Lamentations 3
3
There Is Still Hope
The Prophet Speaks:
1I have suffered much
because God was angry.
2He chased me into a dark place,
where no light could enter.
3I am the only one he punishes
over and over again,
without ever stopping.
4God caused my skin and flesh
to waste away,
and he crushed my bones.
5He attacked and surrounded me
with hardships and trouble;
6he forced me to sit in the dark
like someone long dead.
7God built a fence around me
that I cannot climb over,
and he chained me down.
8Even when I shouted
and prayed for help,
he refused to listen.
9God put big rocks in my way
and made me follow
a crooked path.
10God was like a bear or a lion
waiting in ambush for me;
11he dragged me from the road,
then tore me to shreds.#3.11 shreds: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 11.
12God took careful aim
and shot his arrows
13straight through my heart.
14I am a joke to everyone—
no one ever stops
making fun of me.
15God has turned my life sour.
16He made me eat gravel
and rubbed me in the dirt.
17I cannot find peace
or remember happiness.
18I tell myself, “I am finished!
I can't count on the Lord
to do anything for me.”
19Just thinking of my troubles
and my lonely wandering
makes me miserable.
20That's all I ever think about,
and I am depressed.#3.20 I am depressed: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
21Then I remember something
that fills me with hope.
22The Lord's kindness never fails!
If he had not been merciful,
we would have been destroyed.#3.22 destroyed: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 22.
23The Lord can always be trusted
to show mercy each morning.
24Deep in my heart I say,
“The Lord is all I need;
I can depend on him!”
25The Lord is kind to everyone
who trusts and obeys him.
26It is good to wait patiently
for the Lord to save us.
27When we are young,
it is good to struggle hard
28and to sit silently alone,
if this is what
the Lord intends.
29Being rubbed in the dirt
can teach us a lesson;#3.29 lesson: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 29.
30we can also learn from insults
and hard knocks.
31The Lord won't always reject us!
32He causes a lot of suffering,
but he also has pity
because of his great love.
33The Lord doesn't enjoy
sending grief or pain.
34Don't trample prisoners
under your feet
35or cheat anyone out of
what is rightfully theirs.
God Most High sees everything,
36and he knows when you refuse
to give someone a fair trial.
37No one can do anything
without the Lord's approval.
38Good and bad each happen
at the command
of God Most High.
39We're still alive!
We shouldn't complain
when we are being punished
for our sins.
40Instead, we should think
about the way we are living,
and turn back to the Lord.
41When we lift our hands
in prayer to God in heaven,
we should offer him our hearts
and say, 42“We've sinned!
We've rebelled against you,
and you haven't forgiven us!
43Anger is written all over you,
as you pursue and slaughter us
without showing pity.
44You are behind a wall of clouds
that blocks out our prayers.
45You allowed nations
to treat us like garbage;
46our enemies curse us.
47We are terrified and trapped,
caught and crushed.”
48My people are destroyed!
Tears flood my eyes,
49and they won't stop
50until the Lord looks down
from heaven and helps.
51I am horrified when I see
what enemies have done
to the young women of our city.
52No one had reason to hate me,
but I was hunted down
like a bird.
53Then they tried to kill me
by tossing me into a pit
and throwing stones at me.
54Water covered my head—
I thought I was gone.
55From the bottom of the pit,
I prayed to you, Lord.
56I begged you to listen.
“Help!” I shouted. “Save me!”
You answered my prayer
57and came when I was in need.
You told me, “Don't worry!”
58You rescued me
and saved my life.
59You saw them abuse me, Lord,
so make things right.
60You know every plot
they have made against me.
61Yes, you know their insults
and their evil plans.
62All day long they attack
with words and whispers.
63No matter what they are doing,
they keep on mocking me.
64Pay them back for everything
they have done, Lord!
65Put your curse on them
and make them suffer.#3.65 make them suffer: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
66Get angry and go after them
until not a trace is left
under the heavens.
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Lamentations 3: CEVDCI
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Lamentations 3
3
Israel’s Affliction
1I am a man who has seen misery,
under the rod of his wrath.
2He has driven me along, he brought
darkness and not light.
3Surely he has turned his hand against me,
all day long.
4He has worn out my flesh and skin,
he has broken my bones.
