Thou didst say, Woe is me now! for the Lord hath added grief to my sorrow; I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.

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You said, ‘Woe(A) to me! The Lord has added sorrow(B) to my pain;(C) I am worn out with groaning(D) and find no rest.’(E)

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And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

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Let us not become weary in doing good,(A) for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.(B)

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16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

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16 Therefore we do not lose heart.(A) Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly(B) we are being renewed(C) day by day.

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Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

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Present Weakness and Resurrection Life

Therefore, since through God’s mercy(A) we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.(B)

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For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

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Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary(A) and lose heart.

God Disciplines His Children

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.(B) And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
    and do not lose heart(C) when he rebukes you,

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13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

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13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.(A)

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32 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

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32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
    so great is his unfailing love.(A)

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I Am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.

Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.

My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.

He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.

He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.

He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.

Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.

He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.

10 He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.

11 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.

12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

13 He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.

14 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.

15 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.

16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.

17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.

18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord:

19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

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[a]I am the man who has seen affliction(A)
    by the rod of the Lord’s wrath.(B)
He has driven me away and made me walk
    in darkness(C) rather than light;
indeed, he has turned his hand against me(D)
    again and again, all day long.

He has made my skin and my flesh grow old(E)
    and has broken my bones.(F)
He has besieged me and surrounded me
    with bitterness(G) and hardship.(H)
He has made me dwell in darkness
    like those long dead.(I)

He has walled me in so I cannot escape;(J)
    he has weighed me down with chains.(K)
Even when I call out or cry for help,(L)
    he shuts out my prayer.(M)
He has barred(N) my way with blocks of stone;
    he has made my paths crooked.(O)

10 Like a bear lying in wait,
    like a lion(P) in hiding,(Q)
11 he dragged me from the path and mangled(R) me
    and left me without help.
12 He drew his bow(S)
    and made me the target(T) for his arrows.(U)

13 He pierced(V) my heart
    with arrows from his quiver.(W)
14 I became the laughingstock(X) of all my people;(Y)
    they mock me in song(Z) all day long.
15 He has filled me with bitter herbs
    and given me gall to drink.(AA)

16 He has broken my teeth with gravel;(AB)
    he has trampled me in the dust.(AC)
17 I have been deprived of peace;
    I have forgotten what prosperity is.
18 So I say, “My splendor is gone
    and all that I had hoped from the Lord.”(AD)

19 I remember my affliction and my wandering,
    the bitterness(AE) and the gall.(AF)

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Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 3:1 This chapter is an acrostic poem; the verses of each stanza begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and the verses within each stanza begin with the same letter.

22 Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.

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22 “Let all their wickedness come before you;
    deal with them
as you have dealt with me
    because of all my sins.(A)
My groans(B) are many
    and my heart is faint.”

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13 From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.

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13 “From on high he sent fire,
    sent it down into my bones.(A)
He spread a net(B) for my feet
    and turned me back.
He made me desolate,(C)
    faint(D) all the day long.

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O Lord, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived; thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.

For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.

Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

10 For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.

11 But the Lord is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.

12 But, O Lord of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause.

13 Sing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord: for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers.

14 Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.

15 Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.

16 And let that man be as the cities which the Lord overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;

17 Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.

18 Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?

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Jeremiah’s Complaint

You deceived[a](A) me, Lord, and I was deceived[b];
    you overpowered(B) me and prevailed.
I am ridiculed(C) all day long;
    everyone mocks(D) me.
Whenever I speak, I cry out
    proclaiming violence and destruction.(E)
So the word of the Lord has brought me
    insult and reproach(F) all day long.
But if I say, “I will not mention his word
    or speak anymore in his name,”(G)
his word is in my heart like a fire,(H)
    a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;(I)
    indeed, I cannot.
10 I hear many whispering,
    “Terror(J) on every side!
    Denounce(K) him! Let’s denounce him!”
All my friends(L)
    are waiting for me to slip,(M) saying,
“Perhaps he will be deceived;
    then we will prevail(N) over him
    and take our revenge(O) on him.”

