Álef
Este capítulo es un poema acróstico, que sigue el orden del alfabeto hebreo. 1Yo soy aquel que ha sufrido la aflicción
bajo la vara de su ira.
2Me ha hecho andar en las tinieblas;
me ha apartado de la luz.
3Una y otra vez, y a todas horas,
su mano se ha vuelto contra mí.
Bet
4Me ha marchitado la carne y la piel;
me ha quebrantado los huesos.
5Me ha tendido un cerco
de amargura y tribulaciones.
6Me obliga a vivir en las tinieblas,
como a los que hace tiempo murieron.
Guímel
7Me tiene encerrado, no puedo escapar;
me ha puesto pesadas cadenas.
8Por más que grito y pido ayuda,
él se niega a escuchar mi oración.
9Ha sembrado de piedras mi camino;
ha torcido mis senderos.
Dálet
10Me vigila como oso agazapado;
me acecha como león.
11Me aparta del camino para despedazarme;
¡me deja del todo desvalido!
12Con el arco tenso,
me ha hecho blanco de sus flechas.
He
13Me ha partido el corazón
con las flechas de su aljaba.
14Soy el hazmerreír de todo mi pueblo;
todo el día me parodian.
15Me ha llenado de amargura,
me ha hecho beber hiel.
Vav
16Me ha estrellado contra el suelo;
me ha hecho morder el polvo.
17Me ha quitado la paz;
ya no recuerdo lo que es la dicha.
18Y digo: «La vida se me acaba,
junto con mi esperanza en el Señor».
Zayin
19Recuerda que ando errante y afligido,
que estoy saturado de hiel y amargura.
20Siempre tengo esto presente,
y por eso me deprimo.
21Pero algo más me viene a la memoria,
lo cual me llena de esperanza:
Jet
22El gran amor del Señor nunca se acaba,3:22 El gran … acaba (Siríaca y Targum); Por el gran amor del Señor no somos consumidos (TM).
y su compasión jamás se agota.
23Cada mañana se renuevan sus bondades;
¡muy grande es su fidelidad!
24Por tanto, digo:
«El Señor es todo lo que tengo.
¡En él esperaré!»
Tet
25Bueno es el Señor con quienes en él confían,
con todos los que lo buscan.
26Bueno es esperar calladamente
que el Señor venga a salvarnos.
27Bueno es que el hombre aprenda
a llevar el yugo desde su juventud.
Yod
28¡Dejadle estar solo y en silencio,
porque así el Señor se lo impuso!
29¡Que hunda el rostro en el polvo!
¡Tal vez haya esperanza todavía!
30¡Que dé la otra mejilla a quien lo hiera,
y quede así cubierto de oprobio!
Caf
31El Señor nos ha rechazado,
pero no será para siempre.
32Nos hace sufrir, pero también nos compadece,
porque es muy grande su amor.
33El Señor nos hiere y nos aflige,
pero no porque sea de su agrado.
Lámed
34Cuando se aplasta bajo el pie
a todos los prisioneros de la tierra,
35cuando en presencia del Altísimo
se le niegan al hombre sus derechos
36y no se le hace justicia,
¿el Señor no se da cuenta?
Mem
37¿Quién puede anunciar algo y hacerlo realidad
sin que el Señor dé la orden?
38¿No es acaso por mandato del Altísimo
por lo que acontece lo bueno y lo malo?
39¿Por qué habría de quejarse en vida
quien es castigado por sus pecados?
Nun
40Hagamos un examen de conciencia
y volvamos al camino del Señor.
41Elevemos al Dios de los cielos
nuestro corazón y nuestras manos.
42Hemos pecado, hemos sido rebeldes,
y tú no has querido perdonarnos.
Sámej
43Ardiendo en ira nos persigues;
nos masacras sin piedad.
44Te envuelves en una nube
para no escuchar nuestra oración.
45Como a escoria despreciable,
nos has arrojado entre las naciones.
Pe
46Todos nuestros enemigos abren la boca
para hablar mal de nosotros.
47Hemos sufrido terrores, caídas,
ruina y destrucción.
48Ríos de lágrimas corren por mis mejillas
porque ha sido destruida la capital de mi pueblo.
Ayin
49Se inundarán de lágrimas mis ojos,
sin cesar y sin consuelo,
50hasta que desde el cielo
el Señor se digne mirarnos.
51Me duele en lo más profundo del alma
ver sufrir a las mujeres de mi ciudad.
Tsade
52Mis enemigos me persiguen sin razón,
y quieren atraparme como a un ave.
53Me quieren enterrar vivo
y taparme con piedras la salida.
54Las aguas me han cubierto la cabeza;
parece que me ha llegado el fin.
Qof
55Desde lo más profundo de la fosa
invoqué, Señor, tu nombre,
56y tú escuchaste mi plegaria;
no cerraste tus oídos a mi clamor.
57Te invoqué, y viniste a mí;
«No temas», me dijiste.
Resh
58Tú, Señor, te pusiste de mi parte
y me salvaste la vida.
59Tú, Señor, viste el mal que me causaron;
¡hazme justicia!
60Tú notaste su sed de venganza
y todas sus maquinaciones en mi contra.
