Lamentations 3:1–5

1 I am the man who has seen affliction

under the rod of his wrath;

2 he has driven and brought me

into darkness without any light;

3 surely against me he turns his hand

again and again the whole day long.

4 He has made my flesh and my skin waste away;

he has broken my bones;

5 he has besieged and enveloped me

with bitterness and tribulation;

1 I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

2 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.

3 Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.

4 My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.

5 He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.

1 I am the one who has seen the afflictions

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

2 He has led me into darkness,

shutting out all light.

3 He has turned his hand against me

again and again, all day long.

4 He has made my skin and flesh grow old.

He has broken my bones.

5 He has besieged and surrounded me

with anguish and distress.

1 I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of His wrath.

2 He has led me and made me walk

In darkness and not in light.

3 Surely He has turned His hand against me

Time and time again throughout the day.

4 He has aged my flesh and my skin,

And broken my bones.

5 He has besieged me

And surrounded me with bitterness and woe.

1 I am a man who has seen the suffering

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

2 He led me

into darkness, not light.

3 He turned his hand against me

again and again, all day long.

4 He wore out my flesh and skin

and broke my bones.

5 He surrounded me with sadness

and attacked me with grief.

1 I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. 2 He hath led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light. 3 Surely against me he turneth his hand again and again all the day. 4 My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones. 5 He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.

1 I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. 2 Me hath he led, and brought into darkness, and not into light. 3 Surely against me hath he turned again and again his hand all the day. 4 My flesh and my skin hath he wasted away, he hath broken my bones. 5 He hath built against me, and encompassed me with gall and toil.

1 “I am the man who has experienced suffering under the rod of God’s fury. 

2 God has driven me away 

and made me walk in darkness instead of light. 

3 He beat me again and again all day long. 

4 He has made my flesh and my skin waste away. 

He has broken my bones. 

5 He has attacked me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship. 

1 I am the man who has seen affliction

under the rod of God’s wrath.

2 He has driven me away and forced me to walk

in darkness instead of light.

3 Yes, He repeatedly turns His hand

against me all day long.

4 He has worn away my flesh and skin;

He has shattered my bones.

5 He has laid siege against me,

encircling me with bitterness and hardship.

1 I am one who has seen affliction

under the rod of God’s wrath;

2 he has driven and brought me

into darkness without any light;

3 against me alone he turns his hand,

again and again, all day long.

4 He has made my flesh and my skin waste away;

he has broken my bones;

5 he has besieged and enveloped me

with bitterness and tribulation;

1 I am a man who has seen misery,

under the rod of his wrath.

2 He has driven me along, he brought

darkness and not light.

3 Surely he has turned his hand against me,

all day long.

4 He has worn out my flesh and skin,

he has broken my bones.

5 He has besieged and engulfed me

with bitterness and hardship.

1 I am a man who has suffered greatly.

The Lord has used the Babylonians

to punish our people.

2 He has driven me away. He has made me walk

in darkness instead of light.

3 He has turned his powerful hand against me.

He has done it again and again, all day long.

4 He has worn my body out.

He has broken my bones.

5 He has surrounded me and attacked me.

He has made me suffer bitterly.

He has made things hard for me.

1 I am the man who has seen affliction

Because of the rod of His wrath.

2 He has driven me and made me walk

In darkness and not in light.

3 Surely against me He has turned His hand

Repeatedly all the day.

4 He has caused my flesh and my skin to waste away,

He has broken my bones.

5 He has besieged and encompassed me with bitterness and hardship.