Lamentations 3
¹ I [am] the man [who] hath seen affliction By the rod of His wrath.
² Me He hath led, and causeth to go [in] darkness, and without light.
³ Surely against me He turneth back, He turneth His hand all the day.
⁴ He hath worn out my flesh and my skin. He hath broken my bones.
⁵ He hath built up against me, And setteth round poverty and weariness.
⁶ In dark places He hath caused me to dwell, As the dead of old.
⁷ He hath hedged me about, and I go not out, He hath made heavy my fetter.
⁸ Also when I call and cry out, He hath shut out my prayer.
⁹ He hath hedged my ways with hewn work, My paths He hath made crooked.
¹⁰ A bear lying in wait He [is] to me, A lion in secret hiding-places.
¹¹ My ways He is turning aside, and He pulleth me in pieces, He hath made me a desolation.
¹² He hath trodden His bow, And setteth me up as a mark for an arrow.
¹³ He hath caused to enter into my reins The sons of His quiver.
¹⁴ I have been a derision to all my people, Their song all the day.
¹⁵ He hath filled me with bitter things, He hath filled me [with] wormwood.
¹⁶ And He breaketh with gravel my teeth, He hath covered me with ashes.
¹⁷ And Thou castest off from peace my soul, I have forgotten prosperity.
¹⁸ And I say, Perished hath my strength and my hope from Jehovah.
¹⁹ Remember my affliction and my mourning, Wormwood and gall!
²⁰ Remember well, and bow down doth my soul in me.
²¹ This I turn to my heart — therefore I hope.
²² The kindnesses of Jehovah! For we have not been consumed, For not ended have His mercies.
²³ New every morning, abundant [is] thy faithfulness.
²⁴ My portion [is] Jehovah, hath my soul said, Therefore I hope for Him.
²⁵ Good [is] Jehovah to those waiting for Him, To the soul [that] seeketh Him.
²⁶ Good! when one doth stay and stand still For the salvation of Jehovah.
²⁷ Good for a man that he beareth a yoke in his youth.
²⁸ He sitteth alone, and is silent, For He hath laid [it] upon him.
²⁹ He putteth in the dust his mouth, if so be there is hope.
³⁰ He giveth to his smiter the cheek, He is filled with reproach.
³¹ For the Lord doth not cast off to the age.
³² For though He afflicted, yet He hath pitied, According to the abundance of His kindness.
³³ For He hath not afflicted with His heart, Nor doth He grieve the sons of men.
³⁴ To bruise under one’s feet any bound ones of earth,
³⁵ To turn aside the judgment of a man, Over-against the face of the Most High,
³⁶ To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord hath not approved.
³⁷ Who [is] this — he hath said, and it is, [And] the Lord hath not commanded [it]?
³⁸ From the mouth of the Most High Go not forth the evils and the good.
³⁹ What — sigh habitually doth a living man, A man for his sin?
⁴⁰ We search our ways, and investigate, And turn back unto Jehovah.
⁴¹ We lift up our heart on the hands unto God in the heavens.
⁴² We — we have transgressed and rebelled, Thou — Thou hast not forgiven.
⁴³ Thou hast covered Thyself with anger, And dost pursue us; Thou hast slain — Thou hast not pitied.
⁴⁴ Thou hast covered Thyself with a cloud, So that prayer doth not pass through.
⁴⁵ Offscouring and refuse Thou dost make us In the midst of the peoples.
⁴⁶ Opened against us their mouth have all our enemies.
⁴⁷ Fear and a snare hath been for us, Desolation and destruction.
⁴⁸ Rivulets of water go down my eye, For the destruction of the daughter of my people.
⁴⁹ Mine eye is poured out, And doth not cease without intermission,
⁵⁰ Till Jehovah looketh and seeth from the heavens,
⁵¹ My eye affecteth my soul, Because of all the daughters of my city.
⁵² Hunted me sore as a bird have my enemies without cause.
⁵³ They have cut off in a pit my life, And they cast a stone against me.
⁵⁴ Flowed have waters over my head, I have said, I have been cut off.
⁵⁵ I called Thy name, O Jehovah, from the lower pit.
⁵⁶ My voice Thou hast heard, Hide not Thine ear at my breathing — at my cry.
⁵⁷ Thou hast drawn near in the day I call Thee, Thou hast said, Fear not.
⁵⁸ Thou hast pleaded, O Lord, the pleadings of my soul, Thou hast redeemed my life.
⁵⁹ Thou hast seen, O Jehovah, my overthrow, Judge Thou my cause.
⁶⁰ Thou hast seen all their vengeance, All their thoughts of me.
⁶¹ Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, All their thoughts against me,
⁶² The lips of my withstanders, Even their meditation against me all the day.
⁶³ Their sitting down, and their rising up, Behold attentively, I [am] their song.
⁶⁴ Thou returnest to them the deed, O Jehovah, According to the work of their hands.
⁶⁵ Thou givest to them a covered heart, Thy curse to them.
⁶⁶ Thou pursuest in anger, and destroyest them, From under the heavens of Jehovah!