TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 1
Translation and Transliteration of
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1Alas! Lonely sits the city Once great with people! She that was great among nations Is become like a widow; The princess among states Is become a thrall.
AY-kha yosh-VAH va-DAHD ha-EER ra-BA-tee AM ha-Y'-TAH k'-al-MA-na ra-BA-tee va-go-YEEM sa-RA-tee ba-m'-dee-NOT ha-Y'-TAH la-MAS
אאֵיכָ֣ה ׀ יָשְׁבָ֣ה בָדָ֗ד הָעִיר֙ רַבָּ֣תִי עָ֔ם הָיְתָ֖ה כְּאַלְמָנָ֑ה רַבָּ֣תִי בַגּוֹיִ֗ם שָׂרָ֙תִי֙ בַּמְּדִינ֔וֹת הָיְתָ֖ה לָמַֽס׃
2Bitterly she weeps in the night, Her cheek wet with tears. There is none to comfort her Of all her friends. All her allies have betrayed her; They have become her foes.
ba-KHO tiv-KEH ba-LAI-lah v'-dim-a-TAH AL le-khe-YAH ayn LAH m'-na-KHAYM mi-kol o-ha-VE-ha kol ray-E-ha BA-g'-du VAH ha-YU LAH l'-o-y'-VEEM
בבָּכ֨וֹ תִבְכֶּ֜ה בַּלַּ֗יְלָה וְדִמְעָתָהּ֙ עַ֣ל לֶֽחֱיָ֔הּ אֵֽין־לָ֥הּ מְנַחֵ֖ם מִכׇּל־אֹהֲבֶ֑יהָ כׇּל־רֵעֶ֙יהָ֙ בָּ֣גְדוּ בָ֔הּ הָ֥יוּ לָ֖הּ לְאֹיְבִֽים׃
1:2 All her allies have betrayed her; They have become her foes
The Law of Return
Jewish history has demonstrated time and time again just how drastically friends can indeed turn into enemies. Ever since the biblical account of Pharaoh inviting Yosef’s family down to Egypt, which eventually led to the bitter enslavement of the Israelites, we have seen one host country after another turn against her Jewish subjects. In the last century, for example, Jews were active contributors in all realms of European society: Politicians, academics, doctors, lawyers, artists, and more. It was thus all the more devastating when, in 1935, with Adolf Hitler’s power steadily growing, the Nuremberg Laws were passed. These laws called for clear genetic definitions regarding who is a Jew, and all those defined as Jews were denied the right to German citizenship, demonstrating how dramatically a friend can turn into an enemy! In contrast, Israel’s Law of Return was modified in 1970 to include anyone who would have been defined as a Jew under the Nuremberg Laws. According to the current law, anyone born a Jew, a child of a Jew or grandchild of a Jew, and their spouses, all have the right to attain citizenship in the State of Israel if they so desire.
3Yehuda has gone into exile Because of misery and harsh oppression; When she settled among the nations, She found no rest; All her pursuers overtook her In the narrow places.
go-L'-ta y'-hu-DA may-o-NEE u-m'-rov a-vo-DA, hee yosh-VAH va-go-YIM lo matz-AH ma-NO-akh, kol ro-d'-FE-ha his-see-GOO-ha bayn ha-m'-tza-REEM. (Selah)
גגָּֽלְתָ֨ה יְהוּדָ֤ה מֵעֹ֙נִי֙ וּמֵרֹ֣ב עֲבֹדָ֔ה הִ֚יא יָשְׁבָ֣ה בַגּוֹיִ֔ם לֹ֥א מָצְאָ֖ה מָנ֑וֹחַ כׇּל־רֹדְפֶ֥יהָ הִשִּׂיג֖וּהָ בֵּ֥ין הַמְּצָרִֽים׃
4Tzion's roads are in mourning, Empty of festival pilgrims; All her gates are deserted. Her Kohanim sigh, Her maidens are unhappy— She is utterly disconsolate!
