Geneva1599 - Lamentations - 3

3:1  I am the man, that hath seene affliction in the rod of his indignation.

3:2  He hath ledde mee, and brought me into darkenes, but not to light.

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

3:4  My flesh and my skinne hath he caused to waxe olde, and he hath broken my bones.

3:5  He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall, and labour.

3:6  He hath set me in darke places, as they that be dead for euer.

3:7  He hath hedged about mee, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chaines heauy.

3:8  Also when I cry and showte, hee shutteth out my prayer.

3:9  He hath stopped vp my wayes with hewen stone, and turned away my paths.

3:10  He was vnto me as a beare lying in waite, and as a Lion in secret places.

3:11  He hath stopped my wayes, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.

3:12  He hath bent his bow and made me a marke for the arrow.

3:13  Hee caused the arrowes of his quiuer to enter into my reines.

3:14  I was a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.

3:15  He hath filled me with bitternes, and made me drunken with wormewood.

3:16  He hath also broken my teeth with stones, and hath couered me with ashes.

3:17  Thus my soule was farre off from peace: I forgate prosperitie,

3:18  And I saide, My strength and mine hope is perished from the Lord,

3:19  Remembring mine affliction, and my mourning, the wormewood and the gall.

3:20  My soule hath them in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

3:21  I consider this in mine heart: therefore haue I hope.

3:22  It is the Lordes mercies that wee are not consumed, because his compassions faile not.

3:23  They are renued euery morning: great is thy faithfulnesse.

3:24  The Lord is my portion, sayth my soule: therefore wil I hope in him.

3:25  The Lord is good vnto them, that trust in him, and to the soule that seeketh him.

3:26  It is good both to trust, and to waite for the saluation of the Lord.

3:27  It is good for a man that he beare the yoke in his youth.

3:28  He sitteth alone, and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it vpon him.

3:29  He putteth his mouth in the dust, if there may be hope.

3:30  Hee giueth his cheeke to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproches.

3:31  For the Lord will not forsake for euer.

3:32  But though he sende affliction, yet will he haue compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

3:33  For he doeth not punish willingly, nor afflict the children of men,

3:34  In stamping vnder his feete all the prisoners of the earth,

3:35  In ouerthrowing the right of a man before the face of the most high,

3:36  In subuerting a man in his cause: the Lord seeth it not.

3:37  Who is he then that sayth, and it commeth to passe, and the Lord commandeth it not?

3:38  Out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not euill and good?

3:39  Wherefore then is the liuing man sorowfull? man suffreth for his sinne.

3:40  Let vs search and try our wayes, and turne againe to the Lord.

3:41  Let vs lift vp our hearts with our handes vnto God in the heauens.

3:42  We haue sinned, and haue rebelled, therefore thou hast not spared.

3:43  Thou hast couered vs with wrath, and persecuted vs: thou hast slaine and not spared.

3:44  Thou hast couered thy selfe with a cloude, that our prayer should not passe through.

3:45  Thou hast made vs as the ofscouring and refuse in the middes of the people.

3:46  All our enemies haue opened their mouth against vs.

3:47  Feare, and a snare is come vpon vs with desolation and destruction.

3:48  Mine eye casteth out riuers of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

3:49  Mine eye droppeth without stay and ceaseth not,

3:50  Till the Lord looke downe, and beholde from heauen.

3:51  Mine eye breaketh mine heart because of all the daughters of my citie.

3:52  Mine enemies chased me sore like a birde, without cause.

3:53  They haue shut vp my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone vpon me.

3:54  Waters flowed ouer mine head, then thought I, I am destroyed.

3:55  I called vpon thy Name, O Lord, out of the lowe dungeon.

3:56  Thou hast heard my voyce: stoppe not thine eare from my sigh and from my cry.

3:57  Thou drewest neere in the day that I called vpon thee: thou saydest, Feare not.

3:58  O Lord, thou hast maintained the cause of my soule, and hast redeemed my life.

3:59  O Lord, thou hast seene my wrong, iudge thou my cause.

3:60  Thou hast seene all their vengeance, and all their deuises against me.

3:61  Thou hast heard their reproch, O Lord, and all their imaginations against me:

3:62  The lippes also of those that rose against me, and their whispering against me continually.

3:63  Behold, their sitting downe and their rising vp, how I am their song.

3:64  Giue them a recompence, O Lord, according to the worke of their handes.

3:65  Giue them sorow of heart, euen thy curse to them.

3:66  Persecute with wrath and destroy them from vnder the heauen, O Lord.