1 I am a man familiar with affliction— under the rod of God’s a3:1 Lit. his anger. ISV — Lamentations 3:1
2 He has led me—brought me into darkness, not into light. ISV — Lamentations 3:2
3 He truly turned his hand against me, again and again, all day long. ISV — Lamentations 3:3
4 He made my flesh and skin prematurely old; he broke my bones. ISV — Lamentations 3:4
5 He laid siege against me, surrounding me with bitterness and suffering. ISV — Lamentations 3:5
6 He has forced me to live in darkness, like those who are long dead. ISV — Lamentations 3:6
7 He has walled me in so I cannot escape; he placed heavy chains on me. ISV — Lamentations 3:7
8 Indeed, when I cry out, calling for help, he shuts out my prayer. ISV — Lamentations 3:8
9 He impeded my way with blocks of stone, making my paths uneven. ISV — Lamentations 3:9
10 He is like b3:10 The Heb. lacks like a bear that lies in wait for me, a lion in hiding. ISV — Lamentations 3:10
11 He forced me off my path, tearing me to pieces and making me desolate. ISV — Lamentations 3:11
12 He bent his bow, aiming at me with his arrow. ISV — Lamentations 3:12
13 He caused his war arrows c3:13 Lit. caused the sons of his arrows to pierce my vital organs. ISV — Lamentations 3:13
14 I have become a laughingstock to all my people, the object of their taunts throughout the day. ISV — Lamentations 3:14
15 He has filled me with bitterness, making me drink wormwood. ISV — Lamentations 3:15
16 He broke my teeth on gravel, covering me with dust. ISV — Lamentations 3:16
17 You have removed peace from my life; I have forgotten what prosperity is. d3:17 Lit. forgotten prosperity ISV — Lamentations 3:17
18 So I say, “My strength is gone as is my hope in the LORD.” ISV — Lamentations 3:18
19 Remember my affliction and homelessness— wormwood and gall! ISV — Lamentations 3:19
20 My mind keeps reflecting on it, and I become depressed. e3:20 Lit. and sinks within me ISV — Lamentations 3:20
21 This is what comes to mind, and therefore I have hope: ISV — Lamentations 3:21
22 Because of the LORD’s gracious love we are not consumed, since his compassions never end. ISV — Lamentations 3:22
23 They are new every morning— great is your faithfulness! ISV — Lamentations 3:23
24 “The LORD is all I have,” f3:24 Lit. is my portion says my soul, “Therefore I will trust in him.” ISV — Lamentations 3:24
25 The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the person who searches for him. ISV — Lamentations 3:25
26 It is good to hope and wait patiently for the LORD’s salvation. ISV — Lamentations 3:26
27 It is good when a young man carries the yoke of discipline g3:27 The Heb. lacks of discipline in his youth. ISV — Lamentations 3:27
28 He is to sit apart and remain silent, because the LORD h3:28 Lit. because he has laid it upon him. ISV — Lamentations 3:28
29 Let him fall face down in the dust, so there may yet be hope. ISV — Lamentations 3:29
30 He will endure being slapped in the face, bringing him public disgrace. ISV — Lamentations 3:30
31 Indeed, the Lord will not always reject us i3:31 The Heb. lacks us — ISV — Lamentations 3:31
32 though he causes grief, his compassion abounds according to his gracious love. ISV — Lamentations 3:32
33 For he does not deliberately hurt or grieve human beings. ISV — Lamentations 3:33
34 When any of the prisoners of the earth are crushed underfoot, ISV — Lamentations 3:34
35 when a person’s rights are perverted in defiance of the Most High. ISV — Lamentations 3:35
36 When a man is thwarted in his appeal, does the Lord condone j3:36 Lit. see it? ISV — Lamentations 3:36
37 Who can command, and it happens, without the Lord having ordered it? ISV — Lamentations 3:37
38 Do not both good and evil things proceed from the mouth of the Most High? ISV — Lamentations 3:38
39 Why should anyone living complain, any mortal, about being punished for sin? ISV — Lamentations 3:39
40 Let us examine our lifestyles, putting them to the test, and turn back to the LORD. ISV — Lamentations 3:40
41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven. ISV — Lamentations 3:41
42 As for us, we have sinned and rebelled; but you have not pardoned us. k3:42 The Heb. lacks us ISV — Lamentations 3:42
43 Clothing yourself with anger, you pursued us. You killed without pity, ISV — Lamentations 3:43
44 You covered yourself with a cloud that prayer cannot pierce. ISV — Lamentations 3:44
45 You have reduced us to scum and garbage among the nations. l3:45 Or peoples ISV — Lamentations 3:45
46 All our enemies jeer at us with gaping mouths. ISV — Lamentations 3:46
47 Panic and pitfalls beset us, along with devastation and ruin. ISV — Lamentations 3:47
48 My eyes run with rivers of tears over the destruction of my cherished m3:48 Lit. of the daughter of people. ISV — Lamentations 3:48
49 My tears pour n3:49 Lit. My eye pours down ceaselessly; I am far from relief ISV — Lamentations 3:49
50 until the LORD bends down to see from heaven. ISV — Lamentations 3:50
51 What I see o3:51 Lit. My eye grieves my soul because of all the young women p3:51 Lit. the daughters of my city. ISV — Lamentations 3:51
52 My enemies hunted me like a bird, viciously and without justification. ISV — Lamentations 3:52
53 They dumped me alive into a pit, sealing me in with stone. q3:53 Lit. pit, casting a stone at me ISV — Lamentations 3:53
54 Water closed over my head, and I said, “I’m a dead man.” r3:54 Lit. “I’m cut off.” ISV — Lamentations 3:54
55 I called on your name, LORD, from the depths of the Pit, s3:55 i.e. the place of punishment in the afterlife ISV — Lamentations 3:55
56 You heard my voice— don’t close your ear to my sighs and cries. t3:56 Lit. my relief, to my cry ISV — Lamentations 3:56
57 You drew near when I called out to you. You said, “Stop being afraid” ISV — Lamentations 3:57
58 Lord, you have defended my cause; you have redeemed my life. ISV — Lamentations 3:58
59 LORD, you observed how I have been wronged; now make your ruling in my case. ISV — Lamentations 3:59
60 You examined their plans for vengeance, all of their plots against me. ISV — Lamentations 3:60
61 LORD, you listened to their insults— all their plots against me, ISV — Lamentations 3:61
62 the whisperings of my opponents, their scheming against me all day long. ISV — Lamentations 3:62
63 Watch! Whether they sit down or stand up, they mock me with their songs. ISV — Lamentations 3:63
64 Pay them back, LORD, according to their actions. ISV — Lamentations 3:64
65 Give them an anguished heart; may your curse be upon them! ISV — Lamentations 3:65
66 Pursue them in your anger and destroy them from under the LORD’s heaven. ISV — Lamentations 3:66