Lamentations 3:19-66
Christian Standard Bible
ז Zayin
19 Remember[a] my affliction and my homelessness,(A)
the wormwood and the poison.(B)
20 I continually remember them
and have become depressed.[b](C)
21 Yet I call this to mind,
and therefore I have hope:(D)
ח Cheth
22 Because of the Lord’s faithful love(E)
we do not perish,[c]
for his mercies never end.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness!(F)
24 I say, “The Lord is my portion,(G)
therefore I will put my hope in him.”
ט Teth
25 The Lord is good to those who wait(H) for him,
to the person who seeks him.
26 It is good to wait quietly(I)
for salvation from the Lord.(J)
27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke(K)
while he is still young.
י Yod
28 Let him sit alone and be silent,(L)
for God has disciplined[d] him.
29 Let him put his mouth in the dust(M)—
perhaps there is still hope.
30 Let him offer his cheek
to the one who would strike him;(N)
let him be filled with disgrace.
כ Kaph
31 For the Lord
will not reject us forever.
32 Even if he causes suffering,
he will show compassion
according to the abundance of his faithful love.(O)
33 For he does not enjoy bringing affliction(P)
or suffering on mankind.
ל Lamed
34 Crushing all the prisoners of the land[e]
beneath one’s feet,
35 denying justice to a man(Q)
in the presence of the Most High,
36 or subverting a person in his lawsuit(R)—
the Lord does not approve of these things.
מ Mem
37 Who is there who speaks and it happens,
unless the Lord has ordained it?(S)
38 Do not both adversity and good
come from the mouth of the Most High?(T)
39 Why should any living person complain,
any man, because of the punishment for his sins?
נ Nun
40 Let’s examine and probe our ways,
and turn back to the Lord.(U)
41 Let’s lift up our hearts and our hands(V)
to God in heaven:
42 “We have sinned and rebelled;
you have not forgiven.(W)
ס Samek
43 “You have covered yourself in anger and pursued us;
you have killed without compassion.(X)
44 You have covered yourself with a cloud
so that no prayer can get through.(Y)
45 You have made us disgusting filth
among the peoples.(Z)
פ Pe
46 “All our enemies
open their mouths against us.(AA)
47 We have experienced panic and pitfall,(AB)
devastation and destruction.”
48 My eyes flow with streams of tears
because of the destruction of my dear people.
ע Ayin
49 My eyes overflow unceasingly,
without end,(AC)
50 until the Lord looks down
from heaven and sees.(AD)
51 My eyes bring me grief
because of the fate of all the women in my city.
צ Tsade
52 For no reason, my enemies[f]
hunted me like a bird.(AE)
53 They smothered my life in[g] a pit(AF)
and threw stones on me.
54 Water flooded over my head,(AG)
and I thought, “I’m going to die!” (AH)
ק Qoph
55 I called on your name, Lord,
from the depths of the pit.
56 You heard my plea:
Do not ignore my cry for relief.
57 You came near whenever I called you;
you said, “Do not be afraid.”
ר Resh
58 You championed my cause, Lord;(AI)
you redeemed my life.(AJ)
59 Lord, you saw the wrong done to me;
judge my case.
60 You saw all their vengefulness,
all their plots against me.(AK)
שׂ Sin / שׁ Shin
61 Lord, you heard their insults,(AL)
all their plots against me.
62 The slander[h] and murmuring of my opponents
attack me all day long.
63 When they sit and when they rise, look,
I am mocked by their songs.(AM)
ת Taw
64 You will pay them back what they deserve, Lord,
according to the work of their hands.(AN)
65 You will give them a heart filled with anguish.[i](AO)
May your curse be on them!
66 You will pursue them in anger and destroy them
under your heavens.[j](AP)
Footnotes
- 3:19 Or I remember
- 3:20 Alt Hb tradition reads and you cause me to collapse
- 3:22 One Hb mss, Syr, Tg read The Lord’s faithful love, indeed, does not perish
- 3:28 Lit has laid a burden on
- 3:34 Or earth
- 3:52 Or Those who were my enemies for no reason
- 3:53 Or They ended my life in; Hb obscure
- 3:62 Lit lips
- 3:65 Or them an obstinate heart; Hb obscure
- 3:66 Lit under the Lord’s heavens
Lamentations 3:19-66
New American Standard Bible
Hope of Relief in God’s Mercy
19 Remember my misery and my homelessness, the (A)wormwood and [a]bitterness.
20 (B)My soul certainly remembers,
And [b]is (C)bent over within me.
21 I recall this to my mind,
Therefore I [c](D)wait.
22 [d]The Lord’s (E)acts of mercy indeed do not end,
(F)For His compassions do not fail.
