Lamentations 3:37–42
37 Who can speak and have it happen
if the Lord has not decreed it?j
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that both calamities and good things come?k
39 Why should the living complain
when punished for their sins?l
40 Let us examine our ways and test them,m
and let us return to the Lord.n
41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands
to God in heaven,o and say:
42 “We have sinned and rebelledp
and you have not forgiven.q
Lamentations 3:37–42 — English Standard Version (ESV)
37 Who has spoken and it came to pass,
unless the Lord has commanded it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that good and bad come?
39 Why should a living man complain,
a man, about the punishment of his sins?
40 Let us test and examine our ways,
and return to the Lord!
41 Let us lift up our hearts and hands
to God in heaven:
42 “We have transgressed and rebelled,
and you have not forgiven.
Lamentations 3:37–42 — King James Version (KJV 1900)
37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
38 Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
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.
Lamentations 3:37–42 — New Living Translation (NLT)
37 Who can command things to happen
without the Lord’s permission?
38 Does not the Most High
send both calamity and good?
39 Then why should we, mere humans, complain
when we are punished for our sins?
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.
Lamentations 3:37–42 — The New King James Version (NKJV)
37 Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass,
When the Lord has not commanded it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
That woe and well-being proceed?
39 Why should a living man complain,
A man for the punishment of his sins?
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.
Lamentations 3:37–42 — New Century Version (NCV)
37 Nobody can speak and have it happen
unless the Lord commands it.
38 Both bad and good things
come by the command of the Most High God.
39 No one should complain
when he is punished for his sins.
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.
Lamentations 3:37–42 — American Standard Version (ASV)
37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not? 38 Out of the mouth of the Most High cometh there not evil and good? 39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
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.
Lamentations 3:37–42 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)
37 Who is he that saith, and there cometh to pass, what the Lord hath not commanded? 38 Out of the mouth of the Most High doth not there proceed evil and good? 39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? 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.
Lamentations 3:37–42 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
37 Who was it who spoke and it came into being?
It was the Lord who gave the order.
38 Both good and bad come from the mouth of the Most High God.
39 “Why should any living mortal (any person)
complain about being punished for sin?
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.
Lamentations 3:37–42 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
37 Who is there who speaks and it happens,
unless the Lord has ordained it?
38 Do not both adversity and good
come from the mouth of the Most High?
39 Why should any living person complain,
any man, because of the punishment for his sins?
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.
Lamentations 3:37–42 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
37 Who can command and have it done,
if the Lord has not ordained it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that good and bad come?
39 Why should any who draw breath complain
about the punishment of their sins?
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.
Lamentations 3:37–42 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)
37 Who can speak 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.
Lamentations 3:37–42 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)
37 Suppose people order something to happen.
It won’t happen unless the Lord has planned it.
38 Troubles and good things alike come to people
because the Most High God has commanded them to come.
39 A man who is still alive shouldn’t blame God
when God punishes him for his sins.
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.
Lamentations 3:37–42 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)
37 Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass,
Unless the Lord has commanded it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
That both good and ill go forth?
39 Why should any living mortal, or any man,
Offer complaint in view of his sins?
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.