Lamentations 3:1-33 ▼

1 Aleph. I am the man that see my poverty by the rod of his indignation.

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

3 Aleph. Only against me he hath turned, and turned again his hand all the day.

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

5 Beth. He hath built round about me, and he hath compassed me with gall and labour.

6 Beth. He hath set me in dark places as those that are dead for ever.

7 Ghimel. He hath built against me round about, that I may not get out: he hath made my fetters heavy.

8 Ghimel. Yea, and when I cry, and entreat, he hath shut out my prayer.

9 Ghimel. He hath shut up my ways with square stones, he hath turned my paths upside down.

10 Daleth. He is become to me as a bear lying in wait: as a lion in secret places.

11 Daleth. He hath turned aside my paths, and hath broken me in pieces, he hath made me desolate.

12 Daleth. He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for his arrows.

13 He. He hath shot into my reins the daughters of his quiver.

14 He. I am made a derision to all my people, their song all the day long.

15 He. He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath inebriated me with wormwood.

16 Vau. And he hath broken my teeth one by one, he hath fed me with ashes.

17 Vau. And my soul is removed far off from peace, I have forgotten good things.

18 Vau. And I said: My end and my hope is perished from the Lord.

19 Zain. Remember my poverty, and transgression, the wormwood, and the gall.

20 Zain. I will be mindful and remember, and my soul shall languish within me.

21 Zain. These things I shall think over in my heart, therefore will I hope.

22 Heth. The mercies of the Lord that we are not consumed: because his commiserations have not failed.

23 Heth. They are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness.

24 Heth. The Lord is my portion, said my soul: therefore will I wait for him.

25 Teth. The Lord is good to them that hope in him, to the soul that seeketh him.

26 Teth. It is good to wait with silence for the salvation of God.

27 Teth. It is good for a man, when he hath borne the yoke from his youth.

28 Jod. He shall sit solitary, and hold his peace: because he hath taken it up upon himself.

29 Jod. He shall put his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope.

30 Jod. He shall give his cheek to him that striketh him, he shall be filled with reproaches.

31 Caph. For the Lord will not cast off for ever.

32 Caph. For if he hath cast off, he will also have mercy, according to the multitude of his mercies.

33 Caph. For he hath not willingly afflicted, nor cast off the children of men.