The Old Testament
ΘΡΗΝΟΙ ΙΕΡΕΜΙΟΥ · 4
22 Brenton verses
Aleph. How will the gold be tarnished, and the fine silver changed! the sacred stones have been poured forth at the top of all the streets.
ΑΛΕΦ. Πῶς ἀμαυρωθήσεται χρυσίον, ἀλλοιωθήσεται τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ ἀγαθόν; ἐξεχύθησαν λίθοι ἅγιοι ἐπʼ ἀρχῆς πασῶν ἐξόδων.
Beth. The precious sons of Zion, who were equalled in value with gold, how are they counted as earthen vessels, the works of the hands of the potter!
ΒΗΘ. Οἱ υἱοὶ Σιὼν οἱ τίμιοι, οἱ ἐπῃρμένοι ἐν χρυσίῳ, πῶς ἐλογίσθησαν εἰς ἀγγεῖα ὀστράκινα, ἔργα χειρῶν κεραμέως;
Gimel. Nay, serpents have drawn out the breasts, they give suck to their young, the daughters of my people are incurably cruel, as an ostrich in a desert.
ΓΙΜΕΛ. Καί γε δράκοντες ἐξέδυσαν μαστοὺς, ἐθήλασαν σκύμνοι αὐτῶν θυγατέρας λαοῦ μου εἰς ἀνίατον, ὡς στρουθίον ἐν ἐρήμῳ.
Daleth. The tongue of the sucking child cleaves to the roof of its mouth for thirst: the little children ask for bread, and there is none to break it to them.
ΔΑΛΕΘ. Ἐκολλήθη ἡ γλῶσσα θηλάζοντος πρὸς τὸν φάρυγγα αὐτοῦ ἐν δίψει, νήπια ᾔτησαν ἄρτον, ὁ διακλῶν οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς.
He. They that feed on dainties are desolate in the streets: they that used to be nursed in scarlet have clothed themselves with dung.
Η. Οἱ ἔσθοντες τὰς τρυφὰς ἠφανίσθησαν ἐν ταῖς ἐξόδοις, οἱ τιθηνούμενοι ἐπὶ κόκκων περιεβάλλοντο κοπρίας.
Vau. And the iniquity of the daughter of my people has been increased beyond the iniquities of Sodoma, the city that was overthrown very suddenly, and none laboured against her with their hands.
ΟΥΑΥ. Καὶ ἐμεγαλύνθη ἀνομία θυγατρὸς λαοῦ μου ὑπὲρ ἀνομίας Σοδόμων τῆς κατεστραμμένης ὥσπερ σπουδὴ, καὶ οὐκ ἐπόνεσαν ἐν αὐτῇ χεῖρας.
Zain. Her Nazarites were made purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were purified as with fire, their polishing was superior to sapphire stone.
ΖΑΙΝ. Ἐκαθαριώθησαν Ναζιραῖοι αὐτῆς ὑπὲρ χιόνα, ἔλαμψαν ὑπὲρ γάλα, ἐπυρώθησαν, ὑπὲρ λίθου σαπφείρου τὸ ἀπόσπασμα αὐτῶν.
Heth. Their countenance is become blacker than smoke; they are not known in the streets: their skin has cleaved to their bones; they are withered, they are become as a stick.
ΗΘ. Ἐσκότασεν ὑπὲρ ἀσβόλην τὸ εἶδος αὐτῶν, οὐκ ἐπεγνώσθησαν ἐν ταῖς ἐξόδοις· ἐπάγη δέρμα αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὰ ὀστέα αὐτῶν, ἐξηράνθησαν, ἐγενήθησαν ὥσπερ ξύλον.
Teth. The slain with the sword were better than they that were slain with hunger: they have departed, pierced through from want of the fruits of the field.
ΤΗΘ. Καλοὶ ἦσαν οἱ τραυματίαι ῥομφαίας, ἢ οἱ τραυματίαι λιμοῦ· ἐπορεύθησαν ἐκκεκεντημένοι ἀπὸ γεννημάτων ἀγρῶν.
Jod. The hands of tender-hearted women have sodden their own children: they became meat for them in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
ΙΩΔ. Χεῖρες γυναικῶν οἰκτιρμόνων ἥψησαν τὰ παιδία αὐτῶν, ἐγενήθησαν εἰς βρῶσιν αὐταῖς, ἐν τῷ συντρίμματι τῆς θυγατρὸς τοῦ λαοῦ μου.
Chaph. The Lord has accomplished his wrath; he has poured out his fierce anger, and has kindled a fire in Sion, and it has devoured her foundations.
ΧΑΦ. Συνετέλεσε Κύριος θυμὸν αὐτοῦ, ἐξέχεε θυμὸν ὀργῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνῆψε πῦρ ἐν Σιὼν, καὶ κατέφαγε τὰ θεμέλια αὐτῆς.
Lamed. The kings of the earth, even all that dwell in the world, believed not that an enemy and oppressor would enter through the gates of Jerusalem.
