Lamentations 3
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Hope through God’s Mercy
א Alef
3 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.(A)
3 Yes, He repeatedly turns His hand
against me all day long.
ב Bet
4 He has worn away my flesh and skin;(B)
He has shattered my bones.(C)
5 He has laid siege against me,(D)
encircling me with bitterness and hardship.(E)
6 He has made me dwell in darkness
like those who have been dead for ages.(F)
ג Gimel
7 He has walled me in so I cannot escape;(G)
He has weighed me down with chains.
8 Even when I cry out and plead for help,
He rejects my prayer.(H)
9 He has walled in my ways with cut stones;(I)
He has made my paths crooked.(J)
ד Dalet
10 He is[a] a bear waiting in ambush,
a lion in hiding.(K)
11 He forced me off my way and tore me to pieces;
He left me desolate.
12 He strung His bow(L)
and set me as the target for His arrow.
ה He
13 He pierced my kidneys
with His arrows.(M)
14 I am a laughingstock(N) to all my people,[b]
mocked by their songs(O) all day long.
15 He filled me with bitterness,
satiated me with wormwood.(P)
ו Vav
16 He ground my teeth on gravel(Q)
and made me cower[c] in the dust.
17 My soul has been deprived[d] of peace;(R)
I have forgotten what happiness is.
18 Then I thought: My future[e] is lost,
as well as my hope from the Lord.
ז Zayin
19 Remember[f] my affliction and my homelessness,(S)
the wormwood and the poison.(T)
20 I continually remember them
and have become depressed.[g](U)
21 Yet I call this to mind,
and therefore I have hope:(V)
ח Khet
22 Because of the Lord’s faithful love(W)
we do not perish,[h]
for His mercies never end.
23 They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness!(X)
24 I say: The Lord is my portion,(Y)
therefore I will put my hope in Him.
ט Tet
25 The Lord is good to those who wait(Z) for Him,
to the person who seeks Him.
26 It is good to wait quietly(AA)
for deliverance from the Lord.(AB)
27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke(AC)
while he is still young.
י Yod
28 Let him sit alone and be silent,(AD)
for God has disciplined him.
29 Let him put his mouth in the dust(AE)—
perhaps there is still hope.
30 Let him offer his cheek
to the one who would strike him;(AF)
let him be filled with shame.
כ Kaf
31 For the Lord
will not reject us forever.
32 Even if He causes suffering,
He will show compassion
according to His abundant, faithful love.(AG)
33 For He does not enjoy bringing affliction(AH)
or suffering on mankind.
ל Lamed
34 Crushing all the prisoners of the land[i]
beneath one’s feet,
35 denying justice to a man(AI)
in the presence of the Most High,
36 or suppressing a person’s lawsuit(AJ)—
the Lord does not approve of these things.
מ Mem
37 Who is there who speaks and it happens,
unless the Lord has ordained it?(AK)
38 Do not both adversity and good
come from the mouth of the Most High?(AL)
39 Why should any living person complain,
any man, because of the punishment for his sins?
נ Nun
40 Let us search out and examine our ways,
and turn back to the Lord.(AM)
41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands(AN)
to God in heaven:
42 We have sinned and rebelled;
You have not forgiven.(AO)
ס Samek
43 You have covered Yourself in anger and pursued us;
You have killed without compassion.(AP)
44 You have covered Yourself with a cloud
so that no prayer can pass through.(AQ)
45 You have made us disgusting filth
among the peoples.(AR)
פ Pe
46 All our enemies
open their mouths against us.(AS)
47 We have experienced panic and pitfall,(AT)
devastation and destruction.
48 My eyes flow with streams of tears
because of the destruction of my dear people.
ע Ayin
49 My eyes overflow unceasingly,
without end,(AU)
50 until the Lord looks down
from heaven and sees.(AV)
51 My eyes bring me grief
because of the fate of all the women in my city.
צ Tsade
52 For no apparent reason, my enemies[j]
hunted me like a bird.(AW)
53 They dropped me alive into[k] a pit(AX)
and threw stones at me.
54 Water flooded over my head,(AY)
and I thought: I’m going to die!(AZ)
ק Qof
55 I called on Your name, Yahweh,
from the depths of the Pit.(BA)
56 You hear my plea:
Do not ignore my cry for relief.
57 You come near when I call on You;
You say: “Do not be afraid.”
ר Resh
58 You defend my cause, Lord;(BB)
You redeem my life.(BC)
59 Lord, You see the wrong done to me;
judge my case.
