Chapter 5
A Prayer for Restoration
1
Remember, O LORD, what has happened to us. Look and see our disgrace!
𐤆𐤊𐤓 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤌𐤄 𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤋𐤍𐤅 𐤄𐤁𐤉𐤈 𐤅𐤓𐤀𐤄 𐤀𐤕 𐤇𐤓𐤐𐤕𐤍𐤅
זְכֹ֤ר יְהוָה֙ מֶֽה־ הָ֣יָה לָ֔נוּ הַבֵּיט וּרְאֵ֥ה אֶת־ חֶרְפָּתֵֽנוּ׃ zə·ḵōr Yah·weh meh- hā·yāh lā·nū hab·bēṭ ū·rə·’êh ’eṯ- ḥer·pā·ṯê·nū — WLC · 1
2
Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to foreigners.
𐤍𐤇𐤋𐤕𐤍𐤅 𐤍𐤄𐤐𐤊𐤄 𐤋𐤆𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤕𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤋𐤍𐤊𐤓𐤉𐤌
נַחֲלָתֵ֙נוּ֙ נֶֽהֶפְכָ֣ה לְזָרִ֔ים בָּתֵּ֖ינוּ לְנָכְרִֽים׃ na·ḥă·lā·ṯê·nū ne·hep̄·ḵāh lə·zā·rîm bāt·tê·nū lə·nā·ḵə·rîm — WLC · 2
3
We have become fatherless… orphans; our mothers are widows.
𐤄𐤉𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤀𐤁 𐤉𐤕𐤅𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤌𐤕𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤊𐤀𐤋𐤌𐤍𐤅𐤕
הָיִ֙ינוּ֙ אֵין אָ֔ב יְתוֹמִ֤ים אִמֹּתֵ֖ינוּ כְּאַלְמָנֽוֹת׃ hā·yî·nū ʾēn ’āḇ yə·ṯō·w·mîm ’im·mō·ṯê·nū kə·’al·mā·nō·wṯ — WLC · 3
4
We must buy the water we drink; our wood comes at a price.
𐤁𐤊𐤎𐤐 𐤌𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤔𐤕𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤏𐤑𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤉𐤁𐤀𐤅 𐤁𐤌𐤇𐤉𐤓
בְּכֶ֣סֶף מֵימֵ֙ינוּ֙ שָׁתִ֔ינוּ עֵצֵ֖ינוּ יָבֹֽאוּ׃ בִּמְחִ֥יר bə·ḵe·sep̄ mê·mê·nū šā·ṯî·nū ‘ê·ṣê·nū yā·ḇō·’ū bim·ḥîr — WLC · 4
5
We are closely… pursued; we are weary [and find] no rest.
𐤏𐤋 𐤑𐤅𐤀𐤓𐤍𐤅 𐤍𐤓𐤃𐤐𐤍𐤅 𐤉𐤂𐤏𐤍𐤅 𐤋𐤀 𐤄𐤅𐤍𐤇 𐤋𐤍𐤅
עַ֤ל צַוָּארֵ֙נוּ֙ נִרְדָּ֔פְנוּ יָגַ֖עְנוּ לֹא הֽוּנַ֖ח לָֽנוּ׃ ‘al ṣaw·wā·rê·nū nir·dā·p̄ə·nū yā·ḡa‘·nū lō hū·naḥ lā·nū — WLC · 5
6
We submitted… to Egypt [and] Assyria to get enough bread.
𐤍𐤕𐤍𐤅 𐤉𐤃 𐤌𐤑𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤔𐤅𐤓 𐤋𐤔𐤁𐤏 𐤋𐤇𐤌
נָתַ֣נּוּ יָ֔ד מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ אַשּׁ֖וּר לִשְׂבֹּ֥עַֽ לָֽחֶם׃ nā·ṯan·nū yāḏ miṣ·ra·yim ’aš·šūr liś·bō·a‘ lā·ḥem — WLC · 6
7
Our fathers sinned [and are] no more, but we bear their punishment.
𐤀𐤁𐤕𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤇𐤈𐤀𐤅 𐤀𐤉𐤍𐤌 𐤀𐤍𐤇𐤍𐤅 𐤎𐤁𐤋𐤍𐤅 𐤏𐤅𐤍𐤕𐤉𐤄𐤌
אֲבֹתֵ֤ינוּ חָֽטְאוּ֙ אֵינָם אֲנַחְנוּ סָבָֽלְנוּ׃ עֲוֺנֹתֵיהֶ֥ם ’ă·ḇō·ṯê·nū ḥā·ṭə·’ū ʾē·nå̄m ʾă·naḥ·nū sā·ḇā·lə·nū ‘ă·wō·nō·ṯê·hem — WLC · 7
8
Slaves rule over us; [there is] no one to deliver us from their hands.
𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤔𐤋𐤅 𐤁𐤍𐤅 𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤐𐤓𐤒 𐤌𐤉𐤃𐤌
עֲבָדִים֙ מָ֣שְׁלוּ בָ֔נוּ אֵ֥ין פֹּרֵ֖ק מִיָּדָֽם׃ ‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm mā·šə·lū ḇā·nū ’ên pō·rêq mî·yā·ḏām — WLC · 8
9
We get our bread at the risk of our lives because of the sword in the wilderness.
𐤍𐤁𐤉𐤀 𐤋𐤇𐤌𐤍𐤅 𐤁𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤍𐤅 𐤌𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤇𐤓𐤁 𐤄𐤌𐤃𐤁𐤓
נָבִ֣יא לַחְמֵ֔נוּ בְּנַפְשֵׁ֙נוּ֙ מִפְּנֵ֖י חֶ֥רֶב הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃ nā·ḇî laḥ·mê·nū bə·nap̄·šê·nū mip·pə·nê ḥe·reḇ ham·miḏ·bār — WLC · 9
10
Our skin is as hot as an oven with fever from [our] hunger.
𐤏𐤅𐤓𐤍𐤅 𐤍𐤊𐤌𐤓𐤅 𐤊𐤕𐤍𐤅𐤓 𐤌𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤆𐤋𐤏𐤐𐤅𐤕 𐤓𐤏𐤁
עוֹרֵ֙נוּ֙ נִכְמָ֔רוּ כְּתַנּ֣וּר מִפְּנֵ֖י זַלְעֲפ֥וֹת רָעָֽב׃ ‘ō·w·rê·nū niḵ·mā·rū kə·ṯan·nūr mip·pə·nê zal·‘ă·p̄ō·wṯ rā·‘āḇ — WLC · 10
11
Women have been ravished in Zion, virgins in the cities of Judah.
𐤍𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤏𐤍𐤅 𐤁𐤑𐤉𐤅𐤍 𐤁𐤕𐤋𐤕 𐤁𐤏𐤓𐤉 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤃𐤄
נָשִׁים֙ עִנּ֔וּ בְּצִיּ֣וֹן בְּתֻלֹ֖ת בְּעָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃ nā·šîm ‘in·nū bə·ṣî·yō·wn bə·ṯu·lōṯ bə·‘ā·rê yə·hū·ḏāh — WLC · 11
12
Princes have been hung up by their hands; elders receive no respect…
𐤔𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤍𐤕𐤋𐤅 𐤁𐤉𐤃𐤌 𐤆𐤒𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤀 𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤍𐤄𐤃𐤓𐤅
שָׂרִים֙ נִתְל֔וּ בְּיָדָ֣ם זְקֵנִ֖ים לֹ֥א פְּנֵ֥י נֶהְדָּֽרוּ׃ śā·rîm niṯ·lū bə·yā·ḏām zə·qê·nîm lō pə·nê neh·dā·rū — WLC · 12
13
Young men toil at millstones; boys stagger under loads of wood.
𐤁𐤇𐤅𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤍𐤔𐤀𐤅 𐤈𐤇𐤅𐤍 𐤅𐤍𐤏𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤊𐤔𐤋𐤅 𐤁𐤏𐤑
בַּחוּרִים֙ נָשָׂ֔אוּ טְח֣וֹן וּנְעָרִ֖ים כָּשָֽׁלוּ׃ בָּעֵ֥ץ ba·ḥū·rîm nā·śā·’ū ṭə·ḥō·wn ū·nə·‘ā·rîm kā·šā·lū bā·‘êṣ — WLC · 13
14
The elders have left the city gate; the young men [have stopped] their music.
𐤆𐤒𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤔𐤁𐤕𐤅 𐤌𐤔𐤏𐤓 𐤁𐤇𐤅𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤍𐤂𐤉𐤍𐤕𐤌
זְקֵנִים֙ שָׁבָ֔תוּ מִשַּׁ֣עַר בַּחוּרִ֖ים מִנְּגִינָתָֽם׃ zə·qê·nîm šā·ḇā·ṯū miš·ša·‘ar ba·ḥū·rîm min·nə·ḡî·nā·ṯām — WLC · 14
15
Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.
𐤌𐤔𐤅𐤔 𐤔𐤁𐤕 𐤋𐤁𐤍𐤅 𐤌𐤇𐤋𐤍𐤅 𐤍𐤄𐤐𐤊 𐤋𐤀𐤁𐤋
מְשׂ֣וֹשׂ שָׁבַת֙ לִבֵּ֔נוּ מְחֹלֵֽנוּ׃ נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ לְאֵ֖בֶל mə·śō·wś šā·ḇaṯ lib·bê·nū mə·ḥō·lê·nū neh·paḵ lə·’ê·ḇel — WLC · 15
16
The crown has fallen from our head. Woe… to us, for we have sinned!
