Lamentations 3:34–66

34 To crush under one’s feet

All the prisoners of the earth,

35 To turn aside the justice due a man

Before the face of the Most High,

36 Or subvert a man in his cause—

eThe Lord does not approve.

37 Who is he fwho 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 gwoe and well-being proceed?

39 hWhy should a living man 1complain,

iA man for the punishment of his sins?

40 Let us search out and examine our ways,

And turn back to the Lord;

41 jLet us lift our hearts and hands

To God in heaven.

42 kWe have transgressed and rebelled;

You have not pardoned.

43 You have covered Yourself with anger

And pursued us;

You have slain and not pitied.

44 You have covered Yourself with a cloud,

That prayer should not pass through.

45 You have made us an loffscouring and refuse

In the midst of the peoples.

46 mAll our enemies

Have opened their mouths against us.

47 nFear and a snare have come upon us,

oDesolation and destruction.

48 pMy eyes overflow with rivers of water

For the destruction of the daughter of my people.

49 qMy eyes flow and do not cease,

Without interruption,

50 Till the Lord from heaven

rLooks down and sees.

51 My eyes bring suffering to my soul

Because of all the daughters of my city.

52 My enemies swithout cause

Hunted me down like a bird.

53 They 2silenced my life tin the pit

And uthrew 3stones at me.

54 vThe waters flowed over my head;

wI said, “I am cut off!”

55 xI called on Your name, O Lord,

From the lowest ypit.

56 zYou have heard my voice:

“Do not hide Your ear

From my sighing, from my cry for help.”

57 You adrew near on the day I called on You,

And said, b“Do not fear!”

58 O Lord, You have cpleaded the case for my soul;

dYou have redeemed my life.

59 O Lord, You have seen 4how I am wronged;

eJudge my case.

60 You have seen all their vengeance,

All their fschemes against me.

61 You have heard their reproach, O Lord,

All their schemes against me,

62 The lips of my enemies

And their whispering against me all the day.

63 Look at their gsitting down and their rising up;

I am their taunting song.

64 hRepay them, O Lord,

According to the work of their hands.

65 Give them 5a veiled heart;

Your curse be upon them!

66 In Your anger,

Pursue and destroy them

iFrom under the heavens of the jLord.