5He has besieged#Literally “he has built against” and engulfed me
with bitterness and hardship.
6In darkness he has let me dwell
like the dead of long ago.
7He has built a wall around me, I cannot go out;
he has made my bronze fetters heavy.
8Though I cry out for help,
he shuts out my prayers.
9He has blocked my ways with dressed stones;
he has made my paths crooked.
10To me he is like a bear lying in wait,
a lion in hiding.
11He has forsaken my way and torn me to pieces;
he has caused me desolation.
12He has bent his bow and set me
as the target for the arrow.
13He shot the arrows of his quiver#Literally “the offspring of his arrow quiver”
into my kidneys.
14I have become a laughingstock for all the people,
their mocking song all day long.
15He has filled me with bitterness,
he has drenched me with wormwood.
16He has broken my teeth on grit,
he has trampled me down in ash.
17My life has been removed from peace,
I have forgotten goodness.
18And I have said, “My glory is ruined,
my expectation from Yahweh.”
19Remember my misery and bitterness,
the wormwood#Or “the bitter substance” and venom!
20Surely my soul remembers
and bows down within me.
21This I have reminded myself,#Literally “I have brought back to my heart”
therefore I will hope.
22The loyal love of Yahweh does not cease;
his compassions do not come to an end.
23They are new in the morning,
great is your faithfulness.
24“Yahweh is my portion,”
says my soul,
“Thus I will hope on him.”
25Yahweh is good to those who wait on him,
to the person that seeks him.
26It is good to wait in silence
for the salvation of Yahweh.
27It is good for a man who carries
the yoke of his childhood.
28Let him sit alone and be silent
when he#Yahweh has laid it on him.
29Let him put#Literally “him give” his mouth in the dust;
perhaps there is hope.
30Let him give a cheek to his smiter,
let him be filled with disgrace.
31For the Lord will not reject
forever.
32For even though he causes grief he has compassion
according to the greatness of his royal love.
33He does not afflict willingly,#Literally “afflict from the heart”
or grieve anyone.#Literally “the sons of men”
34To crush under his feet
all the prisoners of the earth;
35to deprive one of justice#Literally “to turn aside the judgment of a man”
before the face of the Most High;
36to subvert a person in a legal dispute
—the Lord has not found delight in these things.
37Who can speak#Literally “Who is this that speaks” and it will happen
if the Lord has not commanded it?
38Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that disaster and good will come?
39Why should any living person complain
about his sin?
40Let us test and examine our ways;
let us return to Yahweh.
41Let us lift up our hearts with our hands
to God in the heavens.
42We ourselves have transgressed and rebelled,
you have not forgiven.
43You have covered yourself in anger#Literally “in the nose” and pursued us,
you have slain and not shown mercy.
44You have covered yourself in a cloud
so that prayer cannot pass through.#Literally “from a passing prayer”
45You have made us scum and refuse
in the midst of the nations.
46All our enemies
have opened their mouth against us.
47Fear and a pit have come upon us,
desolation and destruction.
48Channels of water run down my eyes
because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49My eyes have poured down unceasingly
without respite,
50until Yahweh looks down
and sees from heaven.
51My eyes inflict my soul
because of all the daughters of my city.
52My enemies hunt me without cause,
like a bird.
53They have silenced me in a pit,#Literally “they have put to silence my life in a pit”
they have thrown a stone at me.
54Water has flown over my head,
I said, “I am cut off.”
55I have called your name, O Yahweh,
from the depths of the pit.
56You have heard my cry, “Do not shut your ear
to my cry for help, for my relief!”
57You came near on a day when I called you,
you said, “Do not fear!”
58O Lord, you have pleaded for my cause,#Literally “the legal disputes of my soul”
you have redeemed my life.
59You have seen my injustice, O Yahweh;
judge my case.
60You have seen all their vengeance,
all there plans against me.
61You have heard their disgrace, O Yahweh,
all their plans against me.
62The lips and meditation of my assailants
are against me all day long.
63Look at their sitting and their standing,
I am their mocking song.
64Return to them what is deserved, O Yahweh,
according to the work of their hands.
65Give them a stubborn heart;
curse them!
66Pursue them in anger#Literally “in nose” and destroy them
from under the heavens of Yahweh.
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