Lamentations 3
1 I [am] the man [who] hath seen affliction By the rod of His wrath.
I am the man who has experienced suffering under the rod of God's anger.
2 Me He hath led, and causeth to go [in] darkness, and without light.
He has driven me away, forcing me to walk in darkness instead of the light.
3 Surely against me He turneth back, He turneth His hand all the day.
In fact he hits me again and again all day long.
4 He hath worn out my flesh and my skin. He hath broken my bones.
He has worn me out; he has broken me in pieces.
5 He hath built up against me, And setteth round poverty and weariness.
He has besieged me, surrounding me with bitterness and misery.
6 In dark places He hath caused me to dwell, As the dead of old.
He has forced me to live in darkness like those long dead.
7 He hath hedged me about, and I go not out, He hath made heavy my fetter.
He has built a wall around me so I can't escape; he has bound me with heavy chains.
8 Also when I call and cry out, He hath shut out my prayer.
Even when I keep on crying out for help, he refuses to listen to my prayer.
9 He hath hedged my ways with hewn work, My paths He hath made crooked.
He has put stone blocks in my way and sends me down crooked paths.
10 A bear lying in wait He [is] to me, A lion in secret hiding-places.
He is a bear that lies in wait for me, a lion in hiding ready to attack,
11 My ways He is turning aside, and He pulleth me in pieces, He hath made me a desolation.
He dragged me from my path and ripped me to pieces, leaving me helpless.
12 He hath trodden His bow, And setteth me up as a mark for an arrow.
He loaded his bow with an arrow and used me as his target,
13 He hath caused to enter into my reins The sons of His quiver.
He shot me in my kidneys with his arrows.
14 I have been a derision to all my people, Their song all the day.
Now everyone laughs at me, singing songs that mock me all day long.
15 He hath filled me with bitter things, He hath filled me [with] wormwood.
He has filled me with bitterness; he has filled me up with bitter wormwood.
16 And He breaketh with gravel my teeth, He hath covered me with ashes.
He has broken my teeth with grit; he has trampled me in the dust.
17 And Thou castest off from peace my soul, I have forgotten prosperity.
Peace has been torn away from me; I've forgotten all that's good in life.
18 And I say, Perished hath my strength and my hope from Jehovah.
That's why I say, “My expectation of a long life is gone, along with all that I hoped for from Lord.
19 Remember my affliction and my mourning, Wormwood and gall!
Don't forget everything I've suffered in my wandering, as bitters as wormwood and poison.
20 Remember well, and bow down doth my soul in me.
I certainly haven't forgotten. I remember it all too well, so I sink into depression.
21 This I turn to my heart — therefore I hope.
But I still hope when I think about this:
22 The kindnesses of Jehovah! For we have not been consumed, For not ended have His mercies.
It's because of the Lord's trustworthy love that our lives are not finished, for through his merciful actions he never lets us down.
23 New every morning, abundant [is] thy faithfulness.
He renews them every morning. How wonderfully trustworthy you are, Lord!
24 My portion [is] Jehovah, hath my soul said, Therefore I hope for Him.
The Lord is all I need,” I tell myself, “so I will put my hope in him.”
25 Good [is] Jehovah to those waiting for Him, To the soul [that] seeketh Him.
The Lord is good to those who trust in him, to anyone who seeks to follow him.
26 Good! when one doth stay and stand still For the salvation of Jehovah.
It is good to wait quietly for the Lord's salvation.
27 Good for a man that he beareth a yoke in his youth.
It is good for people to learn to patiently bear discipline while they're still young.
28 He sitteth alone, and is silent, For He hath laid [it] upon him.
They should sit by themselves in silence, because it's God who has disciplined them.
29 He putteth in the dust his mouth, if so be there is hope.
They should bow low with their faces to the ground, for there may still be hope.
30 He giveth to his smiter the cheek, He is filled with reproach.
They should turn a cheek to someone who wants to slap them; they should take the insults of others.
31 For the Lord doth not cast off to the age.
For the Lord won't abandon us forever.
32 For though He afflicted, yet He hath pitied, According to the abundance of His kindness.
Even though he may bring sadness, he shows us mercy because his trustworthy love is so great.