dar-KHAY tzi-YON a-VE-lot mi-b'-LEE ba-EI mo-ED, kol sh'-a-re-HA sho-ME-meen, ko-ha-NE-ha ne-e-NA-kheeM, b'-tu-lo-te-HA noo-GOT, v'-HEE mar-lah. (Selah)
דדַּרְכֵ֨י צִיּ֜וֹן אֲבֵל֗וֹת מִבְּלִי֙ בָּאֵ֣י מוֹעֵ֔ד כׇּל־שְׁעָרֶ֙יהָ֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ין כֹּהֲנֶ֖יהָ נֶאֱנָחִ֑ים בְּתוּלֹתֶ֥יהָ נּוּג֖וֹת וְהִ֥יא מַר־לָֽהּ׃
5Her enemies are now the masters, Her foes are at ease, Because Hashem has afflicted her For her many transgressions; Her infants have gone into captivity Before the enemy.
ha-YU tza-RE-ha le-ROSH o-y'-VE-ha sha-LU, ki a-do-NAI ho-GAH al rov p'-sha-E-ha, o-la-LE-ha ha-l'-KHU she-VEE lif-NEI tzaR. (Selah)
ההָי֨וּ צָרֶ֤יהָ לְרֹאשׁ֙ אֹיְבֶ֣יהָ שָׁל֔וּ כִּֽי־יְהֹוָ֥ה הוֹגָ֖הּ עַ֣ל רֹב־פְּשָׁעֶ֑יהָ עוֹלָלֶ֛יהָ הָלְכ֥וּ שְׁבִ֖י לִפְנֵי־צָֽר׃
6Gone from Fair Tzion are all That were her glory; Her leaders were like stags That found no pasture; They could only walk feebly Before the pursuer.
vai-YAY-tzay (min bat) [mi-BAT-]tzi-YON kol-ha-da-RAH ha-YU sa-RE-ha k'-a-yah-LEEM lo-ma-TZU mir-EH va-yay-l'-KHU b'-lo-KO-akh lif-NEI ro-DEF. (S)
ווַיֵּצֵ֥א (מן בת) [מִבַּת־]צִיּ֖וֹן כׇּל־הֲדָרָ֑הּ הָי֣וּ שָׂרֶ֗יהָ כְּאַיָּלִים֙ לֹא־מָצְא֣וּ מִרְעֶ֔ה וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ בְלֹא־כֹ֖חַ לִפְנֵ֥י רוֹדֵֽף׃
7All the precious things she had In the days of old Yerushalayim recalled In her days of woe and sorrow, When her people fell by enemy hands With none to help her; When enemies looked on and gloated Over her downfall.
za-KHO-rah ye-ru-sha-LA-im ye-MEI o-nyah u-me-ru-DE-ha, KOL ma-cha-MU-de-ha a-SHER ha-YU mi-MEI KE-dem, bin-FOL a-MAH b'-yad tzaR v'-AYN o-ZER LAH, ra-U-ha tza-REEM sa-cha-KU al mish-BA-te-HA. (SELAH)
זזָֽכְרָ֣ה יְרוּשָׁלַ֗͏ִם יְמֵ֤י עׇנְיָהּ֙ וּמְרוּדֶ֔יהָ כֹּ֚ל מַחֲמֻדֶ֔יהָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֖וּ מִ֣ימֵי קֶ֑דֶם בִּנְפֹ֧ל עַמָּ֣הּ בְּיַד־צָ֗ר וְאֵ֤ין עוֹזֵר֙ לָ֔הּ רָא֣וּהָ צָרִ֔ים שָׂחֲק֖וּ עַ֥ל מִשְׁבַּתֶּֽהָ׃
8Yerushalayim has greatly sinned, Therefore she is become a mockery. All who admired her despise her, For they have seen her disgraced; And she can only sigh And shrink back.