Shin
61Señor, tú has escuchado sus insultos
y todas sus maquinaciones en mi contra;
62tú sabes que todo el día mis enemigos
murmuran y se confabulan contra mí.
63¡Míralos! Hagan lo que hagan,3:63 ¡Míralos! Hagan lo que hagan. Lit. Su sentarse y su levantarse mira.
se burlan de mí en sus canciones.
Tav
64¡Dales, Señor, su merecido
por todo lo que han hecho!
65Oscurece su entendimiento,
¡y caiga sobre ellos tu maldición!
66Persíguelos, Señor, en tu enojo,
y bórralos de este mundo.
1I am a man who has suffered greatly.
The Lord has used the Babylonians
to punish my people.
2He has driven me away. He has made me walk
in darkness instead of light.
3He has turned his powerful hand against me.
He has done it again and again, all day long.
4He has worn out my body.
He has broken my bones.
5He has surrounded me and attacked me.
He has made me suffer bitterly.
He has made things hard for me.
6He has made me live in darkness
like those who are dead and gone.
7He has built walls around me, so I can’t escape.
He has put heavy chains on me.
8I call out and cry for help.
But he won’t listen to me when I pray.
9He has put up a stone wall to block my way.
He has made my paths crooked.
10He has been like a bear waiting to attack me.
He has been like a lion hiding in the bushes.
11He has dragged me off the path.
He has torn me to pieces.
And he has left me helpless.
12He has gotten his bow ready to use.
He has shot his arrows at me.
13The arrows from his bag
have gone through my heart.
14My people laugh at me all the time.
They sing and make fun of me all day long.
15The Lord has made my life bitter.
He has made me suffer bitterly.
16He made me chew stones that broke my teeth.
He has walked all over me in the dust.
17I have lost all hope of ever having any peace.
I’ve forgotten what good times are like.
18So I say, “My glory has faded away.
My hope in the Lord is gone.”
19I remember how I suffered and wandered.
I remember how bitter my life was.
20I remember it very well.
My spirit is very sad deep down inside me.
21But here is something else I remember.
And it gives me hope.
22The Lord loves us very much.
So we haven’t been completely destroyed.
His loving concern never fails.
23His great love is new every morning.
Lord, how faithful you are!
24I say to myself, “The Lord is everything I will ever need.
So I will put my hope in him.”
25The Lord is good to those who put their hope in him.
He is good to those who look to him.
26It is good when people wait quietly
for the Lord to save them.
27It is good for a man to carry a heavy load of suffering
while he is young.
28Let him sit alone and not say anything.
The Lord has placed that load on him.
29Let him bury his face in the dust.
There might still be hope for him.
30Let him turn his cheek toward those who would slap him.
Let him be filled with shame.
31The Lord doesn’t turn his back
on people forever.
32He might bring suffering.
But he will also show loving concern.
How great his faithful love is!
33He doesn’t want to bring pain
or suffering to anyone.
34Every time people crush prisoners under their feet,
the Lord knows all about it.
35When people refuse to give someone what they should,
the Most High God knows it.
36When people don’t treat someone fairly,
the Lord knows it.
37Suppose people order something to happen.
It won’t happen unless the Lord has planned it.
38Troubles and good things alike come to people
because the Most High God has commanded them to come.
39A person who is still alive shouldn’t blame God
when God punishes them for their sins.
40Let’s take a good look at the way we’re living.
Let’s return to the Lord.
41Let’s lift up our hands to God in heaven.
Let’s pray to him with all our hearts.
42Let’s say, “We have sinned.
We’ve refused to obey you.
And you haven’t forgiven us.
43“You have covered yourself with the cloud of your anger.
You have chased us.
You have killed us without pity.
44You have covered yourself with the cloud of your anger.
Our prayers can’t get through to you.
45You have made us become like trash and garbage
among the nations.
46“All our enemies have opened their mouths wide
to swallow us up.
47We are terrified and trapped.
We are broken and destroyed.”
48Streams of tears flow from my eyes.
That’s because my people are destroyed.
49Tears will never stop flowing from my eyes.
My eyes can’t get any rest.
50I’ll weep until the Lord looks down from heaven.
I’ll cry until he notices my tears.
51What I see brings pain to my spirit.
All the women of my city are mourning.
52Those who were my enemies for no reason at all
hunted me down as if I were a bird.
53They tried to end my life
by throwing me into a deep pit.
They threw stones down at me.
54The water rose and covered my head.
I thought I was going to die.
55Lord, I called out to you.
I called out from the bottom of the pit.
56I prayed, “Please don’t close your ears
to my cry for help.”
And you heard my appeal.
57You came near when I called out to you.
You said, “Do not be afraid.”
58Lord, you stood up for me in court.
You saved my life and set me free.
59Lord, you have seen the wrong things
people have done to me.
Stand up for me again!
60You have seen how my enemies
have tried to get even with me.
You know all about their plans against me.
61Lord, you have heard them laugh at me.
You know all about their plans against me.
62You have heard my enemies
whispering among themselves.
They speak against me all day long.
63Just look at them sitting and standing there!
They sing and make fun of me.
64Lord, pay them back.
Punish them for what their hands have done.
65Cover their minds with a veil.
Put a curse on them!
66Lord, get angry with them and hunt them down.
Wipe them off the face of the earth.
