Lamentations 3

1I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.● 2He hath led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light.● 3Surely against me he turneth his hand again and again all the day.● 4My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.● 5He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.● 6He hath made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.● 7He hath walled me about, that I cannot go forth; he hath made my chain heavy.● 8Yea, when I cry, and call for help, he shutteth out my prayer.● 9He hath walled up my ways with hewn stone; he hath made my paths crooked.● 10He is unto me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places.● 11He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he hath made me desolate.● 12He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.● 13He hath caused the shafts of his quiver to enter into my reins.● 14I am become a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.● 15He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath sated me with wormwood.● 16He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones; he hath covered me with ashes.● 17And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace; I forgat prosperity.● 18And I said, My strength is perished, and mine expectation from Jehovah.● 19Remember mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.● 20My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is bowed down within me.● 21This I recall to my mind; therefore have I hope.● 22`It is of' Jehovah's lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.● 23They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.● 24Jehovah is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.● 25Jehovah is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.● 26It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Jehovah.● 27It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.● 28Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he hath laid it upon him.● 29Let him put his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope.● 30Let him give his cheek to him that smiteth him; let him be filled full with reproach.● 31For the Lord will not cast off for ever.● 32For though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.● 33For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.● 34To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,● 35To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High,● 36To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.● 37Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?● 38Out of the mouth of the Most High cometh there not evil and good?● 39Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?● 40Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Jehovah.● 41Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.● 42We have transgressed and have rebelled; thou hast not pardoned.● 43Thou hast covered with anger and pursued us; thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.● 44Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.● 45Thou hast made us an off-scouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples.● 46All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.● 47Fear and the pit are come upon us, devastation and destruction.● 48Mine eye runneth down with streams of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.● 49Mine eye poureth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,● 50Till Jehovah look down, and behold from heaven.● 51Mine eye affecteth my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.● 52They have chased me sore like a bird, they that are mine enemies without cause.● 53They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone upon me.● 54Waters flowed over my head; I said, I am cut off.● 55I called upon thy name, O Jehovah, out of the lowest dungeon.● 56Thou heardest my voice; hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.● 57Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee; thou saidst, Fear not.● 58O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.● 59O Jehovah, thou hast seen my wrong; judge thou my cause.● 60Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their devices against me.● 61Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, and all their devices against me,● 62The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.● 63Behold thou their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their song.● 64Thou wilt render unto them a recompense, O Jehovah, according to the work of their hands.● 65Thou wilt give them hardness of heart, thy curse unto them.● 66Thou wilt pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Jehovah.●