khet-T'- kha-T'-a Y'-ru-sha-LAM al-KEN l'-ni-DAH ha-YA-ta, kol-m'-ka-b'-DE-ha hi-ZI-lu-ha, ki-RA-u er-va-TA, gam-hi NE-e-n'-kha, va-TA-shov a-KHOR. (s)
חחֵ֤טְא חָֽטְאָה֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם עַל־כֵּ֖ן לְנִידָ֣ה הָיָ֑תָה כׇּֽל־מְכַבְּדֶ֤יהָ הִזִּיל֙וּהָ֙ כִּי־רָא֣וּ עֶרְוָתָ֔הּ גַּם־הִ֥יא נֶאֶנְחָ֖ה וַתָּ֥שׇׁב אָחֽוֹר׃
9Her uncleanness clings to her skirts. She gave no thought to her future; She has sunk appallingly, With none to comfort her.— See, Hashem, my misery; How the enemy jeers!
tu-ma-TAH b'-shu-LE-ha lo za-k'-RAH a-cha-ree-TAH va-TE-red p'-la-EEM AYN m'-na-KHEM LAH, re-EH a-do-NAI et a-NO-yee, KEE hig-DEEL o-YEV. (Selah)
טטֻמְאָתָ֣הּ בְּשׁוּלֶ֗יהָ לֹ֤א זָֽכְרָה֙ אַחֲרִיתָ֔הּ וַתֵּ֣רֶד פְּלָאִ֔ים אֵ֥ין מְנַחֵ֖ם לָ֑הּ רְאֵ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־עׇנְיִ֔י כִּ֥י הִגְדִּ֖יל אוֹיֵֽב׃
10The foe has laid hands On everything dear to her. She has seen her Sanctuary Invaded by nations Which You have denied admission Into Your community.
ya-DO par-ASH tzar al kol ma-cha-ma-DE-ha, kee-ra-A-ta go-YIM ba-U mi-k'-da-SHAH a-SHER tzi-vi-TA lo ya-VO-u va-ka-HAL la-KH
ייָדוֹ֙ פָּ֣רַשׂ צָ֔ר עַ֖ל כׇּל־מַחֲמַדֶּ֑יהָ כִּֽי־רָאֲתָ֤ה גוֹיִם֙ בָּ֣אוּ מִקְדָּשָׁ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּ֔יתָה לֹא־יָבֹ֥אוּ בַקָּהָ֖ל לָֽךְ׃
11All her inhabitants sigh, As they search for bread; They have bartered their treasures for food, To keep themselves alive.— See, Hashem, and behold, How abject I have become!
kol-a-MAH ne-e-na-KHEEM me-va-k'-SHEEM le-KHEM na-T'-NU (ma-kha-mo-DAY-hem) [ma-ha-ma-DAY-hem] b'-o-KHEL le-ha-SHEEV na-FESH, re-EH a-do-NAI v'-ha-BEE-ta, KEE ha-YEE-tee zo-LE-la. {SEH}
יאכׇּל־עַמָּ֤הּ נֶאֱנָחִים֙ מְבַקְשִׁ֣ים לֶ֔חֶם נָתְנ֧וּ (מחמודיהם) [מַחֲמַדֵּיהֶ֛ם] בְּאֹ֖כֶל לְהָשִׁ֣יב נָ֑פֶשׁ רְאֵ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ וְֽהַבִּ֔יטָה כִּ֥י הָיִ֖יתִי זוֹלֵלָֽה׃
12May it never befall you, All who pass along the road— Look about and see: Is there any agony like mine, Which was dealt out to me When Hashem afflicted me On His day of wrath?
LO a-LE-khem kol-o-v'-RAY de-REKH ha-BI-tu u-RE-u im YAYSH makh-OV k'-makh-o-VEE a-SHER o-LAL lee a-SHER ho-GA a-do-NAI b'-YOM kha-RON a-PO.