23 They are new (G)every morning;
Great is (H)Your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my (I)portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I [e](J)wait for Him.”
25 The Lord is good to those who [f](K)await Him,
To the [g]person who (L)seeks Him.
26 It is good that he (M)waits silently
For the salvation of the Lord.
27 It is good for a man to bear
The yoke in his youth.
28 Let him (N)sit alone and keep quiet,
Since He has laid it on him.
29 Let him [h]put his mouth in the (O)dust;
Perhaps there is (P)hope.
30 Let him give his (Q)cheek to the one who is going to strike him;
Let him be filled with shame.
31 For the Lord will (R)not reject forever,
32 For if He causes grief,
Then He will have (S)compassion
In proportion to His abundant mercy.
33 For He (T)does not [i]afflict [j]willingly
Or [k]grieve the sons of mankind.
34 To crush under [l]one’s feet
All the prisoners of the [m]land,
35 To [n]deprive a man of (U)justice
In the presence of the Most High,
36 To [o](V)defraud someone in his lawsuit—
Of these things the Lord does not [p]approve.
37 Who is [q]there who speaks and it (W)comes to pass,
Unless the Lord has commanded it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
That [r](X)both adversity and good proceed?
39 Of what can any living [s]mortal, or any man,
(Y)Complain [t]in view of his sins?
40 Let’s (Z)examine and search out our ways,
And let’s return to the Lord.
41 We (AA)raise our heart [u]and hands
Toward God in heaven;
42 We have (AB)done wrong and rebelled;
You have (AC)not pardoned.
43 You have covered Yourself with (AD)anger
And (AE)pursued us;
You have slain and (AF)have not spared.
44 You have (AG)veiled Yourself with a cloud
So that (AH)no prayer can pass through.
45 You have made us mere (AI)refuse and rubbish
In the midst of the peoples.
46 All our enemies have (AJ)opened their mouths against us.
47 (AK)Panic and pitfall have come upon us,
Devastation and destruction;
48 My [v](AL)eyes run down with streams of water
Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 My eyes flow (AM)unceasingly,
Without stopping,
50 Until the Lord (AN)looks down
And sees from heaven.
51 My eyes bring pain to my soul
Because of all the daughters of my city.
52 My enemies (AO)without reason
Hunted me down (AP)like a bird;
53 They have silenced [w]me (AQ)in the pit
And have [x](AR)thrown stones on me.
54 Waters flowed (AS)over my head;
I said, “I am [y]cut off!”
55 I (AT)called on Your name, Lord,
Out of the lowest pit.
56 You have (AU)heard my voice,
“(AV)Do not cover Your ear from my plea for relief,
From my cry for help.”
57 You (AW)came near on the day I called to You;
You said, “(AX)Do not fear!”
58 Lord, You (AY)have pleaded my soul’s cause;
You have (AZ)redeemed my life.
59 Lord, You have (BA)seen my oppression;
(BB)Judge my case.
60 You have seen all their vengeance,
All their (BC)schemes against me.
61 You have heard their (BD)reproach, Lord,
All their schemes against me.
62 The (BE)lips of my assailants and their talk
Are against me all day long.
63 Look at their [z](BF)sitting and their rising;
(BG)I am their mocking song.
64 You will (BH)repay them, Lord,
In accordance with the work of their hands.
65 You will give them [aa](BI)shamelessness of heart,
Your curse will be on them.
66 You will (BJ)pursue them in anger and eliminate them
From under the (BK)heavens of the Lord!
Footnotes
- Lamentations 3:19 Lit poison
- Lamentations 3:20 Or bows down
- Lamentations 3:21 Lit have hope
- Lamentations 3:22 As in ancient versions; MT It is...mercy that we do not end
- Lamentations 3:24 Or hope in
- Lamentations 3:25 Or hope in
- Lamentations 3:25 Lit soul
- Lamentations 3:29 Lit give
- Lamentations 3:33 Or oppress
- Lamentations 3:33 Lit from His heart
- Lamentations 3:33 Or torment
- Lamentations 3:34 Lit his
- Lamentations 3:34 Or earth
- Lamentations 3:35 Or turn aside a man’s case
- Lamentations 3:36 Lit bend
- Lamentations 3:36 Lit see
- Lamentations 3:37 Lit this
- Lamentations 3:38 Lit the evil things and the good
- Lamentations 3:39 Or human being
- Lamentations 3:39 Or on the basis of
- Lamentations 3:41 Lit toward our
- Lamentations 3:48 Lit eye goes down
- Lamentations 3:53 Lit my life
- Lamentations 3:53 Or thrown a stone
- Lamentations 3:54 Or destroyed
- Lamentations 3:63 I.e., daily activities
- Lamentations 3:65 Or insanity
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