Lamentations 3

1

I AM the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

I am the man that has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

2

He hath led me , and brought me into darkness, but not into light.

He has led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light.

3

Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.

Surely against me he turns his hand again and again all the day.

4

My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.

My flesh and my skin has he made 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 compassed me with gall and travail.

6

He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old .

He has made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.

7

He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.

He has walled me about, that I can't go forth; he has made my chain heavy.

8

Also when I cry and shout , he shutteth out my prayer.

Yes, when I cry , and call for help , he shuts out my prayer.

9

He hath inclosed 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 was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.

He is to me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret 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 was a derision to all my people ; and their song all the day.

I am become a derision to all my people , and their song all the day.

15

He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken 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 covered me with ashes.

He has also broken my teeth with gravel stones ; he has covered me with ashes.

17

And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace : I forgat prosperity.

You have removed my soul far off from peace ; I forgot prosperity.

18

And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:

I said, My strength is perished , and my expectation from Yahweh.

19

Remembering mine affliction and my misery, 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 humbled in me.

My soul still remembers them , and is bowed down within me.

21

This I recall to my mind , therefore have I hope.

This I recall to my mind ; therefore have I hope.

22

It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not .

[ It is of ] Yahweh's loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion doesn't fail.

23

They are new every morning : great is thy faithfulness.

They are new every morning ; great is your faithfulness.

24

The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

Yahweh is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

25

The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.

26

It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD .

It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Yahweh .

27

It is good for a man that he bear the yoke of his youth.

It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

28

He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.

Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he has laid it on him.

29

He putteth 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

He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him : he is filled full with reproach.

Let him give his cheek to him who strikes 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

But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies .

For though he cause grief, yet will he 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 children of men.

34

To crush under his feet 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 doesn't approve .

37

Who is he that saith , and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not ?

Who is he who says , and it comes to pass, when the Lord doesn't command it?

38

Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good ?

Doesn't evil and good come out of the mouth of the Most High?

39

Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment 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 turn again to the LORD .

Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Yahweh .

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 ; you have not pardoned.

43

Thou hast covered with anger , and persecuted us : thou hast slain , thou hast not pitied.

You have covered with anger and pursued us ; you have killed , you have not pitied.

44

Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.

You have covered yourself 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 people .

You have made us an off-scouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples .

46

All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.

All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.

47

Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.

Fear and the pit are come on us, devastation and destruction.

48

Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction 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 trickleth down, and ceaseth not , without any intermission .

My eye pours down, and doesn't cease , without any intermission ,

50

Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.

Until Yahweh look down, and see from heaven.

51

Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.

My eye affects my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.

52

Mine enemies chased me sore , like a bird, without cause.

They have chased me sore like a bird, those who are my enemies without cause.

53

They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.

They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone on me.

54

Waters flowed over mine head; then 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 low dungeon.

I called on your name, Yahweh , out of the lowest dungeon.

56

Thou hast heard my voice : hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.

You heard my voice ; don't hide your ear at my breathing, at my cry.

57

Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst , Fear not .

You drew near in the day that I called on you; you said , Don't be afraid .

58

O LORD, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.

Lord, you have pleaded the causes of my soul; you have redeemed my life.

59

O LORD , thou hast seen my wrong : judge thou my cause.

Yahweh , you have seen my wrong ; judge you my cause.

60

Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.

You have seen all their vengeance and all their devices against me.

61

Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD , and all their imaginations against me ;

You have heard their reproach, Yahweh , and all their devices against me ,

62

The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.

The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.

63

Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick .

See you their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their song .

64

Render unto them a recompence , O LORD , according to the work of their hands.

You will render to them a recompense , Yahweh , according to the work of their hands.

65

Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.

You will give them hardness of heart, your curse to them.

66

Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD .

You will pursue them in anger , and destroy them from under the heavens of Yahweh .