Lamentations 3:1–20

The Meaning of Suffering

3I am a man who has seen the suffering

that comes from the rod of the Lord’s anger.

²He led me

into darkness, not light.

³He turned his hand against me

again and again, all day long.

⁴He wore out my flesh and skin

and broke my bones.

⁵He surrounded me with sadness

and attacked me with grief.

⁶He made me sit in the dark,

like those who have been dead a long time.

⁷He shut me in so I could not get out;

he put heavy chains on me.

⁸I cry out and beg for help,

but he ignores my prayer.

⁹He blocked my way with a stone wall

and led me in the wrong direction.

¹⁰He is like a bear ready to attack me,

like a lion in hiding.

¹¹He led me the wrong way and let me stray

and left me without help.

¹²He prepared to shoot his bow

and made me the target for his arrows.

¹³He shot me in the kidneys

with the arrows from his bag.

¹⁴I was a joke to all my people,

who make fun of me with songs all day long.

¹⁵The Lord filled me with misery;

he made me drunk with suffering.

¹⁶He broke my teeth with gravel

and trampled me into the dirt.

¹⁷I have no more peace.

I have forgotten what happiness is.

¹⁸I said, “My strength is gone,

and I have no hope in the Lord.”

¹⁹Lord, remember my suffering and my misery,

my sorrow and trouble.

²⁰Please remember me

and think about me.