Lamentations 3:10-18 - Compare All Versions
Lamentations 3:10-18 MSG (The Message)
He’s a prowling bear tracking me down, a lion in hiding ready to pounce. He knocked me from the path and ripped me to pieces. When he finished, there was nothing left of me. He took out his bow and arrows and used me for target practice. He shot me in the stomach with arrows from his quiver. Everyone took me for a joke, made me the butt of their mocking ballads. He forced rotten, stinking food down my throat, bloated me with vile drinks. He ground my face into the gravel. He pounded me into the mud. I gave up on life altogether. I’ve forgotten what the good life is like. I said to myself, “This is it. I’m finished. GOD is a lost cause.”
Lamentations 3:10-18 KJV (King James Version)
He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, And as a lion in secret places. He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: He hath made me desolate. He hath bent his bow, and set me As a mark for the arrow. He hath caused the arrows of his quiver To enter into my reins. I was a derision to all my people; And their song all the day. He hath filled me with bitterness, He hath made me drunken with wormwood. He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, He hath covered me with ashes. And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity. And I said, My strength and my hope Is perished from the LORD
Lamentations 3:10-18 NASB1995 (New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995)
He is to me like a bear lying in wait, Like a lion in secret places. He has turned aside my ways and torn me to pieces; He has made me desolate. He bent His bow And set me as a target for the arrow. He made the arrows of His quiver To enter into my inward parts. I have become a laughingstock to all my people, Their mocking song all the day. He has filled me with bitterness, He has made me drunk with wormwood. He has broken my teeth with gravel; He has made me cower in the dust. My soul has been rejected from peace; I have forgotten happiness. So I say, “My strength has perished, And so has my hope from the LORD.”
Lamentations 3:10-18 NCV (New Century Version)
He is like a bear ready to attack me, like a lion in hiding. He led me the wrong way and let me stray and left me without help. He prepared to shoot his bow and made me the target for his arrows. He shot me in the kidneys with the arrows from his bag. I was a joke to all my people, who make fun of me with songs all day long. The LORD filled me with misery; he made me drunk with suffering. He broke my teeth with gravel and trampled me into the dirt. I have no more peace. I have forgotten what happiness is. I said, “My strength is gone, and I have no hope in the LORD.”
Lamentations 3:10-18 ASV (American Standard Version)
He is unto me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places. He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he hath made me desolate. He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow. He hath caused the shafts of his quiver to enter into my reins. I am become a derision to all my people, and their song all the day. He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath sated me with wormwood. He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones; he hath covered me with ashes. And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace; I forgat prosperity. And I said, My strength is perished, and mine expectation from Jehovah.
Lamentations 3:10-18 NIV (New International Version)
Like a bear lying in wait, like a lion in hiding, he dragged me from the path and mangled me and left me without help. He drew his bow and made me the target for his arrows. He pierced my heart with arrows from his quiver. I became the laughingstock of all my people; they mock me in song all day long. He has filled me with bitter herbs and given me gall to drink. He has broken my teeth with gravel; he has trampled me in the dust. I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is. So I say, “My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the LORD.”
Lamentations 3:10-18 NKJV (New King James Version)
He has been to me a bear lying in wait, Like a lion in ambush. He has turned aside my ways and torn me in pieces; He has made me desolate. He has bent His bow And set me up as a target for the arrow. He has caused the arrows of His quiver To pierce my loins. I have become the ridicule of all my people— Their taunting song all the day. He has filled me with bitterness, He has made me drink wormwood. He has also broken my teeth with gravel, And covered me with ashes. You have moved my soul far from peace; I have forgotten prosperity. And I said, “My strength and my hope Have perished from the LORD.”
Lamentations 3:10-18 AMP (Amplified Bible)
He is to me like a bear lying in wait, And like a lion [hiding] in secret places. He has turned aside my ways and torn me in pieces; He has made me desolate. He has bent His bow And set me as a target for the arrow. He has caused the arrows of His quiver To enter my inner parts. I have become the [object of] ridicule to all my people, And [the subject of] their mocking song all the day. He has filled me with bitterness; He has made me drunk with wormwood (bitterness). He has broken my teeth with gravel; He has [covered me with ashes and] made me cower in the dust. My soul has been cast far away from peace; I have forgotten happiness. So I say, “My strength has perished And so has my hope and expectation from the LORD.”
Lamentations 3:10-18 NLT (New Living Translation)
He has hidden like a bear or a lion, waiting to attack me. He has dragged me off the path and torn me in pieces, leaving me helpless and devastated. He has drawn his bow and made me the target for his arrows. He shot his arrows deep into my heart. My own people laugh at me. All day long they sing their mocking songs. He has filled me with bitterness and given me a bitter cup of sorrow to drink. He has made me chew on gravel. He has rolled me in the dust. Peace has been stripped away, and I have forgotten what prosperity is. I cry out, “My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the LORD is lost!”
Lamentations 3:10-18 TPT (The Passion Translation)
He has become to me like a bear ready to pounce or a lion lying in wait. He dragged me away, tore me to pieces, and then left me stunned and helpless. He has drawn back his bowstring and used me as a target for his arrows. He shot his arrows deep into my heart, sons from his quiver. Everyone has made me an object of ridicule; they mock me all day long with their songs. He has given me my fill of bitterness and made me drunk with wormwood. He has ground my teeth with gravel and crushed me down to the dust. You have snatched peace from my soul; I have entirely forgotten your goodness. I thought to myself, “My endurance has evaporated; YAHWEH has stamped out my hope for the future.”
Lamentations 3:10-18 ESV (English Standard Version 2025)
He is a bear lying in wait for me, a lion in hiding; he turned aside my steps and tore me to pieces; he has made me desolate; he bent his bow and set me as a target for his arrow. He drove into my kidneys the arrows of his quiver; I have become the laughingstock of all my people, the object of their taunts all day long. He has filled me with bitterness; he has sated me with wormwood. He has made my teeth grind on gravel, and made me cower in ashes; my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, “My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the LORD.”