< Lamentations 3 >
1 I am the man, that hath seene affliction in the rod of his indignation.
I AM the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
2 He hath ledde mee, and brought me into darkenes, but not to light.
He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
3 Surely he is turned against me: he turneth his hand against me all the day.
Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
4 My flesh and my skinne hath he caused to waxe olde, and he hath broken my bones.
My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
5 He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall, and labour.
He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
6 He hath set me in darke places, as they that be dead for euer.
He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
7 He hath hedged about mee, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chaines heauy.
He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
8 Also when I cry and showte, hee shutteth out my prayer.
Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
9 He hath stopped vp my wayes with hewen stone, and turned away my paths.
He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
10 He was vnto me as a beare lying in waite, and as a Lion in secret places.
He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
11 He hath stopped my wayes, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.
He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.
12 He hath bent his bow and made me a marke for the arrow.
He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
13 Hee caused the arrowes of his quiuer to enter into my reines.
He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
14 I was a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.
I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
15 He hath filled me with bitternes, and made me drunken with wormewood.
He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.
16 He hath also broken my teeth with stones, and hath couered me with ashes.
He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
17 Thus my soule was farre off from peace: I forgate prosperitie,
And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
18 And I saide, My strength and mine hope is perished from the Lord,
And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord:
19 Remembring mine affliction, and my mourning, the wormewood and the gall.
Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
20 My soule hath them in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
21 I consider this in mine heart: therefore haue I hope.
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
22 It is the Lordes mercies that wee are not consumed, because his compassions faile not.
It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are renued euery morning: great is thy faithfulnesse.
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
24 The Lord is my portion, sayth my soule: therefore wil I hope in him.
The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25 The Lord is good vnto them, that trust in him, and to the soule that seeketh him.
The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26 It is good both to trust, and to waite for the saluation of the Lord.
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
27 It is good for a man that he beare the yoke in 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 vpon him.
He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
29 He putteth his mouth in the dust, if there may be hope.
He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
30 Hee giueth his cheeke to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproches.
He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
31 For the Lord will not forsake for euer.
For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
32 But though he sende affliction, yet will he haue compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
33 For he doeth not punish willingly, nor afflict the children of men,
For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
34 In stamping vnder his feete all the prisoners of the earth,
To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,
35 In ouerthrowing 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 In subuerting a man in his cause: the Lord seeth it not.
To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.
37 Who is he then that sayth, and it commeth to passe, and the Lord commandeth it not?
Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
38 Out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not euill and good?
Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
39 Wherefore then is the liuing man sorowfull? man suffreth for his sinne.
Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
40 Let vs search and try our wayes, and turne againe to the Lord.
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.
41 Let vs lift vp our hearts with our handes vnto God in the heauens.
Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
42 We haue sinned, and haue rebelled, therefore thou hast not spared.
We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.
43 Thou hast couered vs with wrath, and persecuted vs: thou hast slaine and not spared.
Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
44 Thou hast couered thy selfe with a cloude, that our prayer should not passe through.
Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.
45 Thou hast made vs as the ofscouring and refuse in the middes of the people.
Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.
46 All our enemies haue opened their mouth against vs.
All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
47 Feare, and a snare is come vpon vs with desolation and destruction.
Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.
48 Mine eye casteth out riuers of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 Mine eye droppeth without stay and ceaseth not,
Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
50 Till the Lord looke downe, and beholde from heauen.
Till the Lord look down, and behold from heaven.
51 Mine eye breaketh mine heart because of all the daughters of my citie.
Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.
52 Mine enemies chased me sore like a birde, without cause.
Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.
53 They haue shut vp my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone vpon me.
They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.
54 Waters flowed ouer mine head, then thought I, I am destroyed.
Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.
55 I called vpon thy Name, O Lord, out of the lowe dungeon.
I called upon thy name, O Lord, out of the low dungeon.
56 Thou hast heard my voyce: stoppe not thine eare from my sigh and from my cry.
Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.
57 Thou drewest neere in the day that I called vpon thee: thou saydest, Feare not.
Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
58 O Lord, thou hast maintained the cause of my soule, and hast redeemed my life.
O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.
59 O Lord, thou hast seene my wrong, iudge thou my cause.
O Lord, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.
60 Thou hast seene all their vengeance, and all their deuises against me.
Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.
61 Thou hast heard their reproch, O Lord, and all their imaginations against me:
Thou hast heard their reproach, O Lord, and all their imaginations against me;
62 The lippes also of those that rose against me, and their whispering against me continually.
The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
63 Behold, their sitting downe and their rising vp, how I am their song.
Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.
64 Giue them a recompence, O Lord, according to the worke of their handes.
Render unto them a recompence, O Lord, according to the work of their hands.
65 Giue them sorow of heart, euen thy curse to them.
Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.
66 Persecute with wrath and destroy them from vnder the heauen, O Lord.
Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the Lord.