Lamentations · Chapter 3

[ edit] Aleph. I a man ſeende my poreneſſe in þe ȝerde of his indignacioun. Me he drof, and broȝt in to dercneſſis, and not in to liȝt. Onli in to me turnede, and conuertede his hond al dai. Beþ. For eldid he made my ſkyn, and my fleſh; he to-broſyde my bonus. He bilde vp in my cumpas, and cumpaſſede me wiþ galle and wiþ trauaile. In derke þingus he ſette me, as deade men euere durende. Gimel. He bilde aboute aȝen me, þat Y go not out; he agreggede myn gyues. But and whan Y ſhal crien and preȝe, he cloſede out myn oryſoun. He cloſede my weyes wiþ ſquar ſtonus; my ſtyes he turnede vp ſo doun. Deleþ. A waitende bere maad he is to me, a leoun in hid þingus.

My paþis he turnede vp ſo doun, and tobrac me; he putte me deſolat. He bente his bowe, and ſette me as a ſigne to þe arewe. He. He putte in my reynes þe doȝtris of his arewe cas. Y am mad in to ſcorne to al puple, þe ſong of þem al dai. He fulfilde me wiþ bitterneſſes; he drunknede me wiþ wrmod. Vau. He to-brac at noumbre my teeþ; he fedde me wiþ aſkus. And put a bac is my ſoule; Y forȝat of goodus. And Y ſeide, Perſhede myn ende, and myn hope fro þe Lord. Sai. Recorde of poreneſſe and of myn ouergoing, and of wrmod and of galle. Bi mynde Y ſhal be myndeful; and failen in me ſhal my ſoule. Þeſe þingus þenkende in myn herte, in God Y ſhal hope. Heþ.

Þe mercyes of þe Lord manye, forſoþe wee ben not waſtid; for his mercyes faileden not. Y kneȝ þe morutid; myche is þi feiþ. My partie þe Lord, ſeide my ſoule; þerfore Y ſhal abiden hym. Teþ. Good is þe Lord to men hopende in hym, to þe ſoule ſechende hym. Good is to abide wiþ ſilence þe helþe ȝyuere of God. Good is to þe man, þat haþ born þe ȝoc of þe Lord fro his waxende ȝouþe. Joþ. He ſhal ſitte ſolitarie, and be ſtille; for he rerede hymſelf aboue hymſelf. He ſhal ſette in pouder his mouþ, if par auenture þer be hope. He ſhal ȝyue to þe ſmytende hym þe cheke; he ſhal be fulfyld wiþ repreues. Caph. For putten abac ſhul not þe Lord in to euermor.

For if he haue caſt awei, and he ſhal haue mercy after þe multitude of his mercies. Forſoþe he loewede not of his herte; and caſte awei þe ſonus of man. Lameþ. Þat he ſhulde tobroſe vnder his feet alle þe gyuede of þe lond. Þat he ſhulde boowe doun þe dom of man, in þe ſiȝte of þe chere of þe heȝeſt. Þat he ſchuld myſturne a man in his dom, þe Lord kneȝ not. Men. Who ys þis þat ſeide, þat ſhulde be don, þe Lord not comaundende? Of þe mouþ of þe heȝeſt ſhul not go out ne goode þingus ne euele. What grucchede a man lyuende, a man for his ſynnes? Nun. Serche we oure weies, and ſeche, and be wee turned aȝeen to þe Lord. Rere wee oure hertus wiþ hondus, to þe Lord in to heuenus.

Wee wickeli diden, and to wraþe terreden; þerfore þou art vnpreiable. Sameþ. Þou coueridiſt in wodneſſe, and ſmyte vs; þou ſlowe, and ſparediſt not. Þou putteſt aȝen a cloude to þee, leſt paſſe þe preieer. Pulling vp bi þe roote, and caſting awei, þou puttiſt me, in þe myddel of puplus. Ain. Myn eȝe is tormentid, and was not ſtille; forþi þat þer was not reſte. To þe tyme þat ſhulde biholde and looke þe Lord fro heuenus. Myn eȝe robbede my ſoule in alle þe doȝtris of my cheef cite. Fe. Openeden vp on vs þer mouþ, alle þe enemys. Ferd and gren don is to vs, profeciyng and contricioun. My eȝen broȝten doun deuyſeouns of watris, in þe contricioun of þe doȝter of my puple. Sade.

Bi hunting þei token me as a brid, myn enemys freeli. Slyden is in to a grene my lyf; þei ſetten a ſton vp on me. Floweden watris vp on myn hed; Y ſeide, Y perſhede. Cof. I inwardli clepede þi name, Lord, fro þe laſte grene. My vois þou herdeſt; ne turne þou awei þin ere fro my ſobbing and cries. Þou neȝhediſt in þe dai, whan Y inwardli clepede þee; þou ſeidiſt, Ne drede þou. Res. Þou demedeſt, Lord, þe cauſe of my ſoule, þou aȝeen biere of my lif. Þou ſeeȝe, Lord, þe wickeneſſe of þem aȝen me; deme þou my dom. Þou ſeȝe eche wodneſſe, alle þe þoȝtus of hem aȝens me. Syn. Þou haſt herd þe repreues of hem, Lord; alle þe þoȝtus of hem aȝen me.

Þe lippis of men inriſende to me, and þe biþenkingus of hem aȝen me al day. Þe ſitting of hem and þe aȝeen riſing of hem ſee; Y am þe ſalm of hem. Tau. Þou ſhalt ȝelde to þem þe while, Lord, after þe werkis of þer hondus. Þou ſhalt ȝyue to þem þe ſheld of herte, þi trauaile. Þou ſhalt purſue in þi wodneſſe, and to-trede þem vnder heuenus, Lord.