ΛΑΜΕΔ. Οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν βασιλεῖς γῆς, πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν οἰκουμένην, ὅτι εἰσελεύσεται ἐχθρὸς καὶ ἐκθλίβων διὰ τῶν πυλῶν Ἱερουσαλήμ.
Mem. For the sins of her prophets, and iniquities of her priests, who shed righteous blood in the midst of her,
ΜΗΜ. Ἐξ ἁμαρτιῶν προφητῶν αὐτῆς, ἀδικιῶν ἱερέων αὐτῆς, τῶν ἐκχεόντων αἷμα δίκαιον ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς.
Nun. her watchmen staggered in the streets, they were defiled with blood in their weakness, they touched their raiment with it.
ΝΟΥΝ. Ἐσαλεύθησαν ἐγρήγοροι αὐτῆς ἐν ταῖς ἐξόδοις, ἐμολύνθησαν ἐν αἵματι ἐν τῷ μὴ δύνασθαι αὐτοὺς, ἥψαντο ἐνδυμάτων αὐτῶν.
Samech. Depart ye from the unclean ones: call ye them: depart, depart, touch them not: for they are on fire, yea, they stagger: say ye among the nations, They shall no more sojourn there.
ΣΑΜΕΧ. Ἀπόστητε ἀκαθάρτων, καλέσατε αὐτοὺς, ἀπόστητε, ἀπόστητε, μὴ ἅπτεσθε, ὅτι ἀνήφθησαν, καί γε ἐσαλεύθησαν· εἴπατε ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, οὐ μὴ προσθῶσι τοῦ παροικεῖν.
Ain. The presence of the Lord was their portion; but he will not again look upon them: they regarded not the person of the priests, they pitied not the prophets.
ΑΙΝ. Πρόσωπον Κυρίου μερὶς αὐτῶν, οὐ προσθήσει ἐπιβλέψαι αὐτοῖς· πρόσωπον ἱερέων οὐκ ἔλαβον, προφήτας οὐκ ἠλέησαν.
Phe. While we yet lived our eyes failed, while we looked in vain for our help. Tsade. We looked to a nation that could not save.
ΦΗ. Ἔτι ὄντων ἡμῶν ἐξέλιπον οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν, εἰς τὴν βοήθειαν ἡμῶν μάταια ἀποσκοπευόντων ἡμῶν.
We have hunted for our little ones, that they should not walk in our streets. Koph. Our time has drawn nigh, our days are fulfilled, our time is come.
ΤΣΑΔΗ. Ἀπεσκοπεύσαμεν εἰς ἔθνος οὐ σῶζον, ἐθηρεύσαμεν μικροὺς ἡμῶν, τοῦ μὴ πορεύεσθαι ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις ἡμῶν.
Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky, they flew on the mountains, in the wilderness they laid wait for us.
ΚΩΦ. Ἤγγικεν ὁ καιρὸς ἡμῶν, ἐπληρώθησαν αἱ ἡμέραι ἡμῶν, πάρεστιν ὁ καιρὸς ἡμῶν. Κοῦφοι ἐγένοντο οἱ διώκοντες ἡμᾶς ὑπὲρ ἀετοὺς οὐρανοῦ, ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων ἐξέπτησαν, ἐν ἐρήμῳ ἐνήδρευσαν ἡμᾶς.
Rechs. The breath of our nostrils, our anointed Lord, was taken in their destructive snares, of whom we said, In his shadow we shall live among the Gentiles.
ΡΗΧΣ. Πνεῦμα προσώπου ἡμῶν χριστὸς Κύριος συνελήφθη ἐν ταῖς διαφθοραῖς αὐτῶν, οὗ εἴπαμεν, ἐν τῇ σκιᾶ αὐτοῦ ζησόμεθα ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι.
Chsen. Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Idumea, that dwellest in the land: yet the cup of the Lord shall pass through to thee: thou shalt be drunken, and pour forth.
ΧΣΕΝ. Χαῖρε καὶ εὐφραίνου θύγατερ Ἰδουμαίας ἡ κατοικοῦσα ἐπὶ γῆς, καί γε ἐπὶ σὲ διελεύσεται τὸ ποτήριον Κυρίου, μεθυσθήσῃ καὶ ἀποχεεῖς.
Thau. O daughter of Sion, thine iniquity has come to an end; he shall no more carry thee captive: he has visited thine iniquities, O daughter of Edom; he has discovered thy sins.
ΘΑΥ. Ἐξέλιπεν ἡ ἀνομία σου θύγατερ Σιὼν, οὐ προσθήσει τοῦ ἀποικίσαι σε· ἐπεσκέψατο ἀνομίας σου θύγατερ Ἐδὼμ, ἀπεκάλυψεν ἐπὶ τὰ ἀσεβήματά σου.
Brenton supplied wording, small capitals, translation notes, Greek wording, and edition-specific verse identifiers are retained. Parallel passages keep each edition's own references. Editions and sources.