Lamentations 3

HCSB

Lamentations 3

Hope through God’s Mercy

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1}

I am the man who has seen affliction
under the rod of God’s wrath.

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2}

He has driven me away and forced me to walk
in darkness instead of light.^(A)

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3}

Yes, He repeatedly turns His hand
against me all day long.

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4} ב Bet

He has worn away my flesh and skin;^(B)
He has shattered my bones.^(C)

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5}

He has laid siege against me,^(D)
encircling me with bitterness and hardship.^(E)

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He has made me dwell in darkness
like those who have been dead for ages.^(F)

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7} ג Gimel

He has walled me in so I cannot escape;^(G)
He has weighed me down with chains.

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8}

Even when I cry out and plead for help,
He rejects my prayer.^(H)

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9}

He has walled in my ways with cut stones;^(I)
He has made my paths crooked.^(J)

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10} ד Dalet

He is^(a) a bear waiting in ambush,
a lion in hiding.^(K)

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11}

He forced me off my way and tore me to pieces;
He left me desolate.

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12}

He strung His bow^(L)
and set me as the target for His arrow.

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13} ה He

He pierced my kidneys
with His arrows.^(M)

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14}

I am a laughingstock^(N) to all my people,^(b)
mocked by their songs^(O) all day long.

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15}

He filled me with bitterness,
satiated me with wormwood.^(P)

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16} ו Vav

He ground my teeth on gravel^(Q)
and made me cower^(c) in the dust.

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17}

My soul has been deprived^(d) of peace;^(R)
I have forgotten what happiness is.

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18}

Then I thought: My future^(e) is lost,
as well as my hope from the Lord.

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19} ז Zayin

Remember^(f) my affliction and my homelessness,^(S)
the wormwood and the poison.^(T)

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20}

I continually remember them
and have become depressed.^(g)^(U)

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21}

Yet I call this to mind,
and therefore I have hope:^(V)

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22} ח Khet

Because of the Lord’s faithful love^(W)
we do not perish,^(h)
for His mercies never end.

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23}

They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness!^(X)

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24}

I say: The Lord is my portion,^(Y)
therefore I will put my hope in Him.

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25} ט Tet

The Lord is good to those who wait^(Z) for Him,
to the person who seeks Him.

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26}

It is good to wait quietly^(AA)
for deliverance from the Lord.^(AB)

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27}

It is good for a man to bear the yoke^(AC)
while he is still young.

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28} י Yod

Let him sit alone and be silent,^(AD)
for God has disciplined him.

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29}

Let him put his mouth in the dust^(AE)—
perhaps there is still hope.

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30}

Let him offer his cheek
to the one who would strike him;^(AF)
let him be filled with shame.

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31} כ Kaf

For the Lord
will not reject us forever.

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32}

Even if He causes suffering,
He will show compassion
according to His abundant, faithful love.^(AG)

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33}

For He does not enjoy bringing affliction^(AH)
or suffering on mankind.

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34} ל Lamed

Crushing all the prisoners of the land⁽ⁱ⁾
beneath one’s feet,

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35}

denying justice to a man^(AI)
in the presence of the Most High,

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36}

or suppressing a person’s lawsuit^(AJ)—
the Lord does not approve of these things.

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37} מ Mem

Who is there who speaks and it happens,
unless the Lord has ordained it?^(AK)

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38}

Do not both adversity and good
come from the mouth of the Most High?^(AL)

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39}

Why should any living person complain,
any man, because of the punishment for his sins?

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40} נ Nun

Let us search out and examine our ways,
and turn back to the Lord.^(AM)

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41}

Let us lift up our hearts and our hands^(AN)
to God in heaven:

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42}

We have sinned and rebelled;
You have not forgiven.^(AO)

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43} ס Samek

You have covered Yourself in anger and pursued us;
You have killed without compassion.^(AP)

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44}

You have covered Yourself with a cloud
so that no prayer can pass through.^(AQ)

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45}

You have made us disgusting filth
among the peoples.^(AR)

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46} פ Pe

All our enemies
open their mouths against us.^(AS)

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47}

We have experienced panic and pitfall,^(AT)
devastation and destruction.

