Passage

Lamentations 3

Book: Lamentations · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. 2. He hath led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light. 3. Surely against me he turneth his hand again and again 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 made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead. 7. He hath walled me about, that I cannot go forth; he hath made my chain heavy. 8. Yea, when I cry, and call for help, he shutteth out my prayer. 9. He hath walled up my ways with hewn stone; he hath made my paths crooked. 10. He is unto me as a bear lying in wait, 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 shafts of his quiver to enter into my reins. 14. I am become a derision to all my people, and their song all the day. 15. He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath sated me 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 is perished, and mine expectation from Jehovah. 19. Remember mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. 20. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is bowed down within me. 21. This I recall to my mind; therefore have I hope. 22. It is of Jehovah's lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. 24. Jehovah is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. 25. Jehovah is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 26. It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Jehovah. 27. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. 28. Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he hath laid it upon him. 29. Let him put his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope. 30. Let him give his cheek to him that smiteth him; let him be filled full with reproach. 31. For the Lord will not cast off for ever. 32. For though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. 33. For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. 34. To crush under foot 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 cometh there 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 Jehovah. 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 pursued us; thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied. 44. Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through. 45. Thou hast made us an off-scouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples. 46. All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us. 47. Fear and the pit are come upon us, devastation and destruction. 48. Mine eye runneth down with streams of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people. 49. Mine eye poureth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission, 50. Till Jehovah look down, and behold from heaven. 51. Mine eye affecteth my soul, because of all the daughters of my city. 52. They have chased me sore like a bird, they that are mine enemies without cause. 53. They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone upon me. 54. Waters flowed over my head; I said, I am cut off. 55. I called upon thy name, O Jehovah, out of the lowest dungeon. 56. Thou heardest 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 Jehovah, thou hast seen my wrong; judge thou my cause. 60. Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their devices against me. 61. Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, and all their devices against me, 62. The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day. 63. Behold thou their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their song. 64. Thou wilt render unto them a recompense, O Jehovah, according to the work of their hands. 65. Thou wilt give them hardness of heart, thy curse unto them. 66. Thou wilt pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Jehovah." (Lamentations 3:1-66, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. I am the man that has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. 2. He has led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light. 3. Surely against me he turns his hand again and again all day long. 4. He has made my flesh and my skin old; he has broken my bones. 5. He has built against me, and surrounded me with gall and travail. 6. He has made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead. 7. He has walled me about, that I can’t go out; he has made my chain heavy. 8. Yes, when I cry, and call for help, he shuts out my prayer. 9. He has walled up my ways with cut stone; he has made my paths crooked. 10. He is to me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places. 11. He has turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he has made me desolate. 12. He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow. 13. He has caused the shafts of his quiver to enter into my kidneys. 14. I have become a derision to all my people, and their song all day long. 15. He has filled me with bitterness. He has sated me with wormwood. 16. He has also broken my teeth with gravel stones; he has covered me with ashes. 17. You have removed my soul far off from peace; I forgot prosperity. 18. I said, “My strength has perished, along with my expectation from Yahweh.” 19. Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. 20. My soul still remembers them, and is bowed down within me. 21. This I recall to my mind; therefore I have hope. 22. It is because of Yahweh’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion doesn’t fail. 23. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24. “Yahweh is my portion,” says my soul. “Therefore I will hope in him.” 25. Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. 26. It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Yahweh. 27. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. 28. Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he has laid it on him. 29. Let him put his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope. 30. Let him give his cheek to him who strikes him; let him be filled full with reproach. 31. For the Lord will not cast off forever. 32. For though he cause grief, yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses. 33. For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. 34. To crush under foot 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 doesn’t approve. 37. Who is he who says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord doesn’t command it? 38. Doesn’t evil and good come out of the mouth of the Most High? 39. Why does a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? 40. Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Yahweh. 41. Let us lift up our heart with our hands to God in the heavens. 42. “We have transgressed and have rebelled. You have not pardoned. 43. “You have covered us with anger and pursued us. You have killed. You have not pitied. 44. You have covered yourself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through. 45. You have made us an off-scouring and refuse in the middle of the peoples. 46. “All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us. 47. Terror and the pit have come on us, devastation and destruction.” 48. My eye runs down with streams of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people. 49. My eye pours down, and doesn’t cease, without any intermission, 50. until Yahweh looks down, and sees from heaven. 51. My eye affects my soul, because of all the daughters of my city. 52. They have chased me relentlessly like a bird, those who are my enemies without cause. 