Lamentations 3
1 I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of His wrath.
I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
2 He hath led me and caused me to walk in darkness and not in light.
He has led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light.
3 Surely against me He turneth His hand again and again all the day.
Surely he turns his hand against me, again and again all the day.
4 My flesh and my skin hath He worn out; He hath broken my bones.
He has made my flesh and my skin old. He has broken my bones.
5 He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
He has built against me, and encompassed me with gall and travail.
6 He hath made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.
He has made me to dwell in dark places, as those who have long been dead.
7 He hath hedged me about, that I cannot go forth; He hath made my chain heavy.
He has walled me around, that I cannot go forth. He has made my chain heavy.
8 Yea, when I cry and call for help, He shutteth out my prayer.
Yea, when I cry, and call for help, he shuts out my prayer.
9 He hath enclosed my ways with hewn stone, He hath made my paths crooked.
He has walled up my ways with hewn stone. He has made my paths crooked.
10 He is unto me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places.
He is to me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in concealed places.
11 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; He hath made me desolate.
He has turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces. He has made me desolate.
12 He hath bent His bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
13 He hath caused the arrows of His quiver to enter into my reins.
He has caused the shafts of his quiver to enter into my reins.
14 I am become a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.
I have become a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.
15 He hath filled me with bitterness, He hath sated me with wormwood.
He has filled me with bitterness. He has sated me with wormwood.
16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, He hath made me to wallow in ashes.
He has also broken my teeth with gravel stones. He has covered me with ashes.
17 And my soul is removed far off from peace, I forgot prosperity.
And thou have removed my soul far off from peace. I forgot prosperity.
18 And I said: 'My strength is perished, and mine expectation from the LORD.'
And I said, My strength is perished, and my expectation from Jehovah.
19 Remember mine affliction and mine anguish, the wormwood and the gall.
Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is bowed down within me.
My soul still has them in remembrance, and is bowed down within me.
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope:
22 Surely the LORD'S mercies are not consumed, surely His compassions fail not.
It is of Jehovah's loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassions do not fail.
23 They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness.
They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness.
24 'The LORD is my portion', saith my soul; 'Therefore will I hope in Him.'
Jehovah is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him.
25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.
Jehovah is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
26 It is good that a man should quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Jehovah.
27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
28 Let him sit alone and keep silence, because He hath laid it upon him.
Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he has laid it upon him.
29 Let him put his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope.
Let him put his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope.
30 Let him give his cheek to him that smiteth him, let him be filled full with reproach.
Let him give his cheek to him who smites him. Let him be filled full with reproach.
31 For the Lord will not cast off for ever.
For the Lord will not cast off forever.
32 For though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies.
For though he causes grief, yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.
33 For He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.
For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the sons of men.
34 To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
35 To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High,
to turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High,
36 To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.
to subvert a man in his cause, the Lord does not approve.
37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
Who is he that says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord does not command it?
38 Out of the mouth of the Most High proceedeth not evil and good?
Out of the mouth of the Most High does there not come evil and good?
39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a strong man because of his sins?
Why does a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
40 Let us search and try our ways, and return to the LORD.
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Jehovah.
41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
Let us lift up our heart with our hands to God in the heavens.
42 We have transgressed and have rebelled; Thou hast not pardoned.
We have transgressed and have rebelled. Thou have not pardoned.
43 Thou hast covered with anger and pursued us; Thou hast slain unsparingly.
Thou have covered with anger and pursued us. Thou have slain; thou have not pitied.
44 Thou hast covered Thyself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.
Thou have covered thyself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.
45 Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples.
Thou have made us an off-scouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples.
46 All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.
All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.
47 Terror and the pit are come upon us, desolation and destruction.
Fear and the pit have come upon us, devastation and destruction.
48 Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water, for the breach of the daughter of my people.
My eye runs down with streams of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 Mine eye is poured out, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
My eye pours down, and does not cease, without any intermission,
50 Till the LORD look forth, and behold from heaven.
till Jehovah looks down, and beholds from heaven.
51 Mine eye affected my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.
My eye stirs my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.
52 They have chased me sore like a bird, that are mine enemies without cause.
They have chased me grievously like a bird, those who are my enemies without cause.
53 They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast stones upon me.
They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone upon me.
54 Waters flowed over my head; I said: 'I am cut off.'
Waters flowed over my head. I said, I am cut off.
55 I called upon Thy name, O LORD, Out of the lowest dungeon.
I called upon thy name, O Jehovah, out of the lowest dungeon.
56 Thou heardest my voice; hide not Thine ear at my sighing, at my cry.
Thou heard my voice. Hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.
57 Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon Thee; Thou saidst: 'Fear not.'
Thou drew near in the day that I called upon thee. Thou said, Fear not.
58 O Lord, Thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; Thou hast redeemed my life.
O Lord, thou have pleaded the causes of my soul. Thou have redeemed my life.
59 O LORD, Thou hast seen my wrong; judge Thou my cause.
O Jehovah, thou have seen my wrong. Judge thou my cause.
60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their devices against me.
Thou have seen all their vengeance and all their devices against me.
61 Thou hast heard their taunt, O LORD, and all their devices against me;
Thou have heard their reproach, O Jehovah, and all their devices against me,
62 The lips of those that rose up against me, and their muttering against me all the day.
the lips of those who rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
63 Behold Thou their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their song.
Behold thou their sitting down, and their rising up. I am their song.
64 Thou wilt render unto them a recompense, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.
Thou will render to them a recompense, O Jehovah, according to the work of their hands.
65 Thou wilt give them hardness of heart, Thy curse unto them.
Thou will give them hardness of heart, thy curse to them.
66 Thou wilt pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of the LORD.
Thou will pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Jehovah.