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48}

My eyes flow with streams of tears
because of the destruction of my dear people.

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49} ע Ayin

My eyes overflow unceasingly,
without end,^(AU)

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50}

until the Lord looks down
from heaven and sees.^(AV)

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51}

My eyes bring me grief
because of the fate of all the women in my city.

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52} צ Tsade

For no apparent reason, my enemies^(j)
hunted me like a bird.^(AW)

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53}

They dropped me alive into^(k) a pit^(AX)
and threw stones at me.

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54}

Water flooded over my head,^(AY)
and I thought: I’m going to die!^(AZ)

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55} ק Qof

I called on Your name, Yahweh,
from the depths of the Pit.^(BA)

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56}

You hear my plea:
Do not ignore my cry for relief.

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57}

You come near when I call on You;
You say: “Do not be afraid.”

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58} ר Resh

You defend my cause, Lord;^(BB)
You redeem my life.^(BC)

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59}

Lord, You see the wrong done to me;
judge my case.

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60}

You see all their malice,
all their plots against me.^(BD)

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61} שׂ Sin/ שׁ Shin

Lord, You hear their insults,^(BE)
all their plots against me.

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62}

The slander^(l) and murmuring of my opponents
attack me all day long.

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63}

When they sit and when they rise, look,
I am mocked by their songs.^(BF)

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64} ת Tav

You will pay them back what they deserve, Lord,
according to the work of their hands.^(BG)

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65}

You will give them a heart filled with anguish.^(m)^(BH)
May Your curse be on them!

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66}

You will pursue them in anger and destroy them
under Your heavens.⁽ⁿ⁾^(o)^(BI)

Footnotes:

a. Lamentations 3:10: Lit is to me

b. Lamentations 3:14: Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg; other Hb mss, Syr read all peoples

c. Lamentations 3:16: Or and trampled me

d. Lamentations 3:17: Syr, Vg; MT reads You deprived my soul

e. Lamentations 3:18: Or splendor

f. Lamentations 3:19: Or I remember

g. Lamentations 3:20: Ancient Jewish tradition reads and You cause me to collapse

h. Lamentations 3:22: One Hb mss, Syr, Tg read The Lord’s faithful love, indeed, does not perish

i. Lamentations 3:34: Or earth

j. Lamentations 3:52: Or Those who were my enemies for no reason

k. Lamentations 3:53: Or They ended my life in; Hb obscure

l. Lamentations 3:62: Lit lips

m. Lamentations 3:65: Or them an obstinate heart; Hb obscure

n. Lamentations 3:66: LXX, Syr, Vg read heavens, Lord

o. Lamentations 3:66: Lit under the Lord’s heavens

Cross references:

