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Lamentations 3:17-41
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Lamentations 3:17-41
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
17 my soul is bereft of peace;
I have forgotten what happiness is;
18 so I say, “Gone is my glory
and all that I had hoped for from the Lord.”
19 The thought of my affliction and my homelessness
is wormwood and gall!(A)
20 My soul continually thinks of it
and is bowed down within me.(B)
21 But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,[a]
his mercies never come to an end;(C)
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.(D)
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”(E)
25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul that seeks him.(F)
26 It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.(G)
27 It is good for one to bear
the yoke in youth,(H)
28 to sit alone in silence
when the Lord[b] has imposed it,(I)
29 to put one’s mouth to the dust
(there may yet be hope),
30 to give one’s cheek to the smiter
and be filled with insults.(J)
31 For the Lord will not
reject forever.(K)
32 Although he causes grief, he will have compassion
according to the abundance of his steadfast love;(L)
33 for he does not willingly afflict
or grieve anyone.(M)
34 When all the prisoners of the land
are crushed under foot,
35 when justice is perverted
in the presence of the Most High,(N)
36 when one’s case is subverted—
does the Lord not see it?(O)
37 Who can command and have it done,
if the Lord has not ordained it?(P)
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that evil and good come?(Q)
39 Why should any who draw breath complain
about the punishment of their sins?(R)
40 Let us test and examine our ways
and return to the Lord.(S)
41 Let us lift up our hearts as well as our hands
to God in heaven.(T)
Lamentations 3:17-41
New International Version
Lamentations 3:17-41
New International Version
17 I have been deprived of peace;
I have forgotten what prosperity is.
18 So I say, “My splendor is gone
and all that I had hoped from the Lord.”(A)
19 I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness(B) and the gall.(C)
20 I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast(D) within me.(E)
21 Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
22 Because of the Lord’s great love(F) we are not consumed,(G)
for his compassions never fail.(H)
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.(I)
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;(J)
therefore I will wait for him.”
25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;(K)
26 it is good to wait quietly(L)
for the salvation of the Lord.(M)
27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke
while he is young.
28 Let him sit alone in silence,(N)
for the Lord has laid it on him.
29 Let him bury his face in the dust(O)—
there may yet be hope.(P)
30 Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him,(Q)
and let him be filled with disgrace.(R)
31 For no one is cast off
by the Lord forever.(S)
32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
so great is his unfailing love.(T)
33 For he does not willingly bring affliction
or grief to anyone.(U)
34 To crush underfoot
all prisoners in the land,
35 to deny people their rights
before the Most High,(V)
36 to deprive them of justice—
would not the Lord see such things?(W)
Lamentations 3:17-41
King James Version
Lamentations 3:17-41
King James Version
17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
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.
20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
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.
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,
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 proceedeth 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 the Lord.
41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
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New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
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