JPS - Lamentations - 3

3:1  I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of His wrath.

3:2  He hath led me and caused me to walk in darkness and not in light.

3:3  Surely against me He turneth His hand again and again all the day.

3:4  My flesh and my skin hath He worn out; He hath broken my bones.

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

3:6  He hath made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.

3:7  He hath hedged me about, that I cannot go forth; He hath made my chain heavy.

3:8  Yea, when I cry and call for help, He shutteth out my prayer.

3:9  He hath enclosed my ways with hewn stone, He hath made my paths crooked.

3:10  He is unto me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places.

3:11  He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; He hath made me desolate.

3:12  He hath bent His bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

3:13  He hath caused the arrows of His quiver to enter into my reins.

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

3:15  He hath filled me with bitterness, He hath sated me with wormwood.

3:16  He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, He hath made me to wallow in ashes.

3:17  And my soul is removed far off from peace, I forgot prosperity.

3:18  And I said: 'My strength is perished, and mine expectation from HaShem.'

3:19  Remember mine affliction and mine anguish, the wormwood and the gall.

3:20  My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is bowed down within me.

3:21  This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

3:22  Surely HaShem'S mercies are not consumed, surely His compassions fail not.

3:23  They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness.

3:24  'The HaShem is my portion', saith my soul; 'Therefore will I hope in Him.'

3:25  HaShem is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.

3:26  It is good that a man should quietly wait for the salvation of HaShem.

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

3:28  Let him sit alone and keep silence, because He hath laid it upon him.

3:29  Let him put his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope.

3:30  Let him give his cheek to him that smiteth him let him be filled full with reproach.

3:31  For the L-rd will not cast off for ever.

3:32  For though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies.

3:33  For He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.

3:34  To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,

3:35  To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High,

3:36  To subvert a man in his cause, the L-rd approveth not.

3:37  Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the L-rd commandeth it not?

3:38  Out of the mouth of the Most High proceedeth not evil and good?

3:39  Wherefore doth a living man complain, a strong man because of his sins?

3:40  Let us search and try our ways, and return to HaShem.

3:41  Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto G-d in the heavens.

3:42  We have transgressed and have rebelled; Thou hast not pardoned.

3:43  Thou hast covered with anger and pursued us; Thou hast slain unsparingly.

3:44  Thou hast covered Thyself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.

3:45  Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples.

3:46  All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.

3:47  Terror and the pit are come upon us, desolation and destruction.

3:48  Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water, for the breach of the daughter of my people.

3:49  Mine eye is poured out, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,

3:50  Till HaShem look forth, and behold from heaven.

3:51  Mine eye affected my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.

3:52  They have chased me sore like a bird, that are mine enemies without cause.

3:53  They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast stones upon me.

3:54  Waters flowed over my head; I said: 'I am cut off.'

3:55  I called upon Thy name, O HaShem, Out of the lowest dungeon.

3:56  Thou heardest my voice; hide not Thine ear at my sighing, at my cry.

3:57  Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon Thee; Thou saidst: 'Fear not.'

3:58  O L-rd, Thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; Thou hast redeemed my life.

3:59  O HaShem, Thou hast seen my wrong; judge Thou my cause.

3:60  Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their devices against me.

3:61  Thou hast heard their taunt, O HaShem, and all their devices against me;

3:62  The lips of those that rose up against me, and their muttering against me all the day.

3:63  Behold Thou their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their song.

3:64  Thou wilt render unto them a recompense, O HaShem, according to the work of their hands.

3:65  Thou wilt give them hardness of heart, Thy curse unto them.

3:66  Thou wilt pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of HaShem.