Lamentations 3:22–66
22 The loyal love of Yahweh does not cease;
his compassions do not come to an end.
23 They are new in the morning,
great is your faithfulness.
says my soul,
“Thus I will hope on him.”
25 Yahweh is good to those who wait on him,
to the person that seeks him.
26 It is good to wait in silence
for the salvation of Yahweh.
27 It is good for a man who carries
the yoke of his childhood.
28 Let him sit alone and be silent
when hee has laid it on him.
29 Let ⌊him put⌋f his mouth in the dust;
perhaps there is hope.
30 Let him give a cheek to his smiter,
let him be filled with disgrace.
31 For the Lord will not reject
forever.
32 For even though he causes grief he has compassion
according to the greatness of his loyal love.
33 He does not ⌊afflict willingly⌋,g
or grieve ⌊anyone⌋.h
all the prisoners of the earth;
35 ⌊to deprive one of justice⌋i
before the face of the Most High;
36 to subvert a person in a legal dispute
—the Lord has not found delight in these things.
37 ⌊Who can speak⌋j and it will happen
if the Lord has not commanded it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that disaster and good will come?
39 Why should any living person complain
about his sin?
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⌋k and pursued us,
you have slain and not shown mercy.
44 You have covered yourself in a cloud
⌊so that prayer cannot pass through⌋.l
45 You have made us scum and refuse
in the midst of the nations.
have opened their mouth against us.
47 Fear and a pit have come upon us,
desolation and destruction.
48 Channels of water run down my eyes
because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 My eyes have poured down unceasingly
without respite,
and sees from heaven.
because of all the daughters of my city.
52 My enemies hunt me without cause,
like a bird.
53 ⌊They have silenced me in a pit⌋,m
they have thrown a stone at me.
54 Water has flown over my head,
I said, “I am cut off.”
55 I have called your name, O Yahweh,
from the depths of the pit.
56 You have heard my cry, “Do not shut your ear
to my cry for help, for my relief!”
57 You came near on a day when I called you,
you said, “Do not fear!”
58 O Lord, you have pleaded for ⌊my cause⌋,n
you have redeemed my life.
59 You have seen my injustice, O Yahweh;
judge my case.
60 You have seen all their vengeance,
all their plans against me.
61 You have heard their disgrace, O Yahweh,
all their plans against me.
62 The lips and meditation of my assailants
are against me all day long.
63 Look at their sitting and their standing,
I am their mocking song.
64 Return to them what is deserved, O Yahweh,
according to the work of their hands.
65 Give them a stubborn heart;
curse them!
66 Pursue them ⌊in anger⌋o and destroy them
from under the heavens of Yahweh.