𐤏𐤈𐤓𐤕 𐤍𐤐𐤋𐤄 𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤍𐤅 𐤀𐤅𐤉 𐤍𐤀 𐤋𐤍𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤇𐤈𐤀𐤍𐤅
עֲטֶ֣רֶת נָֽפְלָה֙ רֹאשֵׁ֔נוּ אֽוֹי־ נָ֥א לָ֖נוּ כִּ֥י חָטָֽאנוּ׃ ‘ă·ṭe·reṯ nā·p̄ə·lāh rō·šê·nū ’ō·w- nā lā·nū kî ḥā·ṭā·nū — WLC · 16
17
Because of this, our hearts are faint; because of these, our eyes grow dim—
𐤏𐤋 𐤆𐤄 𐤋𐤁𐤍𐤅 𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤃𐤅𐤄 𐤏𐤋 𐤀𐤋𐤄 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤇𐤔𐤊𐤅
עַל־ זֶ֗ה לִבֵּ֔נוּ הָיָ֤ה דָוֶה֙ עַל־ אֵ֖לֶּה עֵינֵֽינוּ׃ חָשְׁכ֥וּ ‘al- zeh lib·bê·nū hā·yāh ḏā·weh ‘al- ’êl·leh ‘ê·nê·nū ḥā·šə·ḵū — WLC · 17
18
because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate, patrolled by foxes.
𐤏𐤋 𐤄𐤓 𐤑𐤉𐤅𐤍 𐤔𐤔𐤌𐤌 𐤄𐤋𐤊𐤅 𐤁𐤅𐤐 𐤔𐤅𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤌
עַ֤ל הַר־ צִיּוֹן֙ שֶׁשָּׁמֵ֔ם הִלְּכוּ־ בֽוֹ׃פ שׁוּעָלִ֖ים ‘al har- ṣî·yō·wn šeš·šā·mêm hil·lə·ḵū- ḇōw šū·‘ā·lîm — WLC · 18
19
You, O LORD, reign forever; Your throne endures from generation to generation.
𐤀𐤕𐤄 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤕𐤔𐤁 𐤋𐤏𐤅𐤋𐤌 𐤊𐤎𐤀𐤊 𐤋𐤃𐤓 𐤅𐤃𐤅𐤓
אַתָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ תֵּשֵׁ֔ב לְעוֹלָ֣ם כִּסְאֲךָ֖ לְדֹ֥ר וָדֽוֹר׃ ’at·tāh Yah·weh tê·šêḇ lə·‘ō·w·lām kis·’ă·ḵā lə·ḏōr wā·ḏō·wr — WLC · 19
20
Why have You forgotten us forever? Why have You forsaken us for so long…?
𐤋𐤌𐤄 𐤕𐤔𐤊𐤇𐤍𐤅 𐤋𐤍𐤑𐤇 𐤕𐤏𐤆𐤁𐤍𐤅 𐤋𐤀𐤓𐤊 𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤌
לָ֤מָּה תִּשְׁכָּחֵ֔נוּ לָנֶ֙צַח֙ תַּֽעַזְבֵ֖נוּ לְאֹ֥רֶךְ יָמִֽים׃ lām·māh tiš·kā·ḥê·nū lā·ne·ṣaḥ ta·‘az·ḇê·nū lə·’ō·reḵ yā·mîm — WLC · 20
21
Restore us to Yourself, O LORD, so we may return; renew our days as of old,
𐤄𐤔𐤉𐤁𐤍𐤅 𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤅𐤍𐤔𐤅𐤁 𐤇𐤃𐤔 𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤊𐤒𐤃𐤌
הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ יְהוָ֤ה׀ וְנָשׁוּב חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃ hă·šî·ḇê·nū ’ê·le·ḵā Yah·weh wə·nå̄·šūḇ ḥad·dêš yā·mê·nū kə·qe·ḏem — WLC · 21
22
unless… You have utterly rejected us… and remain angry with us beyond measure…
𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤌 𐤌𐤀𐤎 𐤌𐤀𐤎𐤕𐤍𐤅 𐤒𐤑𐤐𐤕 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤏𐤃 𐤌𐤀𐤃
כִּ֚י אִם־ מָאֹ֣ס מְאַסְתָּ֔נוּ קָצַ֥פְתָּ עָלֵ֖ינוּ עַד־ מְאֹֽד׃ kî ’im- mā·’ōs mə·’as·tā·nū qā·ṣap̄·tā ‘ā·lê·nū ‘aḏ- mə·’ōḏ — WLC · 22