרו׃	יב	12	Princes are hanged up by their hand; the faces of elders are not honoured.
בחורים טחון נשאו ונערים בעץ כשלו׃	יג	13	The young men have borne the mill, and the children have stumbled under the wood.
זקנים משער שבתו בחורים מנגינתם׃	יד	14	The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their music.
שבת משוש לבנו נהפך לאבל מחלנו׃	יה	15	The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.
נפלה עטרת ראשנו אוי־נא לנו כי חטאנו׃	יו	16	The crown is fallen from our head; woe unto us! for we have sinned.
על־זה היה דוה לבנו על־אלה חשכו עינינו׃	יז	17	For this our heart is faint, for these things our eyes are dim;
על הר־ציון ששמם שועלים הלכו־בו׃ פ	יח	18	For the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it. {P}
אתה יהוה לעולם תשב כסאך לדר ודור׃	יט	19	Thou, Yehovah, art enthroned for ever, Thy throne is from generation to generation.
למה לנצח תשכחנו תעזבנו לארך ימים׃	כ	20	Wherefore dost Thou forget us for ever, and forsake us so long time?
השיבנו יהוה ׀ אליך ונשובה ונשוב חדש ימינו כקדם׃	כא	21	Turn Thou us unto Thee, Yehovah, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.
כי אם־מאס מאסתנו קצפת עלינו עד־מאד׃	כב	22	Thou canst not have utterly rejected us, and be exceeding wroth against us! {P}

Groves Center Legend For Leningrad Codex Notes

Q	Marks a place where we agree with BHQ against BHS in reading L.
c	We read one or more accents in L differently than BHS. Often this notation indicates a typographical error in BHS.
p	We read punctuation in L differently from BHS.

Tanakh
Book of Lamentations, Chapter: 1 2 3 4 5

TRANSLATION / PUBLICATION NOTES:

Tanakh (Hebrew Scriptures) :

Leningrad Codex Based Tanakh (aka Hebrew Scriptures) derived from:
"Electronic" Leningrad Codex obtained from www.tanach.us
Source for the Westminster Leningrad Codex (WLC) — Groves Center:
Maintained by the J.Alan Groves Center For Advanced Biblical Research.
(WLC) Unicode Conversion to Hebrew Font Encoding For Web Pages:
Written In C++ Programming Language
By Robert M. Pill
Copyright © 2005–2023 By Robert M. Pill, All Rights Reserved.

QERE — KETIV
(What is Read —What is Written) :

Qere and Ketiv, from the Aramaic qere or q're, קְרֵי‎ ("[what is] read") and ketiv, or ketib, kethib, kethibh, kethiv, כְּתִיב‎ ("[what is] written"), also known as "keri uchesiv" or "keri uchetiv," refers to a system for marking differences between what is written in the consonantal text of the Hebrew Bible, as preserved by scribal tradition, and what is read. In such situations, the Qere is the technical orthographic device used to indicate the pronunciation of the words in the Masoretic text of the Hebrew language scriptures (Tanakh), while the Ketiv indicates their written form, as inherited from tradition.
SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qere_and_Ketiv

Q. What is the Qere and Ketiv and how does it relate to the Masoretes?
( see: http://jbtc.org/v08/Graves2003.html )

For PDF Of Above Link Click This Line!

A. Qere and Ketiv are orthographic devices that were used by the Masoretes,
i.e., Jewish scribes from the 6-10th centuries.

Qere means, "what is read," and ketiv means, "what is written".

It is found in existing Masoretic manuscripts dating to the 9th and 10th centuries, CE.

There are several forms of Qere / Ketiv, including:
ordinary, vowel, omitted, added, euphemistic, split, and qere perpetuum.

The ketiv that is most relevant is the vowel qere. In this case, the consonants are unchanged,
but different vowel signs are added and only the qere, i.e., what is read, is vocalized. ...

I Challenge The Rabbinic QERE–KETIV System!

In January 2022, beginning with the "Accented" (Full Trop and Vowels), rendering I chose to repair defects in the html encodings which occurred with my mechanical conversion of the unicode multi-wide encoding from http://tanach.us. I also decided to rearrange the Qere–Ketiv "system" with what I consider was the Masoretic intent in the first place!

The New KETIV–qere Hebrew Rendering (ACCENTS)!

Thus, this current version uses the Ketiv, what is written, as the predominant rendering, while making the Qere, what the "rabbis" have commanded as Must Be Read instead, to be a minimalist secondary format (much as rabbis appear to have intended the Ketiv to be!).

One of the reasons I decided to take on this new rendering effort is that in my efforts to understand the nature of the rabbinic Qere–Ketiv system I have not truly found a satisfactory explanation of why the "Qere" should always take precedence over the "Ketiv" in reading the Tanakh.

In fact, as I understand it, rabbinic "scribes", in examining the actual Aleppo and Leningrad Codices, appear to have taken upon themselves to adding the consonant only Qere in the margins upon the original manuscripts, where, in their "infinite wisdom" they have presumed themselves to be the greater authority!

Moreover, as rabbinic sources seem to indicate that the "Ketiv" should never be uttered, I have found instances, such as in Exodus 21:8, where I believe the "Qere" is blatantly INCORRECT — and that the "Ketiv" should be the preferred "reading", as if the Masoretes actually knew what they were doing all along!

In my own regular reading (Stone Edition Tanakh, Koren Publications Tanakh), my preference has been to read the "Ketiv" (what is written) and pretty much minimize the "Qere"! This is not easy to do because the predominant Qere is rendered as if it is the normative form, and the Ketiv follows, typically within brackets, as if it is the offensive variant (Stone Edition Tanakh)! In the Koren Publications Tanakh, the "Ketiv" is what is rendered in the margin, while the "Qere" is found in the regular text! Obviously, normal reading will typically ignore what the Masoretes wrote, the "Ketiv"!

