the Sixth Week after Easter
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George Lamsa Translation
Lamentations 3
1 O MIGHTY God, see my affliction; I am chastised by the rod of his wrath.2 He has led me, but I walked in darkness and not in light.3 But surely is he turned against me, he turns his hand against me all the day.4 My flesh and my skin he has made old; he has broken my bones.5 He has built ramparts against me, and compassed me with bitterness and travail.6 He has made me to dwell in darkness, like a dead man for ever.7 He has hedged me about, that I cannot escape; he has made my chains heavy.8 Though I beseech and pray, he does not hearken to my prayer.9 He has enclosed my ways with thorns, he has made my paths crooked.10 He has been to me as a wolf lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.11 He has made my ways crooked, and cut me to pieces; he has made me desolate.12 He has bent his bow, and set me up as a mark for the arrow.13 Behold, he has caused his arrows to enter into my reins.14 I have become the ridicule of all nations; and their scoffing song all the day.15 He has filled me with bitterness, he has made me drunken with wormwood.16 He has broken my teeth with a stone, he has covered me with ashes.17 My soul has gone astray from peace, I have forgotten prosperity.18 And I said, My fame and my hope are perished from the LORD.19 Remember my affliction and my chastisement, the bitterness and the sorrow.20 Remember and restore my life.
21 This I recall to mind; therefore I have hope in God.22 Surely the kindness of the LORD never ceases and his mercies never fail.23 They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.24 The LORD is my portion, says my soul; therefore I will hope in him.25 The LORD is good to him who waits for him, to the soul that seeks him.26 It is good for a man that he should hope for both the truth and the salvation of the LORD.27 It is good for a man that he bear thy yoke in his youth.28 Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he has laid thy yoke upon him.29 Let him humble himself, for there is hope.30 Let him turn his cheek to him that smites him; let him be filled with reproach.31 For the LORD will not forget for ever.32 But though he cause affliction, yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.33 For he does not afflict willingly, but he afflicts the children of the mighty men,34 To subdue under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,35 To turn aside the right of a man toward the face of the Most High.36 To subvert a man in his cause, the LORD does not approve.
37 Who is he that says, and it comes to pass, when the LORD has not commanded it?38 Out of the mouth of the Most High evil and good do not come.39 Therefore, why should a living man question concerning punishment for his sins?40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.41 Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in heaven.
42 We have transgressed and rebelled; and thou hast not pardoned.43 Thou hast covered us with thy anger and pursued us; thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.44 Thou hast covered thyself with thy cloud; thou hast let our prayer pass by.45 Thou hast made us uprooted and despised among the peoples.46 My eyes run down with tears and do not cease, because there is no comforter,47 Till the LORD look down and behold from heaven.48 My eyes are worn with tears because of the destruction of all the daughters of the cities of my people.49 All our enemies speak evil against us.50 Fear and trembling have come upon us, a snare and destruction.51 I wept vehemently over the destruction of the daughter of my people.52 My enemies have hunted me like a bird, without cause.53 They have cut off my life in a pit; they cast stones at me.54 Water flowed over my head; then I said, I am cast far off.
55 I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the depths of the pit.56 Thou didst hear my voice; turn not thine ear to my cry; but relieve me and save me.57 Thou didst draw near in the day when I called upon thee; thou didst say, Fear not.58 O LORD, thou hast pleaded my cause; thou hast saved my life.59 O LORD, thou hast seen my affliction; thou hast judged my cause.60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.61 Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and their devices against me,62 The lips of those who rose up against me and their devices against me all day long.63 Behold their conduct and their behavior I do understand, because of their devices.64 Render to them a recompense, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.65 Give them sorrow of heart; let thy affliction pursue them.66 Destroy them in thine anger from under thy heavens, O LORD.