60 You see all their malice,
all their plots against me.(BD)
שׂ Sin/ שׁ Shin
61 Lord, You hear their insults,(BE)
all their plots against me.
62 The slander[l] and murmuring of my opponents
attack me all day long.
63 When they sit and when they rise, look,
I am mocked by their songs.(BF)
ת Tav
64 You will pay them back what they deserve, Lord,
according to the work of their hands.(BG)
65 You will give them a heart filled with anguish.[m](BH)
May Your curse be on them!
66 You will pursue them in anger and destroy them
under Your heavens.[n][o](BI)
Footnotes
- Lamentations 3:10 Lit is to me
- Lamentations 3:14 Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg; other Hb mss, Syr read all peoples
- Lamentations 3:16 Or and trampled me
- Lamentations 3:17 Syr, Vg; MT reads You deprived my soul
- Lamentations 3:18 Or splendor
- Lamentations 3:19 Or I remember
- Lamentations 3:20 Ancient Jewish tradition reads and You cause me to collapse
- Lamentations 3:22 One Hb mss, Syr, Tg read The Lord’s faithful love, indeed, does not perish
- Lamentations 3:34 Or earth
- Lamentations 3:52 Or Those who were my enemies for no reason
- Lamentations 3:53 Or They ended my life in; Hb obscure
- Lamentations 3:62 Lit lips
- Lamentations 3:65 Or them an obstinate heart; Hb obscure
- Lamentations 3:66 LXX, Syr, Vg read heavens, Lord
- Lamentations 3:66 Lit under the Lord’s heavens
Vajtimet 3
Albanian Bible
3 Unë jam njeriu që pa hidhërimin nën thuprën e tërbimit të tij.
2 Ai më ka udhëhequr dhe më ka bërë të eci nëpër terr dhe jo në dritë.
3 Po, kundër meje ai ka kthyer disa herë dorën e tij tërë ditën.
4 Ai ka konsumuar mishin tim dhe lëkurën time, ka coptuar kockat e mia.
5 Ka ndërtuar fortesa kundër meje, më ka rrethuar me hidhërim dhe me ankth.
6 Ka bërë që unë të banoj në vende plot errësirë, ashtu si të vdekurit prej shumë kohe.
7 Më ka ndërtuar një mur rreth e qark, me qëllim që unë të mos dal; e ka bërë të rëndë zinxhirin tim.
8 Edhe kur bërtas dhe kërkoj ndihmë me zë të lartë, ai nuk pranon të dëgjojë lutjen time.
9 Ai i ka mbyllur rrugët e mia me gurë të prerë, i ka bërë shtigjet e mia plot me prita.
10 Ai ka qenë për mua si një ari në pritë, si një luan në vende të fshehta.
11 Ka devijuar rrugët e mia, më ka coptuar dhe më ka dëshpëruar.
12 Ka nderur harkun e tij dhe më ka bërë objekt të shigjetave të tij.
13 Ka bërë të depërtojnë në zemrën time shigjetat e kukurës së tij.
14 Jam bërë tallja e tërë popullit tim, kënga e tij e tërë ditës.
15 Më ka ngopur me hidhërim, më ka bërë të pij pelin.
16 Më ka coptuar dhëmbët me zall, më ka mbuluar me hi.
17 Ke larguar shpirtin tim nga paqja, kam harruar mirëqënien.
18 Kam thënë: "Éshtë zhdukur besimi im dhe shpresa ime tek Zoti".
19 Kujtohu për pikëllimin dhe për endjen time, për pelinin dhe hidhërimin.
20 Shpirti im kujtohet gjithnjë për këtë dhe është i rrëzuar brenda meje.
21 Këtë dua ta sjell në mëndje dhe prandaj dua të shpresoj.
22 Éshtë një hir i Zotit që nuk jemi shkatërruar plotësisht, sepse mëshirat e tij nuk janë mbaruar plotësisht.
23 Përtëriten çdo mëngjes; e madhe është besnikeria jote.
24 "Zoti është pjesa ime," thotë shpirti im, "prandaj do të kem shpresë tek ai.
25 Zoti është i mirë me ata që kanë shpresë tek ai, me shpirtin që e kërkon.
26 Gjë e mirë është të presësh në heshtje shpëtimin e Zotit.
27 Gjë e mirë është për njeriun të mbajë zgjedhën në rininë e tij.
28 Le të ulet i vetmuar dhe të qëndrojë në heshtje kur Perëndia ia imponon.
29 Le ta vërë gojën e tij në pluhur, ndofta ka ende shpresë.
30 Le ti japë faqen atij që e godet, të ngopet me fyerje.
31 Sepse Zoti nuk hedh poshtë për gjithnjë;
32 por, në rast se të hidhëron, do ti vijë keq sipas shumicës së zemërmirësive të tij,
33 sepse nuk e bën me kënaqësi poshtërimin dhe hidhërimin e bijve të njerëzve.
