Lamentations 3:40–45

40 Let us examine our ways and test them,

and let us return to the Lord.

41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands

to God in heaven, and say:

42 “We have sinned and rebelled

and you have not forgiven.

43 “You have covered yourself with anger and pursued us;

you have slain without pity.

44 You have covered yourself with a cloud

so that no prayer can get through.

45 You have made us scum and refuse

among the nations.

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.

40 Instead, let us test and examine our ways.

Let us turn back to the Lord.

41 Let us lift our hearts and hands

to God in heaven and say,

42 “We have sinned and rebelled,

and you have not forgiven us.

43 “You have engulfed us with your anger, chased us down,

and slaughtered us without mercy.

44 You have hidden yourself in a cloud

so our prayers cannot reach you.

45 You have discarded us as refuse and garbage

among the nations.

40 Let us search out and examine our ways,

And turn back to the Lord;

41 Let us lift our hearts and hands

To God in heaven.

42 We have transgressed and rebelled;

You have not pardoned.

43 You have covered Yourself with anger

And pursued us;

You have slain and not pitied.

44 You have covered Yourself with a cloud,

That prayer should not pass through.

45 You have made us an offscouring and refuse

In the midst of the peoples.

40 Let us examine and see what we have done

and then return to the Lord.

41 Let us lift up our hands and pray from our hearts

to God in heaven:

42 “We have sinned and turned against you,

and you have not forgiven us.

43 “You wrapped yourself in anger and chased us;

you killed us without mercy.

44 You wrapped yourself in a cloud,

and no prayer could get through.

45 You made us like scum and trash

among the other nations.

40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Jehovah. 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 pursued us; thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied. 44 Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through. 45 Thou hast made us an offscouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples.

40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Jehovah. 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 thyself with anger, and pursued us; thou hast slain, thou hast not spared. 44 Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that prayer should not pass through. 45 Thou hast made us the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples.

40 Let us look closely at our ways and examine them 

and then return to the Lord. 

41 Let us raise our hearts and hands to God in heaven. 

42 “We have been disobedient and rebellious. 

You haven’t forgiven us. 

43 You covered yourself with anger and pursued us. 

You killed without pity. 

44 You covered yourself with a cloud 

so that no prayer could get through it. 

45 You made us the scum and trash of the nations. 

40 Let us search out and examine our ways,

and turn back to the Lord.

41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands

to God in heaven:

42 We have sinned and rebelled;

You have not forgiven.

43 You have covered Yourself in anger and pursued us;

You have killed without compassion.

44 You have covered Yourself with a cloud

so that no prayer can pass through.

45 You have made us disgusting filth

among the peoples.

40 Let us test and examine our ways

and return to the Lord.

41 Let us lift up our hearts as well as our hands

to God in heaven.

42 We have transgressed and rebelled,

and you have not forgiven.

43 You have wrapped yourself with anger and pursued us,

killing without pity;

44 you have wrapped yourself with a cloud

so that no prayer can pass through.

45 You have made us filth and rubbish

among the peoples.

40 Let us test and examine our ways;

let us return to Yahweh.

41 Let us lift up our hearts with our hands

to God in the heavens.

42 We ourselves have transgressed and rebelled,

you have not forgiven.

43 You have covered yourself in anger and pursued us,

you have slain and not shown mercy.

44 You have covered yourself in a cloud

so that prayer cannot pass through.

45 You have made us scum and refuse

in the midst of the nations.

40 Let’s take a good look at the way we’re living.

Let’s return to the Lord.

41 Let’s lift up our hands to God in heaven.

Let’s pray to him with all our hearts.

42 Let’s say, “We have sinned.

We’ve refused to obey you.

And you haven’t forgiven us.

43 “You have covered yourself with the cloud of your anger.

You have chased us.

You have killed our people without pity.

44 You have covered yourself with the cloud of your anger.

Our prayers can’t get through to you.

45 You have made us become like trash and garbage

among the nations.

40 Let us examine and probe our ways,

And let us return to the Lord.

41 We lift up our heart and hands

Toward God in heaven;

42 We have transgressed and rebelled,

You have not pardoned.

43 You have covered Yourself with anger

And pursued us;

You have slain and have not spared.

44 You have covered Yourself with a cloud

So that no prayer can pass through.

45 You have made us mere offscouring and refuse

In the midst of the peoples.