Jeremiah 20:7–18

7 O Lord, thou hast kdeceived me, and I was ||kdeceived:

lThou art stronger than I, and mhast prevailed:

I nam in derision daily,

Every one mocketh me.

8 For since I spake, I cried out,

I cried oviolence and spoil;

Because pthe word of the Lord was made qa reproach unto me,

And qa derision, daily.

9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him,

Nor speak any more in his name.

But lhis word was in rmine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones,

And sI was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

10 tFor I heard the defaming of many, ufear on every side.

vReport, wsay they, and we will report it.

†xAll my familiars ywatched for zmy halting, wsaying,

Peradventure he will be enticed, and mwe shall prevail against him,

And we shall take our revenge on him.

11 But athe Lord is with me as a mighty terrible one:

Therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and bthey shall not prevail:

cThey shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper:

Their deverlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.

12 But, O Lord of hosts, ethat triest the righteous,

And eseest the reins and the heart,

e fLet me see thy vengeance on them:

eFor unto thee have I opened my cause.

13 gSing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord:

gFor he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers.

14 hCursed be the day wherein I was born:

Let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.

15 Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying,

A man child is born unto thee;

Making him very glad.

16 And let that man be as ithe cities which the Lord overthrew, and repented not:

And klet him hear the cry in the morning, and lthe shouting at noontide;

17 mBecause he slew me not from the womb;

Or that my mother might have been my grave,

And her womb to be always great with me.

18 h m nWherefore came I forth out of the womb

oTo see labour and sorrow,

That my days should be consumed with shame?