Lamentations 3
I'm the man who has seen much affliction
by the rod of the LORD's holy wrath.
He has driven me into the darkness,
and I walk without light on my path.
I am punished again and again
by his hand all day long without end.
My skin's aged and he makes my flesh withered;
and my bones, he has broken a few.
He's besieged me and I am surrounded
with great hardship in all that I do.
He's made me dwell in darkness instead,
like the ones who've for ages been dead.
I'm confined with no hope of escaping;
and his chains are too heavy to bear.
Even when I cry out for assistance,
he's rejected and shut out my prayer.
My way's barred with cut stone and hewn rock,
while his crooked paths hamper my walk.
Like the bear or the lion, that's hidden,
know the ambush can never be rushed.
He has dragged me away from my pathway;
torn to pieces, I'm wrecked, and I'm crushed.
For his bow is drawn back and is taut;
I'm the target for his bow's next shot.
With the arrows he has in his quiver,
I've been pierced through the heart with his shaft.
I am mocked by my very own people,
and the joke at which everyone laughed.
With great bitterness, he's filled me up,
and placed wormwood and gall in my cup.
He has broken my teeth with his gravel;
I am covered in ashes and dust.
You have stripped from my soul what was peaceful;
I've forgotten what happiness was.
So I said, My endurance has died;
there's no hope from the LORD left inside.
I remember my sorrow and anguish,
both, the wormwood and my bitterness.
I am mindful and haven't forgotten,
and it makes my soul low and depressed.
When recalling these things to my mind,
there is hope that I one day will find:
that the love of the LORD never ceases,
and his mercies are ever outpoured.
They are fresh and renewed every morning;
oh, how great is your faithfulness, LORD!
For the LORD is my portion, I'll state;
and on him will I hope and await.
The LORD's good to the one who awaits him,
to the soul which would seek out his will.
It is good that one hopes for salvation
in the LORD, to be quiet and still.
It is good the yoke's borne to endure,
when a man's in his youth and still pure.
Let him sit there alone and keep silent,
for the yoke, by the LORD, has been set.
In the dust, let his mouth then be buried,
for there still may be hope for him yet.
He'll endure being slapped in the face,
that will bring him a public disgrace.
For the LORD won't reject us forever,
nor Jehovah forget us for long.
He sends grief, yet he shows his compassion,
and his love and his mercy are strong.
He enjoys not, but rather disdains,
the infliction of man's grievous pains.
Were the captives on earth treated roughly;
were they placed underfoot and then trod;
were a man denied justice by others
in the presence of Most Holy God;
to subvert a man's just liberty,
does Jehovah not look down and see?
Who has spoken a word and it happened,
lest the LORD has ordained the command?
Is it not from the mouth of Jehovah,
that both good and bad come from his hand?
Why should we, as mere humans, complain
when we're punished for sins with our pain?
Let's return to the LORD and Jehovah,
as we search and examine our way.
Let our hearts, with our hands, be uplifted,
unto God in the heavens and say,
We've done wrong, we've rebelled and transgressed;
you forgive not, though we have confessed.
We're engulfed in your wrath — you pursue us;
without mercy, your people, you slew.
With a cloud, you are hidden and covered,
so our prayers cannot ever get through.
You've reduced us to garbage and scum,
and as refuse to all, we've become.
All our enemies speak out against us,
and they curse us with all of their breath.
We've experienced pitfalls and panic,
devastation, destruction and death.
And my eyes flow with rivers of tears,
for the lost lives of those I've held dear.
And my eyes overflow without ceasing,
without stopping and without relief,
till the LORD has looked down from the heavens,
and has noticed my anguish and grief.
What I've seen breaks my heart for the cost,
what my city and people have lost.
Without cause, I was chased like a sparrow,
by the nets that my enemies bore.
They tried ending my life in a dungeon,
when they rolled a large stone to the door.
When the waters flowed over my head,
I had thoughts that I soon would be dead.
But I called on your name, LORD Jehovah,
from the depths of the pit, in despair.
You have listened and heard my voice pleading;
at my cry, you have answered my prayer.
When I called you, you came and drew near,
and you whispered, You don't need to fear.
LORD, you took up my cause to defend me;
and my life's been redeemed with your grace.
You have noticed my wrongful affliction;
LORD, now judge me and rule in my case.
You have seen all the malice they've wrought,
and their schemes against me that they plot.
LORD, you've heard all their taunts and their insults,
their conniving in doing me wrong.
For my enemies whisper and mutter,
and devise against me all day long.
If they sit or they stand — it's the same:
I'm the joke in their songs, to my shame.
Pay them back, LORD, you know they're deserving,
for their evil done time and again.
Veil their hearts with a sorrowful hardness;
bring your curses to these evil men.