33 For He hath not afflicted with His heart, Nor doth He grieve the sons of men.
For he doesn't willingly hurt people, or cause them grief.
34 To bruise under one's feet any bound ones of earth,
Whether it's mistreating all the prisoners of the land,
35 To turn aside the judgment of a man, Over-against the face of the Most High,
Or denying someone their rights as the Most High watches,
36 To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord hath not approved.
Or cheating someone in their legal case—these things the Lord doesn't approve of.
37 Who [is] this — he hath said, and it is, [And] the Lord hath not commanded [it]?
Who spoke and it came into existence? Wasn't it the Lord who commanded it?
38 From the mouth of the Most High Go not forth the evils and the good.
When the Most High speaks it can be a disaster or a blessing.
39 What — sigh habitually doth a living man, A man for his sin?
Why should any human being complain about the results of their sins?
40 We search our ways, and investigate, And turn back unto Jehovah.
We should look at ourselves, examine what we're doing, and return to the Lord.
41 We lift up our heart on the hands unto God in the heavens.
Let's not just hold up our hands to God in heaven, but our minds as well, saying,
42 We — we have transgressed and rebelled, Thou — Thou hast not forgiven.
“We are the ones who sinned; we are the ones who rebelled; and you haven't forgiven us!”
43 Thou hast covered Thyself with anger, And dost pursue us; Thou hast slain — Thou hast not pitied.
You have wrapped yourself in anger and chased us down, killing without mercy. You have killed without pity.
44 Thou hast covered Thyself with a cloud, So that prayer doth not pass through.
You have wrapped yourself with a cloud that no prayer can penetrate.
45 Offscouring and refuse Thou dost make us In the midst of the peoples.
You have made us waste and refuse to the nations around.
46 Opened against us their mouth have all our enemies.
All our enemies open their mouths to criticize us.
47 Fear and a snare hath been for us, Desolation and destruction.
We're terrified and trapped, devastated and destroyed.
48 Rivulets of water go down my eye, For the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Tears stream from my eyes over the death of my people.
49 Mine eye is poured out, And doth not cease without intermission,
My eyes overflow with tears all the time. They won't stop
50 Till Jehovah looketh and seeth from the heavens,
Until the Lord looks down from heaven and sees what's going on.
51 My eye affecteth my soul, Because of all the daughters of my city.
What I've seen torments me because of what's happened to all the women in my city.
52 Hunted me sore as a bird have my enemies without cause.
For no reason my enemies trapped me like a bird.
53 They have cut off in a pit my life, And they cast a stone against me.
They tried to kill me by tossing me into a pit and throwing stones at me.
54 Flowed have waters over my head, I have said, I have been cut off.
Water flooded over my head, and I thought I was going to die.
55 I called Thy name, O Jehovah, from the lower pit.
I called out for you, Lord, from deep inside the pit.
56 My voice Thou hast heard, Hide not Thine ear at my breathing — at my cry.
You heard me when I prayed, “Please don't ignore my cry for help.”
57 Thou hast drawn near in the day I call Thee, Thou hast said, Fear not.
You came to me when I called you, and you told me, “Don't be afraid!”
58 Thou hast pleaded, O Lord, the pleadings of my soul, Thou hast redeemed my life.
You have taken my case and defended me; you have saved my life!
59 Thou hast seen, O Jehovah, my overthrow, Judge Thou my cause.
Lord, you have seen the injustices done to me; please vindicate me!
60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance, All their thoughts of me.
You have observed how vengeful they are and how often they've plotted against me.
61 Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, All their thoughts against me,
Lord, you have heard how they've insulted me, and what they've plotted against me,
62 The lips of my withstanders, Even their meditation against me all the day.
How my enemies talk against me and complain about me all the time!
63 Their sitting down, and their rising up, Behold attentively, I [am] their song.
Just look! Whether they're sitting down and or standing up, they go on making fun of me in their songs.
64 Thou returnest to them the deed, O Jehovah, According to the work of their hands.
Pay them back as they deserve, Lord, for all they've done!
65 Thou givest to them a covered heart, Thy curse to them.
Give them a covering for their minds! May your curse be on them!
66 Thou pursuest in anger, and destroyest them, From under the heavens of Jehovah!
Chase them down in your anger, Lord, and get rid of them from the earth!
