Lamentations 3:1-33

New International Reader's Version

3 I am a man who has suffered greatly.
    The Lord has used the Babylonians
    to punish my people.
² He has driven me away. He has made me walk
    in darkness instead of light.
³ He has turned his powerful hand against me.
    He has done it again and again, all day long.

⁴ He has worn out my body.
    He has broken my bones.
⁵ He has surrounded me and attacked me.
    He has made me suffer bitterly.
    He has made things hard for me.
⁶ He has made me live in darkness
    like those who are dead and gone.

⁷ He has built walls around me, so I can’t escape.
    He has put heavy chains on me.
⁸ I call out and cry for help.
    But he won’t listen to me when I pray.
⁹ He has put up a stone wall to block my way.
    He has made my paths crooked.

¹⁰ He has been like a bear waiting to attack me.
    He has been like a lion hiding in the bushes.
¹¹ He has dragged me off the path.
    He has torn me to pieces.
    And he has left me helpless.
¹² He has gotten his bow ready to use.
    He has shot his arrows at me.

¹³ The arrows from his bag
    have gone through my heart.
¹⁴ My people laugh at me all the time.
    They sing and make fun of me all day long.
¹⁵ The Lord has made my life bitter.
    He has made me suffer bitterly.

¹⁶ He made me chew stones that broke my teeth.
    He has walked all over me in the dust.
¹⁷ I have lost all hope of ever having any peace.
    I’ve forgotten what good times are like.
¹⁸ So I say, “My glory has faded away.
    My hope in the Lord is gone.”

¹⁹ I remember how I suffered and wandered.
    I remember how bitter my life was.
²⁰ I remember it very well.
    My spirit is very sad deep down inside me.
²¹ But here is something else I remember.
    And it gives me hope.

²² The Lord loves us very much.
    So we haven’t been completely destroyed.
    His loving concern never fails.
²³ His great love is new every morning.
    Lord, how faithful you are!
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is everything I will ever need.
    So I will put my hope in him.”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those who put their hope in him.
    He is good to those who look to him.
²⁶ It is good when people wait quietly
    for the Lord to save them.
²⁷ It is good for a man to carry a heavy load of suffering
    while he is young.

²⁸ Let him sit alone and not say anything.
    The Lord has placed that load on him.
²⁹ Let him bury his face in the dust.
    There might still be hope for him.
³⁰ Let him turn his cheek toward those who would slap him.
    Let him be filled with shame.

³¹ The Lord doesn’t turn his back
    on people forever.
³² He might bring suffering.
    But he will also show loving concern.
    How great his faithful love is!
³³ He doesn’t want to bring pain
    or suffering to anyone.