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The Lamentations of Jeremiah

⭑ King James Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 3 -

1
I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
2
He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
3
Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
4
My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
5
He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
6
He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
7
He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
8
Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
9
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.(a)
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.(b)
16
He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.(c)
17
And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.(d)
18
And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord :

The Prophet’s Hope

19
Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.(e)
20
My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.(f)
21
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.(g)
22
It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
24
The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25
The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord .
27
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
28
He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
29
He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
30
He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
31
For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
32
But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
33
For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.(h)
34
To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,
35
To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,(i)
36
To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.(j)

God’s Justice

37
Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
38
Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
39
Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?(k)
40
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord .
41
Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
42
We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.
43
Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
44
Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.
45
Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.
46
All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
47
Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.
48
Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49
Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
50
Till the Lord look down, and behold from heaven.
51
Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.(l) (m)
52
Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.
53
They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.
54
Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.
55
I called upon thy name, O Lord , out of the low dungeon.
56
Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.
57
Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
58
O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.
59
O Lord , thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.
60
Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.
61
Thou hast heard their reproach, O Lord , and all their imaginations against me;
62
The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
63
Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.
64
Render unto them a recompence, O Lord , according to the work of their hands.
65
Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.(n)
66
Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the Lord .

Footnotes

(a)3:13 arrows: Heb. sons
(b)3:15 bitterness: Heb. bitternesses
(c)3:16 covered…: or, rolled me in the ashes
(d)3:17 prosperity: Heb. good
(e)3:19 Remembering: or, Remember
(f)3:20 humbled: Heb. bowed
(g)3:21 recall…: Heb. make to return to my heart
(h)3:33 willingly: Heb. from his heart
(i)3:35 the most High: or, a superior
(j)3:36 approveth not: or, seeth not
(k)3:39 complain: or, murmur
(l)3:51 mine heart: Heb. my soul
(m)3:51 because…: or, more than all
(n)3:65 sorrow…: or, obstinacy of heart
1
I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
2
He has led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light.
3
Surely he turns his hand against me again and again all day long.
4
He has made my flesh and my skin old. He has broken my bones.
5
He has built against me, and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.
6
He has made me dwell in dark places, as those who have been long dead.
7
He has walled me about, so that I can’t go out. He has made my chain heavy.
8
Yes, when I cry, and call for help, he shuts out my prayer.
9
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 hiding.
11
He has turned away my path, 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 the LORD.”

The Prophet’s Hope

19
Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the bitterness.
20
My soul still remembers them, and is bowed down within me.
21
This I recall to my mind; therefore I have hope.
22
It is because of The LORD’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his mercies don’t fail.
23
They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.
24
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul. “Therefore I will hope in him.”
25
The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
26
It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
27
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
28
Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he has laid it on him.
29
Let him put his mouth in the dust, if it is so that there may be hope.
30
Let him give his cheek to him who strikes him. Let him be filled full of reproach.
31
For the Lord will not cast off forever.
32
For though he causes grief, yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.
33
For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.
34
To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
35
to turn away the right of a man before the face of the Most High,
36
to subvert a man in his cause, the Lord doesn’t approve.

God’s Justice

37
Who is he who says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord doesn’t command it?
38
Doesn’t evil and good come out of the mouth of the Most High?
39
Why should a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
40
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
41
Let’s lift up our heart with our hands to God (a) in the heavens.
42
“We have transgressed and have rebelled. You have not pardoned.
43
“You have covered us with anger and pursued us. You have killed. You have not pitied.
44
You have covered yourself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.
45
You have made us an off-scouring and refuse in the middle of the peoples.
46
“All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.
47
Terror and the pit have come on us, devastation and destruction.”
48
My eye runs down with streams of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49
My eye pours down and doesn’t cease, without any intermission,
50
until the LORD looks down, and sees from heaven.
51
My eye affects my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.
52
They have chased me relentlessly like a bird, those who are my enemies without cause.
53
They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone on me.
54
Waters flowed over my head. I said, “I am cut off.”
55
I called on your name, LORD, out of the lowest dungeon.
56
You heard my voice: “Don’t hide your ear from my sighing, and my cry.”
57
You came near in the day that I called on you. You said, “Don’t be afraid.”
58
Lord, you have pleaded the causes of my soul. You have redeemed my life.
59
LORD, you have seen my wrong. Judge my cause.
60
You have seen all their vengeance and all their plans against me.
61
You have heard their reproach, LORD, and all their plans against me,
62
the lips of those that rose up against me, and their plots against me all day long.
63
You see their sitting down and their rising up. I am their song.
64
You will pay them back, LORD, according to the work of their hands.
65
You will give them hardness of heart, your curse to them.
66
You will pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of the LORD.

Footnotes

(a)3:41 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).
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