Lamentations 3

1 [ALEPH-BET] I [am] the man [who] has seen affliction By the rod of His wrath.

2 He has led me, and causes to go [in] darkness, and without light.

3 Surely against me He turns back, He turns His hand all the day.

4 He has worn out my flesh and my skin. He has broken my bones.

5 He has built up against me, And sets around poverty and weariness.

6 In dark places He has caused me to dwell, As the dead of old.

7 He has hedged me in, and I do not go out, He has made heavy my chain.

8 Also when I call and cry out, He has shut out my prayer.

9 He has hedged my ways with hewn work, My paths He has made crooked.

10 A bear lying in wait He [is] to me, A lion in secret hiding places.

11 My ways He is turning aside, and He pulls me in pieces, He has made me a desolation.

12 He has bent His bow, And sets me up as a mark for an arrow.

13 He has caused to enter into my reins The sons of His quiver.

14 I have been a derision to all my people, Their song all the day.

15 He has filled me with bitter things, He has filled me [with] wormwood.

16 And He breaks with gravel my teeth, He has covered me with ashes.

17 And You cast off my soul from peace, I have forgotten prosperity.

18 And I say, My strength and my hope have perished from YHWH.

19 Remember my affliction and my mourning, Wormwood and gall!

20 Remember well, and my soul bows down in me.

21 This I turn to my heart—therefore I hope.

22 The kindnesses of YHWH! For we have not been consumed, For His mercies have not ended.

23 New every morning, abundant [is] Your faithfulness.

24 My portion [is] YHWH, my soul has said, Therefore I hope for Him.

25 YHWH [is] good to those waiting for Him, To the soul [that] seeks Him.

26 [It is] good when one stays and stands still For the salvation of YHWH.

27 [It is] good for a man that he bears a yoke in his youth.

28 He sits alone, and is silent, For He has laid [it] on him.

29 He puts his mouth in the dust, if so be, there is hope.

30 He gives to his striker the cheek, He is filled with reproach.

31 For the Lord does not cast off for all time.

32 For though He afflicted, yet He has pitied, According to the abundance of His kindness.

33 For He has not afflicted with His heart, Nor does He grieve the sons of men.

34 To bruise under one’s feet any bound ones of earth,

35 To turn aside the judgment of a man, Before the face of the Most High,

36 To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord has not approved.

37 Who [is] this—he has spoken, and it is, [And] the Lord has not commanded [it]?

38 From the mouth of the Most High does not go forth the evils and the good.

39 Why does a living man sigh habitually, A man for his sin?

40 We search our ways, and investigate, And turn back to YHWH.

41 We lift up our heart on the hands to God in the heavens.

42 We have transgressed and been rebellious, You have not forgiven.

43 You have covered Yourself with anger, And pursue us; You have slain—You have not pitied.

44 You have covered Yourself with a cloud, So that prayer does not pass through.

45 Outcast and refuse You make us In the midst of the peoples.

46 Opened against us their mouth have all our enemies.

47 Fear and a snare has been for us, Desolation and destruction.

48 Streams of water go down my eye, For the destruction of the daughter of my people.

49 My eye is poured out, And does not cease without intermission,

50 Until YHWH looks and sees from the heavens,

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

52 Hunting—my enemies have hunted me without cause like the bird.

53 They have cut off my life in a pit, And they cast a stone against me.

54 Waters have flowed over my head, I have said, I have been cut off.

55 I called Your Name, O YHWH, from the lower pit.

56 You have heard my voice, do not hide Your ear at my breathing—at my cry.

57 You have drawn near in the day I call You, You have said, Do not fear.

58 You have pleaded, O Lord, the pleadings of my soul, You have redeemed my life.

59 You have seen, O YHWH, my overthrow, Judge my cause.

60 You have seen all their vengeance, All their thoughts of me.

61 You have heard their reproach, O YHWH, All their thoughts against me,

62 The lips of my withstanders, Even their meditation against me all the day.

63 Their sitting down, and their rising up, Behold attentively, I [am] their song.

64 You return to them the deed, O YHWH, According to the work of their hands.

65 You give to them a covered heart, Your curse to them.

66 You pursue in anger, and destroy them, From under the heavens of YHWH!