1 I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of the LORD's wrath.2 He has driven me away and made me walk in darkness rather than light;3 indeed, he has turned his hand against me again and again, all day long.4 He has made my skin and my flesh grow old and has broken my bones.5 He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.6 He has made me dwell in darkness like those long dead.7 He has walled me in so I cannot escape; he has weighed me down with chains.8 Even when I call out or cry for help, he shuts out my prayer.9 He has barred my way with blocks of stone; he has made my paths crooked.10 Like a bear lying in wait, like a lion in hiding,11 he dragged me from the path and mangled me and left me without help.12 He drew his bow and made me the target for his arrows.13 He pierced my heart with arrows from his quiver.14 I became the laughingstock of all my people; they mock me in song all day long.15 He has filled me with bitter herbs and given me gall to drink.16 He has broken my teeth with gravel; he has trampled me in the dust.17 I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is.18 So I say, "My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the LORD."19 I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.20 I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.28 Let him sit alone in silence, for the LORD has laid it on him.29 Let him bury his face in the dust — there may yet be hope.30 Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace.31 For no one is cast off by the Lord forever.32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.33 For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.34 To crush underfoot all prisoners in the land,35 to deny people their rights before the Most High,36 to deprive them of justice — would not the Lord see such things?37 Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it?38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?39 Why should the living complain when punished for their sins?40 Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven, and say:42 "We have sinned and rebelled and you have not forgiven.43 "You have covered yourself with anger and pursued us; you have slain without pity.44 You have covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through.45 You have made us scum and refuse among the nations.46 "All our enemies have opened their mouths wide against us.47 We have suffered terror and pitfalls, ruin and destruction."48 Streams of tears flow from my eyes because my people are destroyed.49 My eyes will flow unceasingly, without relief,50 until the LORD looks down from heaven and sees.51 What I see brings grief to my soul because of all the women of my city.52 Those who were my enemies without cause hunted me like a bird.53 They tried to end my life in a pit and threw stones at me;54 the waters closed over my head, and I thought I was about to perish.55 I called on your name, LORD, from the depths of the pit.56 You heard my plea: "Do not close your ears to my cry for relief."57 You came near when I called you, and you said, "Do not fear."58 You, Lord, took up my case; you redeemed my life.59 LORD, you have seen the wrong done to me. Uphold my cause!60 You have seen the depth of their vengeance, all their plots against me.61 LORD, you have heard their insults, all their plots against me —62 what my enemies whisper and mutter against me all day long.63 Look at them! Sitting or standing, they mock me in their songs.64 Pay them back what they deserve, LORD, for what their hands have done.65 Put a veil over their hearts, and may your curse be on them!66 Pursue them in anger and destroy them from under the heavens of the LORD.