A. Lamentations 3:2: Job 12:25; Amos 5:18; Amos 5:20

B. Lamentations 3:4: Job 13:28; Psalm 32:3; Psalm 38:3; Psalm 49:14

C. Lamentations 3:4: Psalm 51:8; Isaiah 38:13

D. Lamentations 3:5: Job 19:8; Job 19:12

E. Lamentations 3:5: Lamentations 3:19

F. Lamentations 3:6: Job 10:20-22; Psalm 88:6; Psalm 143:3

G. Lamentations 3:7: Job 19:8

H. Lamentations 3:8: Job 30:20; Psalm 22:2; Isaiah 59:2

I. Lamentations 3:9: Job 13:27; Job 23:12; Isaiah 63:17

J. Lamentations 3:9: Job 19:8; Psalm 23:3; Proverbs 2:15; Proverbs 3:6; Proverbs 3:17; Proverbs 4:11

K. Lamentations 3:10: Hosea 13:7-8

L. Lamentations 3:12: Psalm 7:12

M. Lamentations 3:13: Job 16:13; Proverbs 7:23

N. Lamentations 3:14: Job 12:4; Jeremiah 20:7

O. Lamentations 3:14: Job 30:9; Psalm 69:12

P. Lamentations 3:15: Jeremiah 9:15; Jeremiah 23:15

Q. Lamentations 3:16: Psalm 3:7; Psalm 58:6; Proverbs 20:17

R. Lamentations 3:17: Psalm 88:15

S. Lamentations 3:19: Isaiah 58:7

T. Lamentations 3:19: Deuteronomy 29:18; Jeremiah 9:15; Jeremiah 23:15

U. Lamentations 3:20: Psalm 42:5-6; Psalm 42:11; Psalm 43:5; Psalm 44:25

V. Lamentations 3:21: Job 13:15; Psalm 33:22; Psalm 71:14; Psalm 130:5

W. Lamentations 3:22: Psalm 89:1; Psalm 103:17; Isaiah 63:7

X. Lamentations 3:23: Psalm 36:5; Psalm 89:1-8; Psalm 100:5

Y. Lamentations 3:24: Numbers 18:20; Psalm 73:26; Psalm 142:5; Jeremiah 10:16

Z. Lamentations 3:25: Psalm 25:3; Isaiah 40:31; Isaiah 49:23

AA. Lamentations 3:26: Psalm 37:7; Psalm 130:5; Psalm 130:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:10; 2 Peter 3:14

AB. Lamentations 3:26: Psalm 37:39; Psalm 119:81; Isaiah 46:13

AC. Lamentations 3:27: Jeremiah 27:11

AD. Lamentations 3:28: Jeremiah 15:17

AE. Lamentations 3:29: Numbers 22:31; Joshua 7:6

AF. Lamentations 3:30: Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 5:39; Luke 6:29

AG. Lamentations 3:32: Psalm 106:43-45; Acts 14:22; 2 Corinthians 4:17; Hebrews 12:6

AH. Lamentations 3:33: Hebrews 12:10-11

AI. Lamentations 3:35: Exodus 23:6; Deuteronomy 16:19; Deuteronomy 24:17; Malachi 3:5

AJ. Lamentations 3:36: Exodus 23:2-3

AK. Lamentations 3:37: Psalm 33:9-11

AL. Lamentations 3:38: Genesis 50:20; Job 2:10; Psalm 78:49; Isaiah 45:7; Jeremiah 1:14; Jeremiah 32:42; Amos 3:6

AM. Lamentations 3:40: Psalm 119:5; Psalm 139:23-24

AN. Lamentations 3:41: Psalm 25:1

AO. Lamentations 3:42: Deuteronomy 29:20; Jeremiah 5:7

AP. Lamentations 3:43: Ezekiel 7:8-9; Ezekiel 8:18

AQ. Lamentations 3:44: Lamentations 3:8

AR. Lamentations 3:45: 1 Corinthians 4:13

AS. Lamentations 3:46: Lamentations 2:16

AT. Lamentations 3:47: Isaiah 24:17; Jeremiah 48:43

AU. Lamentations 3:48: Jeremiah 9:1; Jeremiah 9:18; Jeremiah 2:11

AV. Lamentations 3:50: Psalm 14:2; Psalm 102:19

AW. Lamentations 3:52: Psalm 35:7

AX. Lamentations 3:53: Genesis 37:20-29; Jeremiah 38:6-13

AY. Lamentations 3:54: Psalm 42:7; Psalm 69:1-2; Jonah 2:3; Jonah 2:5

AZ. Lamentations 3:54: Ezekiel 37:11

BA. Lamentations 3:55: Psalm 88:6; Jonah 2:6

BB. Lamentations 3:58: Psalm 43:1; Proverbs 23:11; Jeremiah 50:34

BC. Lamentations 3:58: Psalm 103:4; Psalm 119:154

BD. Lamentations 3:60: Jeremiah 11:19

BE. Lamentations 3:61: Lamentations 5:1

BF. Lamentations 3:63: Job 30:9; Psalm 69:12

BG. Lamentations 3:64: Psalm 28:4; Romans 2:6

BH. Lamentations 3:65: Isaiah 6:10

BI. Lamentations 3:66: Psalm 8:3