As of January, 2022, and going forward, I intend to render the rabbinic additions of Qere in their current KETIV–qere form found in the accented version. I consider this as to convey the intent of the Masoretes. However, I acknowledge that rabbis (talmudists) have expended much effort to obscure the written Torah as part of their regular practice; as they appear, to me, to view themselves collectively as אֱלֹהִ֔ים Elohim. That is, I believe that those talmudists (rabbis), consider themselves collectively to be God!!! They certainly demand that their edicts (tachanot) are followed as if they are divinely inspired law!

If you find this of interest, please view the page on KETIV–QERE Variants

English Scripture Passages From:
"The Holy Scriptures Tanakh 1917 edition
According To The Masoretic Text (JPS 1917 Edition)"

The Jewish Publication Society of America "The Holy Scriptures According To The Masoretic Text (JPS 1917)" is in the public domain, and may be freely copied.

Notable Modifications
To The JPS 1917 Based English Scripture
In The-Iconoclast.org's Hebrew–English Tanakh:

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS!

In The-Iconoclast.org Modified Version Of the JPS 1917 Text, The Verse numbering has been altered to match the corresponding verses in the original Hebrew Scriptures of the actual Leningrad Codex for "The Ten Commandments" in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5!

For More Information Regarding 'The Ten Commandments', See the Page, Comparing The Ten Commandments Exodus 20 & Deuteronomy 5 In The Leningrad Codex

The Name יְהֹוָה Yehovah

"Yehovah", The Name Of G-d In The Hebrew Scripures ('YHVH': י 'Yud', ה 'He', ו 'Vav', ה 'He', aka Tetragamaton) Is Used Instead of "LORD" (note: ALL CAPITAL LETTERS) As Found In The Original JPS 1917 Tanakh.

For More Information Regarding 'The Name', See the Page, The Name יְהֹוָה [Yehovah] In The Aleppo And Leningrad Codices.

In Converting "LORD" to "Yehovah", I Counted A Total Of 5,553 Occurrences In The JPS 1917 Tanakh!

הָאָדֹ֥ן ׀ יְהוָֽה ha Adon Yehovah

The Hebrew Phrase הָאָדֹ֥ן ׀ יְהוָֽה Occurs In Only Two Places, In Exodus 23:17 and 34:23. In Those Cases, I Have Changed The Translation Wording From "Lord GOD" To "Lord GOD [ha Adon Yehovah]".

אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהֹוִֽה Adonai Yehovi

Typically Translated As "Lord GOD", It Is A Much Less Common Form Of The Divine Name, יְהֹוָה [Yehovah].

This Form אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהֹוִֽה Is, Nevertheless, Quite Important In Understanding Pronounciation For The Divine Name, Especially Since The Hebrew Form For It Has NOT Undergone The Intense Scrutiny Of rabbinic Censorship As Has "Yehovah". Accordingly, The Hebrew Text For This Form Of 'The Name' Typically HAS NOT BEEN ALTERED In Jewish Publications That Actually Keep The Vowel Pointers From The Masoretic Text!

In Converting "Lord GOD" to "Lord GOD [Adonai Yehovi]", I Counted A Total Of 284 Occurrences In The JPS 1917 Tanakh. Of All Of Its Occurrences, The Fully Voweled Form Of The Hebrew אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהֹוִֽה Appears 31 Times, And The Non–Fully Voweled Form אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה (The Same Hebrew Letters, Minus Just The One 'Oh' Sounding Character, "The Holem", Which Follows The First 'He' In ( י 'Yud', ה 'He', ו 'Vav', ה 'He' ), Make Up All Other Occurrences.

תורה Torah

The Word "Law" (Capital and lower case), As Found In The JPS 1917, Has Been Changed To "Torah" Where The Base Hebrew Letters תורה Correspond To The Matching Verse In The Leningrad Codex (Masoretic Text)!

In Converting "Law" to "Torah", I Counted A Total Of 223 Occurrences In The JPS 1917 Tanakh!

Yerushalam, Yerush'lem and Yerushalayim

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם "Yerushalam"

The Word "Jerusalem" (the name of capital city in ancient Israel), As Found In The JPS 1917, Has Been Changed To Its Transliterated Equivalent, "Yerushalam" (note the 'am' ending), In All Places Where It Corresponds To [ יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם ] In The Hebrew Text.

יְרוּשְׁלֶֽם "Yerush'lem"

A Rare, Second Transliterated Form, "Yerush'lem" (note the 'em' ending), Has Been Changed From "Jerusalem" Where The Hebrew Letters Spell Out The Aramaic Form [ יְרוּשְׁלֶֽם ] Found In Aramaic Parts Of Daniel And Ezra.

ירוּשָׁלַ֙יִם֙ "Yerushalayim"

The Extremely Rare, Third Transliterated Form, "Yerushalayim" (note the 'ayim' ending), Has Been Changed From The JPS 1917 "Jerusalem" To Correspond To The Hebrew [ ירוּשָׁלַ֙יִם֙ ].

Noteworthy Is That This Rarest Form Appears In Only Four (4) Places In The Entire Hebrew Scriptures, Yet, It Is The Most Common Pronunciation For The Name Of The Ancient City! Its Four (Out Of Over 600) Appearances Are:
1) Jeremiah 26:18, 2) Esther 2:6, 3) I Chronicles 3:5, and 4) II Chronicles 25:1.

In Converting "Jerusalem" To Its Transliterated Equivalents, I Counted A Total Of 625 Occurrences In The JPS 1917 Tanakh!

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