1 [ Aleph Ego vir videns paupertatem meamin virga indignationis ejus.2 Aleph Me minavit, et adduxit in tenebras,et non in lucem.3 Aleph Tantum in me vertit et convertitmanum suam tota die.4 Beth Vetustam fecit pellem meam et carnem meam ;contrivit ossa mea.5 Beth dificavit in gyro meo, et circumdedit mefelle et labore.6 Beth In tenebrosis collocavit me,quasi mortuos sempiternos.7 Ghimel Circumdificavit adversum me, ut non egrediar ;aggravavit compedem meum.8 Ghimel Sed et cum clamavero, et rogavero,exclusit orationem meam.9 Ghimel Conclusit vias meas lapidibus quadris ;semitas meas subvertit.10 Daleth Ursus insidians factus est mihi,leo in absconditis.11 Daleth Semitas meas subvertit, et confregit me ;posuit me desolatam.12 Daleth Tetendit arcum suum, et posuit mequasi signum ad sagittam.13 He Misit in renibus meisfilias pharetr su.14 He Factus sum in derisum omni populo meo,canticum eorum tota die.15 He Replevit me amaritudinibus ;inebriavit me absinthio.16 Vau Et fregit ad numerum dentes meos ;cibavit me cinere.17 Vau Et repulsa est a pace anima mea ;oblitus sum bonorum.18 Vau Et dixi : Periit finis meus,et spes mea a Domino.19 Zain Recordare paupertatis, et transgressionis me,absinthii et fellis.20 Zain Memoria memor ero, et tabescetin me anima mea.21 Zain Hc recolens in corde meo,ideo sperabo.22 Heth Misericordi Domini, quia non sumus consumpti ;quia non defecerunt miserationes ejus.23 Heth Novi diluculo,multa est fides tua.24 Heth Pars mea Dominus, dixit anima mea ;propterea exspectabo eum.25 Teth Bonus est Dominus sperantibus in eum,anim qurenti illum.26 Teth Bonum est prstolari cum silentiosalutare Dei.27 Teth Bonum est viro cum portaverit jugumab adolescentia sua.28 Jod Sedebit solitarius, et tacebit,quia levavit super se.29 Jod Ponet in pulvere os suum,si forte sit spes.30 Jod Dabit percutienti se maxillam :saturabitur opprobriis.31 Caph Quia non repelletin sempiternum Dominus.32 Caph Quia si abjecit, et miserebitur,secundum multitudinem misericordiarum suarum.33 Caph Non enim humiliavit ex corde suoet abjecit filios hominum.34 Lamed Ut conteret sub pedibus suisomnes vinctos terr.35 Lamed Ut declinaret judicium viriin conspectu vultus Altissimi.36 Lamed Ut perverteret hominem in judicio suo ;Dominus ignoravit.37 Mem Quis est iste qui dixit ut fieret,Domino non jubente ?38 Mem Ex ore Altissimi non egredienturnec mala nec bona ?39 Mem Quid murmuravit homo vivens,vir pro peccatis suis ?40 Nun Scrutemur vias nostras, et quramus,et revertamur ad Dominum.41 Nun Levemus corda nostra cum manibusad Dominum in clos.42 Nun Nos inique egimus, et ad iracundiam provocavimus ;idcirco tu inexorabilis es.43 Samech Operuisti in furore, et percussisti nos ;occidisti, nec pepercisti.44 Samech Opposuisti nubem tibi,ne transeat oratio.45 Samech Eradicationem et abjectionem posuisti mein medio populorum.46 Phe Aperuerunt super nos os suumomnes inimici.47 Phe Formido et laqueus facta est nobisvaticinatio, et contritio.48 Phe Divisiones aquarum deduxit oculus meus,in contritione fili populi mei.49 Ain Oculus meus afflictus est, nec tacuit,eo quod non esset requies.50 Ain Donec respiceret et videretDominus de clis.51 Ain Oculus meus deprdatus est animam meamin cunctis filiabus urbis me.52 Sade Venatione ceperunt me quasi aveminimici mei gratis.53 Sade Lapsa est in lacum vita mea,et posuerunt lapidem super me.54 Sade Inundaverunt aqu super caput meum ;dixi : Perii.55 Coph Invocavi nomen tuum, Domine,de lacu novissimo.56 Coph Vocem meam audisti ; ne avertas aurem tuama singultu meo et clamoribus.57 Coph Appropinquasti in die quando invocavi te ;dixisti : Ne timeas.58 Res Judicasti, Domine, causam anim me,redemptor vit me.59 Res Vidisti, Domine, iniquitatem illorum adversum me :judica judicium meum.60 Res Vidisti omnem furorem,universas cogitationes eorum adversum me.61 Sin Audisti opprobrium eorum, Domine,omnes cogitationes eorum adversum me.62 Sin Labia insurgentium mihi, et meditationes eorumadversum me tota die.63 Sin Sessionem eorum et resurrectionem eorum vide ;ego sum psalmus eorum.64 Thau Redes eis vicem, Domine,juxta opera manuum suarum.65 Thau Dabis eis scutum cordis,laborem tuum.66 Thau Persequeris in furore, et conteres eossub clis, Domine.]