יבל֣וֹא אֲלֵיכֶם֮ כׇּל־עֹ֣בְרֵי דֶ֒רֶךְ֒ הַבִּ֣יטוּ וּרְא֗וּ אִם־יֵ֤שׁ מַכְאוֹב֙ כְּמַכְאֹבִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר עוֹלַ֖ל לִ֑י אֲשֶׁר֙ הוֹגָ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּי֖וֹם חֲר֥וֹן אַפּֽוֹ׃
13From above He sent a fire Down into my bones. He spread a net for my feet, He hurled me backward; He has left me forlorn, In constant misery.
mi-ma-ROHM sha-LAKH a-ESH b'-a-tz'-mo-TAI va-yir-DE-nah, pa-RASH re-SHET l'-rag-LAI, he-shi-VA-ni a-KHOR, ne-ta-NA-ni sho-ME-mah, kol ha-YOM da-VAH. (Se-lah)
יגמִמָּר֛וֹם שָֽׁלַח־אֵ֥שׁ בְּעַצְמֹתַ֖י וַיִּרְדֶּ֑נָּה פָּרַ֨שׂ רֶ֤שֶׁת לְרַגְלַי֙ הֱשִׁיבַ֣נִי אָח֔וֹר נְתָנַ֙נִי֙ שֹֽׁמֵמָ֔ה כׇּל־הַיּ֖וֹם דָּוָֽה׃
14The yoke of my offenses is bound fast, Lashed tight by His hand; Imposed upon my neck, It saps my strength; Hashem has delivered me into the hands Of those I cannot withstand.
nis-KAD ol p'-sha-AI b'-ya-DO yis-tar-GU a-LU al-tsa-va-REE hikh-SHEEL ko-KHEE ne-ta-NA-nee a-do-NAI bi-DAY lo-u-KHAL KUM. (Selah)
ידנִשְׂקַד֩ עֹ֨ל פְּשָׁעַ֜י בְּיָד֗וֹ יִשְׂתָּ֥רְג֛וּ עָל֥וּ עַל־צַוָּארִ֖י הִכְשִׁ֣יל כֹּחִ֑י נְתָנַ֣נִי אֲדֹנָ֔י בִּידֵ֖י לֹא־אוּכַ֥ל קֽוּם׃
15Hashem in my midst has rejected All my heroes; He has proclaimed a set time against me To crush my young men. As in a press Hashem has trodden Fair Maiden Yehuda.
SI-LAH kol-a-BEE-rai a-do-NAI b'-kir-BEE, ka-RA a-LAI mo-ED lish-BOR ba-KHU-rai, GAT da-RAKH a-do-NAI liv-tu-LAT bat-y'-hu-DAH.
טוסִלָּ֨ה כׇל־אַבִּירַ֤י ׀ אֲדֹנָי֙ בְּקִרְבִּ֔י קָרָ֥א עָלַ֛י מוֹעֵ֖ד לִשְׁבֹּ֣ר בַּחוּרָ֑י גַּ֚ת דָּרַ֣ךְ אֲדֹנָ֔י לִבְתוּלַ֖ת בַּת־יְהוּדָֽה׃
16For these things do I weep, My eyes flow with tears: Far from me is any comforter Who might revive my spirit; My children are forlorn, For the foe has prevailed.