34 Kur dikush shtyp nën këmbët e tij tërë robërit e dheut,
35 kur dikush shtrëmbëron të drejtën e një njeriu në prani të Më të Lartit,
36 kur dikujt i bëhet një padrejtësi në çështjen e tij, a nuk e shikon Zoti?
37 Vallë kush thotë diçka që më pas realizohet, në rast se Zoti nuk e ka urdhëruar?
38 E keqja dhe e mira a nuk vijnë vallë nga goja e Më të Lartit?
39 Pse vallë ankohet një njeri i gjallë, një njeri për ndëshkimin e mëkateve të tij?
40 Le të shqyrtojmë rrugët tona, t’i hetojmë dhe të kthehemi tek Zoti.
41 Le të ngremë lart zemrat tona dhe duart tona në drejtim të Perëndisë të qiejve.
42 Ne kemi kryer mëkate, kemi qënë rebelë dhe ti nuk na ke falur.
43 Je mbështjellë në zëmërimin tënd dhe na ke ndjekur, na ke vrarë pa mëshirë.
44 Ti je mbështjellë në një re, në mënyrë që asnjë lutje të mos kalonte dot.
45 Na ke bërë plehra dhe mbeturina në mes të popujve.
46 Tërë armiqtë tanë kanë hapur gojën kundër nesh.
47 Na ka rënë mbi trup tmerri, laku, dëshpërimi i thellë dhe shkatërrimi.
48 Rrëke uji rrjedhin nga sytë e mi për shkatërrimin e bijës së popullit tim.
49 Syri im derdh lot pa pushim, pa ndërprerje,
50 deri sa Zoti të mos vështrojë nga qielli dhe të mos shikojë.
51 Syri im i sjell dhembje shpirtit tim për të gjitha bijat e qytetit tim.
52 Ata që më urrejnë pa shkak më kanë gjuajtur si të isha zog.
53 Kanë shkatërruar jetën time në gropë, më kanë hedhur gurë.
54 Ujrat rrjedhin mbi kokën time, unë thoja: "Ka marrë fund për mua".
55 Përmenda emrin tënd, o Zot, nga thellësia e gropës.
56 Ti e dëgjove zërin tim; mos ia fshih veshin tënd psherëtimës sime, thirrjes time për ndihmë.
57 Kur të kam thirrur ti je afruar; ke thënë: "Mos ki frikë!"
58 O Zot ti ke mbrojtur çështjen e shpirtit tim, ti ke çliruar jetën time.
59 O Zot, ti ke parë dëmin që kam pësuar, prandaj mbro çështjen time!
60 Ti ke parë tërë frymën e tyre të hakmarrjes, intrigat e tyre kundër meje.
61 Ti ke dëgjuar fyerjet e tyre, o Zot, tërë intrigat e tyre kundër meje,
62 fjalimet e tyre që ngrihen kundër meje, atë që mendojnë kundër meje tërë ditën.
63 Vër re kur ulen dhe kur ngrihen, unë jam kënga e tyre.
64 Shpërbleji, o Zot, sipas veprës së duarve të tyre.
65 Bëji zemërgur, mallkimi yt qoftë mbi ta.
66 Ndiqi në zemërimin tënd dhe shkatërroi poshtë qiejve të Zotit.
Lamentations 3
King James Version
3 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.
6 He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
7 He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
8 Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
9 He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
10 He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
11 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.
12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
13 He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
14 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
15 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.
16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord:
19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
22 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
24 The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
28 He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
29 He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
30 He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
31 For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
32 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
33 For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
34 To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth.
35 To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,
36 To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.
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.
43 Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
44 Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.
45 Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.
46 All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
47 Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.
48 Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission.
50 Till the Lord look down, and behold from heaven.
51 Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.
52 Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.
53 They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.
54 Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.
55 I called upon thy name, O Lord, out of the low dungeon.
56 Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.
57 Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
58 O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.
59 O Lord, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.
60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.
61 Thou hast heard their reproach, O Lord, and all their imaginations against me;
62 The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
63 Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.
64 Render unto them a recompence, O Lord, according to the work of their hands.
65 Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.
66 Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the Lord.
Lamentations 3
New King James Version
The Prophet’s Anguish and Hope
3 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 (A)my flesh and my skin,
And (B)broken my bones.