11 But the Lord(P) is with me like a mighty warrior;
    so my persecutors(Q) will stumble and not prevail.(R)
They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;(S)
    their dishonor will never be forgotten.
12 Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous
    and probe the heart and mind,(T)
let me see your vengeance(U) on them,
    for to you I have committed(V) my cause.

13 Sing(W) to the Lord!
    Give praise to the Lord!
He rescues(X) the life of the needy
    from the hands of the wicked.(Y)

14 Cursed be the day I was born!(Z)
    May the day my mother bore me not be blessed!
15 Cursed be the man who brought my father the news,
    who made him very glad, saying,
    “A child is born to you—a son!”
16 May that man be like the towns(AA)
    the Lord overthrew without pity.
May he hear wailing(AB) in the morning,
    a battle cry at noon.
17 For he did not kill me in the womb,(AC)
    with my mother as my grave,
    her womb enlarged forever.
18 Why did I ever come out of the womb(AD)
    to see trouble(AE) and sorrow
    and to end my days in shame?(AF)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 20:7 Or persuaded
  2. Jeremiah 20:7 Or persuaded

10 Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me.

11 The Lord said, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction.

12 Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel?

13 Thy substance and thy treasures will I give to the spoil without price, and that for all thy sins, even in all thy borders.

14 And I will make thee to pass with thine enemies into a land which thou knowest not: for a fire is kindled in mine anger, which shall burn upon you.

15 O Lord, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.

16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.

17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.

18 Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?

19 Therefore thus saith the Lord, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.

20 And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the Lord.

21 And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.

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10 Alas, my mother, that you gave me birth,(A)
    a man with whom the whole land strives and contends!(B)
I have neither lent(C) nor borrowed,
    yet everyone curses(D) me.

11 The Lord said,

“Surely I will deliver you(E) for a good purpose;
    surely I will make your enemies plead(F) with you
    in times of disaster and times of distress.

12 “Can a man break iron—
    iron from the north(G)—or bronze?

13 “Your wealth(H) and your treasures
    I will give as plunder,(I) without charge,(J)
because of all your sins
    throughout your country.(K)
14 I will enslave you to your enemies
    in[a] a land you do not know,(L)
for my anger will kindle a fire(M)
    that will burn against you.”

15 Lord, you understand;
    remember me and care for me.
    Avenge me on my persecutors.(N)
You are long-suffering(O)—do not take me away;
    think of how I suffer reproach for your sake.(P)
16 When your words came, I ate(Q) them;
    they were my joy and my heart’s delight,(R)
for I bear your name,(S)
    Lord God Almighty.
17 I never sat(T) in the company of revelers,
    never made merry with them;
I sat alone because your hand(U) was on me
    and you had filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain unending
    and my wound grievous and incurable?(V)
You are to me like a deceptive brook,
    like a spring that fails.(W)

19 Therefore this is what the Lord says:

“If you repent, I will restore you
    that you may serve(X) me;
if you utter worthy, not worthless, words,
    you will be my spokesman.(Y)
Let this people turn to you,
    but you must not turn to them.
20 I will make you a wall(Z) to this people,
    a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you
    but will not overcome(AA) you,
for I am with you
    to rescue and save you,”(AB)
declares the Lord.
21 “I will save(AC) you from the hands of the wicked(AD)
    and deliver(AE) you from the grasp of the cruel.”(AF)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 15:14 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac (see also 17:4); most Hebrew manuscripts I will cause your enemies to bring you / into

Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

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[a]Oh, that my head were a spring of water
    and my eyes a fountain of tears!(A)
I would weep(B) day and night
    for the slain of my people.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 9:1 In Hebrew texts 9:1 is numbered 8:23, and 9:2-26 is numbered 9:1-25.