al ay-LEH a-NEE vo-khi-YAH ay-NEE ay-NEE YO-r'-dah MA-yim kee ra-KHAK mi-ME-nee m'-na-KHAYM may-SHEEV naf-SHEE ha-YU va-NAI sho-may-MEEM KEE ga-VAR o-YAYV
טזעַל־אֵ֣לֶּה ׀ אֲנִ֣י בוֹכִיָּ֗ה עֵינִ֤י ׀ עֵינִי֙ יֹ֣רְדָה מַּ֔יִם כִּֽי־רָחַ֥ק מִמֶּ֛נִּי מְנַחֵ֖ם מֵשִׁ֣יב נַפְשִׁ֑י הָי֤וּ בָנַי֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ים כִּ֥י גָבַ֖ר אוֹיֵֽב׃
1:16 For these things do I weep, my eyes flow with tears
The Sages explain that Hashem intentionally selected the ninth of the month of Av as the day on which both the first and second Temples would be destroyed. According to Jewish tradition, the reason for this is that it was on the ninth of Av that the twelve spies returned from their mission to scout out the land of Israel. As reported in Sefer Bamidbar (13-14), following the spies’ pessimistic and libelous report, the people fearfully cried out to God: “How will we ever conquer the land? Why did you take us out of Egypt to die at the hands of the Canaanites?” The Sages (Taanit 29a) record God’s reprimand of the people for their lack of faith: “You cried on the ninth of Av for no reason, and so this day will become a day of crying for all generations.” The events surrounding the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash are linked back to the biblical account of the twelve spies, to illustrate that all of Jewish history is inexorably interwoven; it all represents the unfolding of Hashem’s master plan. Furthermore, we must never forget that one of the keys to the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash and the commencement of the Messianic Era is our unquestioning trust in God and appreciation for Eretz Yisrael. This is the very trait that the spies and nation failed to exhibit when they rejected His land, and it is one which we must constantly seek to achieve.
17Tzion spreads out her hands, She has no one to comfort her; Hashem has summoned against Yaakov His enemies all about him; Yerushalayim has become among them A thing unclean.
pe-r'-SAH tzi-YON b'-ya-DE-ha, AYN me-na-KHEM LAH, tzi-VAH a-do-NAI l'-ya-a-KOV se-vi-VAV tza-RAV, ha-Y'-ta ye-ru-sha-LA-im l'-ni-DAH b'-NEI-nei-HEM. (S)
יזפֵּֽרְשָׂ֨ה צִיּ֜וֹן בְּיָדֶ֗יהָ אֵ֤ין מְנַחֵם֙ לָ֔הּ צִוָּ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה לְיַעֲקֹ֖ב סְבִיבָ֣יו צָרָ֑יו הָיְתָ֧ה יְרוּשָׁלַ֛͏ִם לְנִדָּ֖ה בֵּינֵיהֶֽם׃
18Hashem is in the right, For I have disobeyed Him. Hear, all you peoples, And behold my agony: My maidens and my youths Have gone into captivity!
TZAD-DEEK a-do-NAI KEE fi-HU ma-REE-TEE, shi-MU-NA kol ha-a-MEEM u-RE-u mak-o-VEE b'-tu-LO-tai u-va-KHU-rai ha-l'-KHU va-sh'-VI. (SELAH)
יחצַדִּ֥יק ה֛וּא יְהֹוָ֖ה כִּ֣י פִ֣יהוּ מָרִ֑יתִי שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֣א כׇל־[הָֽעַמִּ֗ים] (עמים) וּרְאוּ֙ מַכְאֹבִ֔י בְּתוּלֹתַ֥י וּבַחוּרַ֖י הָלְכ֥וּ בַשֶּֽׁבִי׃
19I cried out to my friends, But they played me false. My Kohanim and my elders Have perished in the city As they searched for food To keep themselves alive.
יטקָרָ֤אתִי לַֽמְאַהֲבַי֙ הֵ֣מָּה רִמּ֔וּנִי כֹּהֲנַ֥י וּזְקֵנַ֖י בָּעִ֣יר גָּוָ֑עוּ כִּֽי־בִקְשׁ֥וּ אֹ֙כֶל֙ לָ֔מוֹ וְיָשִׁ֖יבוּ אֶת־נַפְשָֽׁם׃
20See, Hashem, the distress I am in! My heart is in anguish, I know how wrong I was To disobey. Outside the sword deals death; Indoors, the plague.