With rage, hunt them till they disappear,
LORD, from under your heavenly sphere.
by the rod of the LORD's holy wrath.
He has driven me into the darkness,
and I walk without light on my path.
I am punished again and again
by his hand all day long without end.
My skin's aged and he makes my flesh withered;
and my bones, he has broken a few.
He's besieged me and I am surrounded
with great hardship in all that I do.
He's made me dwell in darkness instead,
like the ones who've for ages been dead.
I'm confined with no hope of escaping;
and his chains are too heavy to bear.
Even when I cry out for assistance,
he's rejected and shut out my prayer.
My way's barred with cut stone and hewn rock,
while his crooked paths hamper my walk.
Like the bear or the lion, that's hidden,
know the ambush can never be rushed.
He has dragged me away from my pathway;
torn to pieces, I'm wrecked, and I'm crushed.
For his bow is drawn back and is taut;
I'm the target for his bow's next shot.
With the arrows he has in his quiver,
I've been pierced through the heart with his shaft.
I am mocked by my very own people,
and the joke at which everyone laughed.
With great bitterness, he's filled me up,
and placed wormwood and gall in my cup.
He has broken my teeth with his gravel;
I am covered in ashes and dust.
You have stripped from my soul what was peaceful;
I've forgotten what happiness was.
So I said, My endurance has died;
there's no hope from the LORD left inside.
I remember my sorrow and anguish,
both, the wormwood and my bitterness.
I am mindful and haven't forgotten,
and it makes my soul low and depressed.
When recalling these things to my mind,
there is hope that I one day will find:
that the love of the LORD never ceases,
and his mercies are ever outpoured.
They are fresh and renewed every morning;
oh, how great is your faithfulness, LORD!
For the LORD is my portion, I'll state;
and on him will I hope and await.
The LORD's good to the one who awaits him,
to the soul which would seek out his will.
It is good that one hopes for salvation
in the LORD, to be quiet and still.
It is good the yoke's borne to endure,
when a man's in his youth and still pure.
Let him sit there alone and keep silent,
for the yoke, by the LORD, has been set.
In the dust, let his mouth then be buried,
for there still may be hope for him yet.
He'll endure being slapped in the face,
that will bring him a public disgrace.
For the LORD won't reject us forever,
nor Jehovah forget us for long.
He sends grief, yet he shows his compassion,
and his love and his mercy are strong.
He enjoys not, but rather disdains,
the infliction of man's grievous pains.
Were the captives on earth treated roughly;
were they placed underfoot and then trod;
were a man denied justice by others
in the presence of Most Holy God;
to subvert a man's just liberty,
does Jehovah not look down and see?
Who has spoken a word and it happened,
lest the LORD has ordained the command?
Is it not from the mouth of Jehovah,
that both good and bad come from his hand?
Why should we, as mere humans, complain
when we're punished for sins with our pain?
Let's return to the LORD and Jehovah,
as we search and examine our way.
Let our hearts, with our hands, be uplifted,
unto God in the heavens and say,
We've done wrong, we've rebelled and transgressed;
you forgive not, though we have confessed.
We're engulfed in your wrath — you pursue us;
without mercy, your people, you slew.
With a cloud, you are hidden and covered,
so our prayers cannot ever get through.
You've reduced us to garbage and scum,
and as refuse to all, we've become.
All our enemies speak out against us,
and they curse us with all of their breath.
We've experienced pitfalls and panic,
devastation, destruction and death.
And my eyes flow with rivers of tears,
for the lost lives of those I've held dear.
And my eyes overflow without ceasing,
without stopping and without relief,
till the LORD has looked down from the heavens,
and has noticed my anguish and grief.
What I've seen breaks my heart for the cost,
what my city and people have lost.
Without cause, I was chased like a sparrow,
by the nets that my enemies bore.
They tried ending my life in a dungeon,
when they rolled a large stone to the door.
When the waters flowed over my head,
I had thoughts that I soon would be dead.
But I called on your name, LORD Jehovah,
from the depths of the pit, in despair.
You have listened and heard my voice pleading;
at my cry, you have answered my prayer.
When I called you, you came and drew near,
and you whispered, You don't need to fear.
LORD, you took up my cause to defend me;
and my life's been redeemed with your grace.
You have noticed my wrongful affliction;
LORD, now judge me and rule in my case.
You have seen all the malice they've wrought,
and their schemes against me that they plot.
LORD, you've heard all their taunts and their insults,
their conniving in doing me wrong.
For my enemies whisper and mutter,
and devise against me all day long.
If they sit or they stand — it's the same:
I'm the joke in their songs, to my shame.
Pay them back, LORD, you know they're deserving,
for their evil done time and again.
Veil their hearts with a sorrowful hardness;
bring your curses to these evil men.
With rage, hunt them till they disappear,
LORD, from under your heavenly sphere.
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