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I am the man who has seen affliction
    by the rod of his wrath.
He has led me and caused me to walk in darkness,
    and not in light.
Surely he turns his hand against me
    again and again all day long.

He has made my flesh and my skin old.
    He has broken my bones.
He has built against me,
    and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.
He has made me dwell in dark places,
    as those who have been long dead.

He has walled me about, so that I can’t go out.
    He has made my chain heavy.
Yes, when I cry, and call for help,
    he shuts out my prayer.
He has walled up my ways with cut stone.
    He has made my paths crooked.

10 He is to me as a bear lying in wait,
    as a lion in secret places.
11 He has turned away my ways,
    and pulled me in pieces.
    He has made me desolate.
12 He has bent his bow,
    and set me as a mark for the arrow.

13 He has caused the shafts of his quiver to enter into my kidneys.
14     I have become a derision to all my people,
    and their song all day long.
15 He has filled me with bitterness.
    He has stuffed me with wormwood.

16 He has also broken my teeth with gravel.
    He has covered me with ashes.
17 You have removed my soul far away from peace.
    I forgot prosperity.
18 I said, “My strength has perished,
    along with my expectation from Yahweh.”

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I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
He hath led me and caused me to walk in darkness, [a]and not in light.
Surely against me he turneth his hand again and again all the day.
My flesh and my skin hath he [b]made old; he hath broken my bones.
He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
He hath made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.
He hath walled me about, that I cannot go forth; he hath made my chain heavy.
Yea, when I cry, and call for help, he shutteth out my prayer.
He hath walled up my ways with hewn stone; he hath made my paths crooked.
10 He is unto me as a bear lying in wait, 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 [c]shafts of his quiver to enter into my reins.
14 I am become a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.
15 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath sated me with wormwood.
16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones; he hath covered me with ashes.
17 And thou hast [d]removed my soul far off from peace; I forgat prosperity.
18 And I said, My strength is perished, and mine expectation from Jehovah.

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Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 3:2 Or, without light
  2. Lamentations 3:4 Or, worn out
  3. Lamentations 3:13 Hebrew sons.
  4. Lamentations 3:17 Or, cast off