Lamentations 3:1–20

Israel’s Affliction

3I am a man who has seen misery,

under the rod of his wrath.

²He has driven me along, he brought

darkness and not light.

³Surely he has turned his hand against me,

all day long.

⁴He has worn out my flesh and skin,

he has broken my bones.

⁵He has besieged^a and engulfed me

with bitterness and hardship.

⁶In darkness he has let me dwell

like the dead of long ago.

⁷He has built a wall around me, I cannot go out;

he has made my bronze fetters heavy.

⁸Though I cry out for help,

he shuts out my prayers.

⁹He has blocked my ways with dressed stones;

he has made my paths crooked.

¹⁰To me he is like a bear lying in wait,

a lion in hiding.

¹¹He has forsaken my way and torn me to pieces;

he has caused me desolation.

¹²He has bent his bow and set me

as the target for the arrow.

¹³He shot the arrows of his quiver^b

into my kidneys.

¹⁴I have become a laughingstock for all the people,

their mocking song all day long.

¹⁵He has filled me with bitterness,

he has drenched me with wormwood.

¹⁶He has broken my teeth on grit,

he has trampled me down in ash.

¹⁷My life has been removed from peace,

I have forgotten goodness.

¹⁸And I have said, “My glory is ruined,

my expectation from Yahweh.”

¹⁹Remember my misery and bitterness,

the wormwood^c and venom!

²⁰Surely my soul remembers

and bows down within me.