5 He has besieged me
And surrounded me with bitterness and [a]woe.
6 (C)He has set me in dark places
Like the dead of long ago.
7 (D)He has hedged me in so that I cannot get out;
He has made my chain heavy.
8 Even (E)when I cry and shout,
He shuts out my prayer.
9 He has blocked my ways with hewn stone;
He has made my paths crooked.
10 (F)He has been to me a bear lying in wait,
Like a lion in [b]ambush.
11 He has turned aside my ways and (G)torn me in pieces;
He has made me desolate.
12 He has bent His bow
And (H)set me up as a target for the arrow.
13 He has caused (I)the [c]arrows of His quiver
To pierce my [d]loins.
14 I have become the (J)ridicule of all my people—
(K)Their taunting song all the day.
15 (L)He has filled me with bitterness,
He has made me drink wormwood.
16 He has also broken my teeth (M)with gravel,
And [e]covered me with ashes.
17 You have moved my soul far from peace;
I have forgotten [f]prosperity.
18 (N)And I said, “My strength and my hope
Have perished from the Lord.”
19 Remember my affliction and roaming,
(O)The wormwood and the [g]gall.
20 My soul still remembers
And [h]sinks within me.
21 This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have (P)hope.
22 (Q)Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions (R)fail not.
23 They are new (S)every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my (T)portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I (U)hope in Him!”
25 The Lord is good to those who (V)wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
26 It is good that one should (W)hope (X)and wait quietly
For the salvation of the Lord.
27 (Y)It is good for a man to bear
The yoke in his youth.
28 (Z)Let him sit alone and keep silent,
Because God has laid it on him;
29 (AA)Let him put his mouth in the dust—
There may yet be hope.
30 (AB)Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him,
And be full of reproach.
31 (AC)For the Lord will not cast off forever.
32 Though He causes grief,
Yet He will show compassion
According to the multitude of His mercies.
33 For (AD)He does not afflict [i]willingly,
Nor grieve the children of men.
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—
(AE)The Lord does not approve.
37 Who is he (AF)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 (AG)woe and well-being proceed?
39 (AH)Why should a living man [j]complain,
(AI)A man for the punishment of his sins?
40 Let us search out and examine our ways,
And turn back to the Lord;
41 (AJ)Let us lift our hearts and hands
To God in heaven.
42 (AK)We 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 (AL)offscouring and refuse
In the midst of the peoples.
46 (AM)All our enemies
Have opened their mouths against us.
47 (AN)Fear and a snare have come upon us,
(AO)Desolation and destruction.
48 (AP)My eyes overflow with rivers of water
For the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 (AQ)My eyes flow and do not cease,
Without interruption,
50 Till the Lord from heaven
(AR)Looks down and sees.
51 My eyes bring suffering to my soul
Because of all the daughters of my city.
52 My enemies (AS)without cause
Hunted me down like a bird.
53 They [k]silenced my life (AT)in the pit
And (AU)threw [l]stones at me.
54 (AV)The waters flowed over my head;
(AW)I said, “I am cut off!”
55 (AX)I called on Your name, O Lord,
From the lowest (AY)pit.
56 (AZ)You have heard my voice:
“Do not hide Your ear
From my sighing, from my cry for help.”
57 You (BA)drew near on the day I called on You,
And said, (BB)“Do not fear!”
58 O Lord, You have (BC)pleaded the case for my soul;
(BD)You have redeemed my life.
59 O Lord, You have seen [m]how I am wronged;
(BE)Judge my case.
60 You have seen all their vengeance,
All their (BF)schemes 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 (BG)sitting down and their rising up;
I am their taunting song.
64 (BH)Repay them, O Lord,
According to the work of their hands.
65 Give them [n]a veiled heart;
Your curse be upon them!
66 In Your anger,
Pursue and destroy them
(BI)From under the heavens of the (BJ)Lord.
Footnotes
- Lamentations 3:5 hardship or weariness
- Lamentations 3:10 Lit. secret places
- Lamentations 3:13 Lit. sons of
- Lamentations 3:13 Lit. kidneys
- Lamentations 3:16 Lit. bent me down in
- Lamentations 3:17 Lit. good
- Lamentations 3:19 bitterness
- Lamentations 3:20 Lit. bowed down
- Lamentations 3:33 Lit. from His heart
- Lamentations 3:39 Or murmur
- Lamentations 3:53 LXX put to death
- Lamentations 3:53 Lit. a stone on
- Lamentations 3:59 Lit. my wrong
- Lamentations 3:65 A Jewish tradition sorrow of
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
