Lam 3
1
I am the man that has seen affliction by the rod of his anger.
2
He has led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light.
3
Surely against me he turns his hand again and again all the day.
4
My flesh and my skin has he made old; he has broken my bones.
5
He has built against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
6
He has made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.
7
He has walled me about, that I cannot go forth; he has made my chain heavy.
8
Yea, when I cry, and call for help, he shuts out my prayer.
9
He has walled up my ways with hewn stone; he has made my paths crooked.
10
He is to me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places.
11
He has turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he has made me desolate.
12
He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
13
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.
15
He has filled me with bitterness, he has sated me with wormwood.
16
He has also broken my teeth with gravel stones; he has covered me with ashes.
17
And you have removed my soul far off from peace; I forgot prosperity.
18
And I said, My strength is perished, and mine expectation from YHWH.
19
Remember mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
20
My soul has them still in remembrance, and is bowed down within me.
21
This I recall to my mind; therefore have I hope.
22
[It is of] YHWH`s lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassions
fail not.
23
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
24
YHWH is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25
YHWH is good to them that wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.
26
It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of YHWH.
27
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
28
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.
30
Let him give his cheek to him whom smites him; let him be filled full with reproach.
31
For the Lord will not cast off for ever.
32
For though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude
of his lovingkindnesses.
33
For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.
34
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,
36
To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approves not.
37
Who is he who says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord commands it not?
38
Out of the mouth of the Most High comes there not evil and good?
39
Wherefore 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 YHWH.
41
Let us lift up our heart with our hands to God in the heavens.
42
We have transgressed and have rebelled; you have not pardoned.
43
You have covered with anger and pursued us; you have slain, you have not pitied.
44
You have covered yourself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.
45
You 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.
47
Fear and the pit are come upon us, devastation and destruction.
48
Mine eye runs down with streams of water, for the destruction of the daughter
of my people.
49
Mine eye pours down, and ceases not, without any intermission,
50
Till YHWH look down, and behold from heaven.
51
Mine eye affects my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.
52
They have chased me sore like a bird, they that are mine enemies without cause.
53
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.
55
I called upon your name, O YHWH, out of the lowest dungeon.
56
You heard my voice; hide not your ear at my breathing, at my cry.
57
You drew near in the day that I called upon you; you said, Fear not.
58
O Lord, you have pleaded the causes of my soul; you have redeemed my life.
59
O YHWH, you have seen my wrong; judge you my cause.
60
You have seen all their vengeance and all their devices against me.
61
You have heard their reproach, O YHWH, and all their devices against me,
62
The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the
day.
63
Behold you their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their song.
64
You will render to them a recompense, O YHWH, according to the work of their
hands.
65
You will give them hardness of heart, your curse to them.
66
You will pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of YHWH.