Lamentations 3
1I AM a man who have seen affliction by the rod of His wrath against me.
2He hath seized me and dragged me into darkness and there is no light.
3But still He turned His hand against me all the day long.
4He hath made my flesh and my skin old; He hath broken my bones.
5He built up against me and encompassed my head and afflicted it with pain;
6in dark mansions He placed me like the dead of old.
7He built up against me so that I cannot get out. He made my chain heavy.
8Though I scream and cry, He shut out my prayer.
9He walled up my ways; He blocked up my paths; He terrified me.
10He was as a bear lying in wait; to me He was like a lion in secret coverts.
11He pursued me when I fled and stopped me. He removed me quite out of sight.
12He bent his bow and set me up as a mark for His arrow.
13He poured into my reins the darts of His quiver.
14I became a subject of laughter to all my people—their song all the day long.
15He glutted me with wormwood; He gave me a large draught of gall,
16and broke my teeth with gravel. He drenched me with ashes.
17He removed my soul far from peace. I forgot prosperity,
18so my strength was destroyed and the hope which I had from the Lord.
19I recollected because of mine affliction. When by reason of persecution, my bitterness and gall shall be remembered;
20then on myself will my soul meditate.
21I will lay this up in my heart.
22On this account I will wait for the mercies of the Lord, because He hath not quite forsaken me—because His compassion is not exhausted. In the ensuing months, O Lord, exercise compassion, since we are not quite consumed—since Thy mercies are not exhausted.
23New every morning is Thine abundant faithfulness.
24The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore I will wait for Him.
25The Lord is gracious to them who wait for Him; for the soul that will seek Him there is good: let it therefore wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
27It is good for a man when he hath borne a yoke in his youth.
28He will sit solitary and be silent, because he hath taken it upon him.
30He will give his cheek to him who smiteth it; he will feed on reproaches,
31because the Lord will not cast off forever—
32because He who hath humbled will have compassion, even according to the multitude of His mercies.
33He did not answer from His heart and humble the children of men
34with an intent to crush under His feet all the prisoners of the earth.
35To turn aside the cause of man from before the Most High,
36to condemn a man when he is [still] on trial, the Lord hath not enjoined.
37Who ever spoke thus, and it came to pass? The Lord hath not ordered it.
38From the mouth of the Most High shall not proceed evil and good.
39Why should a living man complain over his transgressions?
40Our way hath been searched and tried; let us then return to the Lord.
41Let us offer up our hearts on our hands to Him Who is High in heaven.
42We have sinned; we have been guilty of impiety; and Thou hast not been appeased.
43Thou hast covered with wrath and discarded us; Thou hast slain and hast not spared.
44Thou hast covered Thyself with a cloud because of prayer, that I may shut mine eyes and
45be cast off. Thou hast placed us in the midst of the peoples;
46all our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
47On us are come terror and wrath, desolation and destruction.
48Let streams of water be collected by mine eye, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49Mine eye is bathed in tears and I cannot keep silence that it may dry,
50until the Lord look down from heaven and behold.
51Let mine eye be more watchful for my life, than all the daughters of a city.
52With eagerness all mine enemies have hunted me like an ostrich;
53without cause they have condemned me to die in a dungeon, and placed a stone over me.
54Water was poured above upon my head. I said, I am cast off.
55I called on Thy name, O Lord, out of the deepest dungeon.
56Thou hast heard my voice; stop not Thine ear against my supplication.
57To my assistance Thou didst draw near. On the day I called on Thee, Thou saidst to me, Fear not.
58Thou, O Lord, hast pleaded the causes of my soul; Thou hast redeemed my life.
59Thou, O Lord, hast seen my wrongs; Thou hast decided my cause.
60Thou hast seen all their vengeance—into all their devices against me.
61Thou hast heard their reproach—all their charges against me—
62the speeches of them who accused me; their studied harangues against me all the day long.
64At their sitting down and their rising up, look down on their eyes.
65Thou, O Lord, wilt render them a recompence according to the works of their hands.
66Thou wilt give them for a shield the sorrow of my heart. Thou wilt pursue them with indignation, and destroy them utterly from under heaven.