And you,וְאַתָּהtake upשָׂאa lamentקִינָהfor the chiefsאֶל נְשִׂיאֵיof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵל
and say,וְאָמַרְתָּ“Whatמָהa lionessלְבִיָּאwas your motherאִמְּךָamong lions!בֵּין אֲרָיוֹתShe lay downרָבָצָהin the midstבְּתוֹךְof young lions;כְּפִרִיםshe rearedרִבְּתָהher cubs.גוּרֶיהָ
And she brought upוַתַּעַלoneאֶחָדof her cubs;מִגֻּרֶיהָhe becameהָיָהa young lion,כְּפִירand he learnedוַיִּלְמַדto tearלִטְרָףprey;טֶרֶףhe devouredאָכָלhuman beings.אָדָם
And the nationsוַ גּוֹיִםheardיִּשְׁמְעוּof him;אֵלָיוin their pitבְּשַׁחְתָּםhe was caught,נִתְפָּשׂand they brought himוַיְבִאֻהוּwith hooksבַחַחִיםto the landאֶל אֶרֶץof Egypt.מִצְרָיִם
And she sawוַתֵּרֶאthatכִּיshe had waited,נוֹחֲלָהthat her hopeתִּקְוָתָהּwas lost;אָבְדָהand she tookוַתִּקַּחanotherאֶחָדof her cubs;מִגֻּרֶיהָshe made himשָׂמָתְהוּa young lion.כְּפִיר
And he walked aboutוַיִּתְהַלֵּךְamongבְּתוֹךְthe lions;אֲרָיוֹתhe becameהָיָהa young lion,כְּפִירand he learnedוַיִּלְמַדto tearלִטְרָףprey;טֶרֶףhe devouredאָכָלhuman beings.אָדָם
And he knewוַיֵּדַעhis widows,אַלְמְנוֹתָיוand laid wasteוְ הֶחֱרִיבtheir cities;עָרֵיהֶםand the landאֶרֶץwas desolate,וַתֵּשַׁםand all that fills it,וּמְלֹאָהּat the soundמִקּוֹלof his roaring.שַׁאֲגָתוֹ
And the nationsוַ גּוֹיִםsetיִּתְּנוּagainst himעָלָיוfrom the provincesמִמְּדִינוֹתall around,סָבִיבand spreadוַיִּפְרְשׂוּover himעָלָיוtheir net;רִשְׁתָּםin their pitבְּשַׁחְתָּםhe was caught.נִתְפָּשׂ
And they put himוַיִּתְּנֻהוּin the cageבַסּוּגַרwith hooksבַּחַחִיםand brought himוַיְבִאֻהוּto the kingאֶל מֶלֶךְof Babylon;בָּבֶלthey brought himיְבִאֻהוּin snares,בַּמְּצֹדוֹתso thatלְמַעַןhis voiceקוֹלוֹwould noלֹאlongerעוֹדbe heardיִשָּׁמַעon the mountainsאֶל הָרֵיof Israel.יִשְׂרָאֵל
Your motherאִמְּךָwas like a vineכַגֶּפֶןin your blood,בְּדָמְךָplantedשְׁתוּלָהby the waters;עַל מַיִםfruitfulפֹּרִיָּהand full of branchesוַעֲנֵפָהshe wasהָיְתָהbecause of manyמִ רַבִּיםwaters.מַּיִם
And she hadוַיִּהְיוּ לָהּstrongעֹזrodsמַטּוֹתfor sceptersאֶל שִׁבְטֵיof rulers;מֹשְׁלִיםand its statureוַ קוֹמָתוֹrose highתִּגְבַּהּup amongעַל בֵּיןthe thick foliage,עֲבֹתִיםand it was seenוַיֵּרָאin its height,בְגָבְהוֹwith the multitudeבְּרֹבof its branches.דָּלִיֹּתָיו
But she was uprootedוַתֻּתַּשׁin fury,בְּחֵמָהto the earthלָאָרֶץshe was cast down;הֻשְׁלָכָהand the eastהַקָּדִיםwindוְרוּחַdried upהוֹבִישׁher fruit;פִּרְיָהּher strongעֻזָּהּrodsמַטֵּהwere broken offהִתְפָּרְקוּand withered;וְיָבֵשׁוּfireאֵשׁconsumed it.אֲכָלָתְהוּ
And nowוְעַתָּהshe is plantedשְׁתוּלָהin the wilderness,בַמִּדְבָּרin a landבְּאֶרֶץdryצִיָּהand thirsty.וְצָמָא
And fireוַ אֵשׁhas gone outתֵּצֵאfrom the rodמִמַּטֵּהof her shoots;בַדֶּיהָit has consumedאָכָלָהher fruit,פִּרְיָהּand there isוְ הָיָהin herבָהּnoלֹאstrongעֹזrod,מַטֵּהa scepterשֵׁבֶטto rule.”לִמְשׁוֹלThisהִיאis a lament,קִינָהand it has becomeוַתְּהִיa lament.לְקִינָה