Lamentations 3:1-18

Common English Bible

⁴ He wore out my flesh and my skin; he broke my bones.
⁵ He besieged me, surrounding me with bitterness and weariness.
⁶ He made me live in dark places like those who’ve been dead a long time.

⁷ He walled me in so I couldn’t escape; he made my chains heavy.
⁸ Even though I call out and cry for help, he silences my prayer.
⁹ He walled in my paths with stonework; he made my routes crooked.

¹⁰ He is a bear lurking for me, a lion in hiding.
¹¹ He took me from my path^[c] and tore me apart; he made me desolate.
¹² He drew back his bow, made me a shooting target for arrows.

¹³ He shot the arrows of his quiver into my inside parts.
¹⁴ I have become a joke to all my people, the object of their song of ridicule all day long.
¹⁵ He saturated me with grief, made me choke on bitterness.

¹⁶ He crushed my teeth into the gravel; he pressed me down into the ashes.
¹⁷ I’ve^[d] rejected peace; I’ve forgotten what is good.
¹⁸ I thought: My future is gone, as well as my hope from the Lord.