53. They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone on me. 54. Waters flowed over my head; I said, I am cut off. 55. I called on your name, Yahweh, out of the lowest dungeon. 56. You heard my voice: “Don’t hide your ear from my sighing, and my cry.” 57. You came near in the day that I called on you; you said, “Don’t be afraid.” 58. Lord, you have pleaded the causes of my soul; you have redeemed my life. 59. Yahweh, you have seen my wrong. Judge my cause. 60. You have seen all their vengeance and all their devices against me. 61. You have heard their reproach, Yahweh, and all their devices against me, 62. The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all day long. 63. You see their sitting down and their rising up; I am their song. 64. You will render to them a recompense, Yahweh, according to the work of their hands. 65. You will give them hardness of heart, your curse to them. 66. You will pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Yahweh." (Lamentations 3:1-66, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. 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. ^{arrows: Heb. sons} 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. ^{bitterness: Heb. bitternesses} 16. He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes. ^{covered: or, rolled me in the ashes} 17. And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity. ^{prosperity: Heb. good} 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. ^{Remembering: or, Remember} 20. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. ^{humbled: Heb. bowed} 21. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. ^{recall: Heb. make to return to my heart} 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. ^{willingly: Heb. from his heart} 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, ^{the most High: or, a superior} 36. To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not. ^{approveth not: or, seeth 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? ^{complain: or, murmur} 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. ^{mine heart: Heb. my soul} ^{because: or, more than all} 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. ^{sorrow: or, obstinacy of heart} 66. Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD." (Lamentations 3:1-66, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. I [am] the man [who] hath seen affliction By the rod of His wrath. 2. Me He hath led, and causeth to go [in] darkness, and without light. 3. Surely against me He turneth back, He turneth His hand all the day. 4. He hath worn out my flesh and my skin. He hath broken my bones. 5. He hath built up against me, And setteth round poverty and weariness. 6. In dark places He hath caused me to dwell, As the dead of old. 7. He hath hedged me about, and I go not out, He hath made heavy my fetter. 8. Also when I call and cry out, He hath shut out my prayer. 9. He hath hedged my ways with hewn work, My paths He hath made crooked. 10. A bear lying in wait He [is] to me, A lion in secret hiding-places. 11. My ways He is turning aside, and He pulleth me in pieces, He hath made me a desolation. 12. He hath trodden His bow, And setteth me up as a mark for an arrow. 13. He hath caused to enter into my reins The sons of His quiver. 14. I have been a derision to all my people, Their song all the day. 15. He hath filled me with bitter things, He hath filled me [with] wormwood. 16. And He breaketh with gravel my teeth, He hath covered me with ashes. 17. And Thou castest off from peace my soul, I have forgotten prosperity. 18. And I say, Perished hath my strength and my hope from Jehovah. 19. Remember my affliction and my mourning, Wormwood and gall! 20. Remember well, and bow down doth my soul in me. 21. This I turn to my heart, therefore I hope. 22. The kindnesses of Jehovah! For we have not been consumed, For not ended have His mercies. 23. New every morning, abundant [is] thy faithfulness. 24. My portion [is] Jehovah, hath my soul said, Therefore I hope for Him. 25. Good [is] Jehovah to those waiting for Him, To the soul [that] seeketh Him. 26. Good! when one doth stay and stand still For the salvation of Jehovah. 27. Good for a man that he beareth a yoke in his youth. 28. He sitteth alone, and is silent, For He hath laid [it] upon him. 29. He putteth in the dust his mouth, if so be there is hope. 30. He giveth to his smiter the cheek, He is filled with reproach. 31. For the Lord doth not cast off to the age. 32. For though He afflicted, yet He hath pitied, According to the abundance of His kindness. 33. For He hath not afflicted with His heart, Nor doth He grieve the sons of men. 34. To bruise under one's feet any bound ones of earth, 35. To turn aside the judgment of a man, Over-against the face of the Most High, 36. To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord hath not approved. 37. Who [is] this, he hath said, and it is, [And] the Lord hath not commanded [it]? 38. From the mouth of the Most High Go not forth the evils and the good. 39. What, sigh habitually doth a living man, A man for his sin? 40. We search our ways, and investigate, And turn back unto Jehovah. 41. We lift up our heart on the hands unto God in the heavens. 42. We, we have transgressed and rebelled, Thou, Thou hast not forgiven. 43. Thou hast covered Thyself with anger, And dost pursue us; Thou hast slain, Thou hast not pitied. 44. Thou hast covered Thyself with a cloud, So that prayer doth not pass through. 45. Offscouring and refuse Thou dost make us In the midst of the peoples. 46. Opened against us their mouth have all our enemies. 47. Fear and a snare hath been for us, Desolation and destruction. 48. Rivulets of water go down my eye, For the destruction of the daughter of my people. 49. Mine eye is poured out, And doth not cease without intermission, 50. Till Jehovah looketh and seeth from the heavens, 51. My eye affecteth my soul, Because of all the daughters of my city. 52. Hunted me sore as a bird have my enemies without cause. 53. They have cut off in a pit my life, And they cast a stone against me. 54. Flowed have waters over my head, I have said, I have been cut off. 55. I called Thy name, O Jehovah, from the lower pit. 56. My voice Thou hast heard, Hide not Thine ear at my breathing, at my cry. 57. Thou hast drawn near in the day I call Thee, Thou hast said, Fear not. 58. Thou hast pleaded, O Lord, the pleadings of my soul, Thou hast redeemed my life. 59. Thou hast seen, O Jehovah, my overthrow, Judge Thou my cause. 60. Thou hast seen all their vengeance, All their thoughts of me. 61. Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, All their thoughts against me, 62. The lips of my withstanders, Even their meditation against me all the day. 63. Their sitting down, and their rising up, Behold attentively, I [am] their song. 64. Thou returnest to them the deed, O Jehovah, According to the work of their hands. 65. Thou givest to them a covered heart, Thy curse to them. 66. Thou pursuest in anger, and destroyest them, From under the heavens of Jehovah!" (Lamentations 3:1-66, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: TBD
Audience: TBD
Location: TBD
Time period: TBD

Theological reading

Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

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Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.