RE-eh a-do-NAI kee-TZAR-lee may-AY kho-mar-ma-ROO, neh-PAKH li-BEE b'-kir-BEE, kee ma-RO ma-REE-tee, mi-KHOOTS shi-k'-LAH khe-REV ba-BA-yit ka-ma-VET. (SELAH)
כרְאֵ֨ה יְהֹוָ֤ה כִּֽי־צַר־לִי֙ מֵעַ֣י חֳמַרְמָ֔רוּ נֶהְפַּ֤ךְ לִבִּי֙ בְּקִרְבִּ֔י כִּ֥י מָר֖וֹ מָרִ֑יתִי מִח֥וּץ שִׁכְּלָה־חֶ֖רֶב בַּבַּ֥יִת כַּמָּֽוֶת׃
21When they heard how I was sighing, There was none to comfort me; All my foes heard of my plight and exulted. For it is Your doing: You have brought on the day that You threatened. Oh, let them become like me!
sha-m'-U KEE ne-e-na-KHAH A-nee AYN m'-na-KHAYM LEE kol o-y'-VAI sha-m'-U ra-a-TEE SA-su KEE a-TAH a-SEE-ta hay-VAY-ta yom ka-RA-ta v'-yih-YU kha-MO-nee
כאשָׁמְע֞וּ כִּ֧י נֶאֱנָחָ֣ה אָ֗נִי אֵ֤ין מְנַחֵם֙ לִ֔י כׇּל־אֹ֨יְבַ֜י שָׁמְע֤וּ רָֽעָתִי֙ שָׂ֔שׂוּ כִּ֥י אַתָּ֖ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ הֵבֵ֥אתָ יוֹם־קָרָ֖אתָ וְיִֽהְי֥וּ כָמֹֽנִי׃
1:21 When they heard how I was sighing, there was none to comfort me
Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (1903-1993)
The prophet Yirmiyahu captures the sense of utter loneliness that prevailed after the destruction of Yerushalayim and the exile of the people. He describes their feeling that there was no one to stand by their side or to provide any sort of comfort in their time of need. Over many centuries of exile, Jews repeatedly experienced this same sense of abandonment. For example, over two and a half millennia following the destruction of Yerushalayim in Yirmiyahu’s time, as Hitler’s persecution mounted in the late 1930’s, many Jews desired to flee from Europe. Unfortunately, though, not a single country was willing to absorb Jewish refugees. In July of 1938, delegates from over thirty countries met in Évian-les-Bains, France, to discuss the refugee crisis. Despite many sympathetic speeches for the tragic plight of the Jews, no country was willing to significantly change their immigration quota to admit additional Jewish refugees. As this verse bemoans, the entire world had closed their doors to the Jewish people, abandoning them in their time of need. With the establishment of the State of Israel, however, the Jewish people now have a home. Never again will they be left alone with no one to protect and comfort them. As Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik writes in his essay Kol Dodi Dofek, ‘The Voice of my Beloved Knocks,’ “A Jew who flees from a hostile country now knows that he can find a secure refuge in the land of his ancestors… Jews who have been uprooted from their homes can find lodging in the Holy Land.”
22Let all their wrongdoing come before You, And deal with them As You have dealt with me For all my transgressions. For my sighs are many, And my heart is sick.
ta-VO kol-ra-a-TAM le-fa-NE-kha v'-o-LEL la-MO ka-a-SHER o-la-TA LEE al kol-p'-sha-AI, kee-ra-VOT an-KHO-ta-EE v'-li-BEE da-VAI.
כבתָּבֹ֨א כׇל־רָעָתָ֤ם לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ וְעוֹלֵ֣ל לָ֔מוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עוֹלַ֛לְתָּ לִ֖י עַ֣ל כׇּל־פְּשָׁעָ֑י כִּֽי־רַבּ֥וֹת אַנְחֹתַ֖י וְלִבִּ֥י דַוָּֽי׃
