Lamentations · Chapter 1

[ edit] Aleph. Hou ſitteþ alone þe cite ful of puple? mad is as a widewe þe ladi of folc of kinde; prince of prouynces mad is vnder tribute. Beþ. Wepende ſhe wepte in þe nyȝt, and þe teres of hir in hir chekus; þer is not þat coumforte hir, of alle hir derwrþe; alle her frendus diſpiſeden hir, and ben mad to hir enemys. Gimel. Paſſyde Juda for þe affliccioun and þe multitude of ſeruage, dwellide among Jentiles, ne ſhe fond reſte; alle hir purſuerus caȝten hir among anguyſſhis. Deleþ. Þe weies of Sion weilen, for þi þat þer ben not, þat come to þe ſolempnete; alle hir ȝatus ben ſtroȝed, hir preſtys weilende, hir maidenus foule, and ſhe opreſſed wiþ bitterneſſe. He.

Mad ben hir enemys in þe hed, and hir enemys ben richid, for þe Lord ſpac vp on hir. For þe multitude of hir wickeneſſes hir litil childer ben lad in to caitifte, bifor þe face of þe trublende. Vau. And wente out fro þe doȝter of Sion al hir fairneſſe; mad ben hir princes as weþeres not fyndende leſwis, and þei wenten awei wiþoute ſtrengþe bifor þe face of þe folewere. Sai. And recordide Jeruſalem of þe daies of hir affliccioun and treſpas, and of alle hir deſirable þingus þat ſhe hadde fro þe olde daies; whan ſhulde falle hir puple in þe enemys hond, and þer was not an helpere; ſeȝen hir þe enemys, and ſcorneden hir ſabatus. Heþ.

A ſynne ſynnede Jeruſalem, þerfore vnſtable ſhe is mad; alle þat glorifieden hir diſpiſeden hir, for þei ſeȝen hir ſhenſhipe; ſhe forſoþe weilende, and is turned bacward. Teþ. Þe filþis of hir in hir feet, and ſhe recordide not of hir ende; do doun ſhe is hugeli, not hauende a comfortour; ſee, Lord, my tormenting, for rered vp is þe enemy. Joþ. His hond ſente þe enemy to alle hir deſirable þingus; for ſhe ſaȝ Jentilis gon in to hir ſeyntuarie, of whiche þou haddiſt comaundid, þat þei ſhulde not go in to þi chirche. Caf. Al hir puple weilende and ſechende bred, and ȝeeuen eche preciouſe þingus for mete to be refreſhid þe ſoule; ſee, Lord, and behold, for mad Y am foul. Lameþ.

O! alle ȝee þat paſſen bi þe weie, takeþ heed, and ſeeþ, if þer is ſorewe as my ſorewe; for to-pullid me it haþ, as þe Lord ſpac in þe dai of þe wraþe of his wodneſſe. Men. Fro an heiȝ he ſente fyr in my bonus, and lernede me; ſpredde out a net to my feet, turnede me bacward; he ſette me deſolat, al dai wiþ mournyng defacid. Nun. Wakide þe ȝoc of my wickeneſſes in his hond, wrappid þei ben togidere, and leid on my necke; feblid is my vertu; ȝaf me þe Lord in þe hond, of whiche Y ſhal not moun riſe. Sameþ. Toc awei þe Lord alle my grete wrþi doeres fro my myddel; he clepede aȝen me tyme, þat he to-broſe my choſene; þe preſſe trad þe Lord to þe maide, doȝter of Juda. Ayn.

Þerfore Y wepende, and myn eȝe ledende doun water; for ferr mad fro me is þe coumfortour, turnende my ſoule; mad ben my ſonus loſt, for mor myȝti was þe enemy. Fee. Straȝte out Sion hir hondus, þer is not þat coumforte hir; þe Lord ſente aȝen Jacob, in þe cumpas of hir, hir enemys; mad is Jeruſalem as defoulid wiþ wymmen flux blodis among hem. Sade. Riȝtwis is þe Lord, for his mouþ to wraþe Y terrede; hereþ, Y beſeche, alle puplis, and ſeeþ my ſorewe; my maidenes and my ȝunge men wenten in to caitifte. Cof. I clepede my frendus, and þei bigileden me; my preſtus and myn olde men in þe cite ben waſtid; for þei ſoȝten mete to þemſelf, þat þei refreſhe þer ſoule. Res.

See, Lord, for Y am trublid, al diſturbid is my wombe; turned vp ſo doun is myn herte in myſelf, for of bitterneſſe ful Y am; wiþouteforþ ſleeþ þe ſword, and at home deþ is lyc. Syn. Þei herden, for Y inwardli weile, and þer is not þat coumforteþ me; alle myn enemys herden myn euel, gladiden, for þou didiſt; þou broȝtiſt to dai of coumforting, and mad þei ſhul be lic me. Tau. Go yn al þe euel of hem bifor þee, and to-pulle hem, as þou to-pullediſt me for my wickydneſſes; manye forſoþe my weilingis, and myn herte moornende.