Lamentations 3
1I am the man that sees poverty, 1 Through the rod of his wrath upon me. 1
2He has taken me, and led me away into darkness, 1 And not into light. 1
3Nay, against me has he turned his hand all the day. 1
4He has made old my flesh and my skin; 1 He has broken my bones. 1
5He has built against me, and compassed my head, 1 And brought travail upon me. 1
6He has set me in dark places, 1 As them that have long been dead. 1
7He has built against me, and I cannot come forth: 1 He has made my brazen chain heavy. 1
8Yea, though I cry and shout, 1 He shuts out my prayer. 1
9He has built up my ways, 1 He has hedged my paths; 1
10He has troubled me, 1 As a she-bear lying in wait: 1 He is to me as a lion in secret places. 1
11He pursued me after I departed, 1 And brought me to a stand: 1 He has utterly ruined me. 1
12He has bent his bow, 1 And set me as a mark for the arrow. 1
13He has caused the arrows of his quiver 1 To enter into my reins. 1
14I became a laughingstock to all my people; 1 And their song all the day. 1
15He has filled me with bitterness, 1 He has drenched me with gall. 1
16And he has dashed out my teeth with gravel, 1 He has fed me with ashes. 1
17He has also removed my soul from peace: 1 I forgot prosperity. 1
18Therefore my success has perished, 1 And my hope from the Lord. 1
19I remembered by reason of my poverty, 1 And because of persecution my bitterness and gall shall be remembered; 1
20And my soul shall meditate with me. 1
21This will I lay up in my heart, 1 Therefore will I endure. 1
22It is the mercies of the Lord, 1 That he has not failed me, 1 Because his compassions are not exhausted. 1 Pity us, O Lord, 1 Early every month: 1 For we are not brought to an end, 1 Because his compassions are not exhausted. 1
23They are new every morning: 1 Great is thy faithfulness. 1
24The Lord is my portion, says my soul; 1 Therefore will I wait for him. 1
25The Lord is good to them that wait for him: 1 The soul which shall seek him 1
26Is good, and shall wait for, 1 And quietly expect salvation of the Lord. 1
27It is good for a man 1 When he bears a yoke in his youth. 1
28He will sit alone, and be silent, 1 Because he has borne it upon him. 1
30He will give his cheek to him that smites him: 1 He will be filled full with reproaches. 1
31For the Lord will not reject forever. 1
32For he that has brought down will pity, 1 And that according to the abundance of his mercy. 1
33He has not answered in anger from his heart, 1 Though he has brought low the children of a man. 1
34To bring down under his feet 1 All the prisoners of the earth, 1
35To turn aside the judgment of a man 1 Before the face of the Most High, 1
36To condemn a man unjustly in his judgment, 1 The Lord has not given commandment. 1
37Who has thus spoken, and it has come to pass? 1 The Lord has not commanded it. 1
38Out of the mouth of the Most High 1 There shall not come forth evil and good. 1
39Why should a living man complain, 1 A man concerning his sin? 1
40Our way has been searched out and examined, 1 And we will turn to the Lord. 1
41Let us lift up our hearts with our hands 1 To the lofty One in heaven. 1
42We have sinned, 1 We have transgressed; 1 And thou hast not pardoned. 1
43Thou hast visited us in wrath, 1 And driven us away: 1 Thou hast slain, 1 Thou hast not pitied. 1
44Thou hast veiled thyself with a cloud 1 Because of prayer, 1 That I might be blind, 1
45And be cast off. 1 Thou hast set us alone 1 In the midst of the nations. 1
46All our enemies have opened their mouth against us. 1
47Fear and wrath are come upon us, 1 Suspense and destruction. 1
48Mine eye shall pour down torrents of water, 1 For the destruction of the daughter of my people. 1
49Mine eye is drowned with tears, 1 And I will not be silent, 1 So that there shall be no rest, 1
50Until the Lord look down, 1 And behold from heaven. 1
51Mine eye shall prey upon my soul, 1 Because of all the daughters of the city. 1
52The fowlers chased me as a sparrow, 1 All mine enemies destroyed my life in a pit without cause, 1
53And laid a stone upon me. 1
54Water flowed over my head: 1 I said, I am cut off. 1
55I called upon thy name, O Lord, 1 Out of the lowest dungeon. 1
56Thou heardest my voice: 1 Close not thine ears to my supplication. 1
57Thou drewest nigh to my help: 1 In the day wherein I called upon thee 1 Thou saidst to me, Fear not. 1
58O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; 1 Thou hast redeemed my life. 1
59Thou hast seen, O Lord, my troubles: 1 Thou hast judged my cause. 1
60Thou hast seen all their vengeance, 1 Thou hast looked on all their devices against me. 1
61Thou hast heard their reproach 1 And all their devices against me; 1
62The lips of them that rose up against me, 1 And their plots against me all the day; 1
63Their sitting down and their rising up: 1 Look thou upon their eyes. 1
64Thou wilt render them a recompense, O Lord, 1 According to the works of their hands. 1
65Thou wilt give them as a covering, 1 The grief of my heart. 1
66Thou wilt persecute them in anger, 1 And wilt consume them from under the heaven, O Lord.