Lamentations 3:31-56
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 3
31For the Lord will not reject forever, 32For if He causes grief, Then He will have compassion In proportion to His abundant mercy. 33For He does not afflict willingly Or grieve the sons of mankind. 34To crush under one’s feet All the prisoners of the land, 35To deprive a man of justice In the presence of the Most High, 36To defraud someone in his lawsuit— Of these things the Lord does not approve. 37Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, Unless the Lord has commanded it? 38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High That both adversity and good proceed? 39Of what can any living mortal, or any man, Complain in view of his sins? 40Let’s examine and search out our ways, And let’s return to the Lord. 41We raise our heart and hands Toward God in heaven; 42We have done wrong and rebelled; You have not pardoned. 43You have covered Yourself with anger And pursued us; You have slain and have not spared. 44You have veiled Yourself with a cloud So that no prayer can pass through. 45You have made us mere refuse and rubbish In the midst of the peoples. 46All our enemies have opened their mouths against us. 47Panic and pitfall have come upon us, Devastation and destruction; 48My eyes run down with streams of water Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people. 49My eyes flow unceasingly, Without stopping, 50Until the Lord looks down And sees from heaven. 51My eyes bring pain to my soul Because of all the daughters of my city. 52My enemies without reason Hunted me down like a bird; 53They have silenced me in the pit And have thrown stones on me. 54Waters flowed over my head; I said, 'I am cut off!' 55I called on Your name, Lord, Out of the lowest pit. 56You have heard my voice, 'Do not cover Your ear from my plea for relief, From my cry for help.'King James Version
Chapter 3
31For the Lord will not cast off for ever: 32But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. 33For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. 34To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth, 35To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High, 36To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.
37Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
38Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
39Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
40Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
41Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
42We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.
43Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
44Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.
45Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.
46All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
47Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.
48Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
50Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.
51Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.
52Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.
53They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.
54Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 3
31For the Lord will not reject us forever. 32Even if he causes suffering, he will show compassion according to the abundance of his faithful love. 33For he does not enjoy bringing affliction or suffering on mankind. 34Crushing all the prisoners of the land beneath one's feet, 35denying justice to a man in the presence of the Most High, 36or subverting a person in his lawsuit -- the Lord does not approve of these things. 37Who is there who speaks and it happens, unless the Lord has ordained it? 38Do not both adversity and good come from the mouth of the Most High? 39Why should any living person complain, any man, because of the punishment for his sins? 40Let's examine and probe our ways, and turn back to the Lord. 41Let's lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven: 42"We have sinned and rebelled; you have not forgiven. 43"You have covered yourself in anger and pursued us; you have killed without compassion. 44You have covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through. 45You have made us disgusting filth among the peoples. 46"All our enemies open their mouths against us. 47We have experienced panic and pitfall, devastation and destruction." 48My eyes flow with streams of tears because of the destruction of my dear people. 49My eyes overflow unceasingly, without end, 50until the Lord looks down from heaven and sees. 51My eyes bring me grief because of the fate of all the women in my city. 52For no reason, my enemies hunted me like a bird. 53They smothered my life in a pit and threw stones on me. 54Water flooded over my head, and I thought, "I'm going to die! " 55I called on your name, Lord, from the depths of the pit. 56You heard my plea: Do not ignore my cry for relief.New Living Translation
Chapter 3
31For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever. 32Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. 33For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.
34If people crush underfoot all the prisoners of the land,
35if they deprive others of their rights in defiance of the Most High,
36if they twist justice in the courts — doesn’t the Lord see all these things?
37Who can command things to happen without the Lord’s permission?
38Does not the Most High send both calamity and good?
39Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins?
40Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord.
41Let us lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven and say,
42'We have sinned and rebelled, and you have not forgiven us.
43'You have engulfed us with your anger, chased us down, and slaughtered us without mercy.
44You have hidden yourself in a cloud so our prayers cannot reach you.
45You have discarded us as refuse and garbage among the nations.
46'All our enemies have spoken out against us.
47We are filled with fear, for we are trapped, devastated, and ruined.'
48Tears stream from my eyes because of the destruction of my people!
49My tears flow endlessly; they will not stop
50until the Lord looks down from heaven and sees.
51My heart is breaking over the fate of all the women of Jerusalem.
English Standard Version
Chapter 3
31For the Lord will not cast off forever, 32but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; 33for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men. 34To crush underfoot all the prisoners of the earth, 35to deny a man justice in the presence of the Most High, 36to subvert a man in his lawsuit, the Lord does not approve. 37Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? 38Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come? 39Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins? 40Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD! 41Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven: 42“We have transgressed and rebelled, and you have not forgiven. 43“You have wrapped yourself with anger and pursued us, killing without pity; 44you have wrapped yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can pass through. 45You have made us scum and garbage among the peoples. 46“All our enemies open their mouths against us; 47panic and pitfall have come upon us, devastation and destruction; 48my eyes flow with rivers of tears because of the destruction of the daughter of my people. 49“My eyes will flow without ceasing, without respite, 50until the LORD from heaven looks down and sees; 51my eyes cause me grief at the fate of all the daughters of my city. 52“I have been hunted like a bird by those who were my enemies without cause; 53they flung me alive into the pit and cast stones on me; 54water closed over my head; I said, ‘I am lost.’ 55“I called on your name, O LORD, from the depths of the pit; 56you heard my plea, ‘Do not close your ear to my cry for help!’New International Version
Chapter 3
31For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. 32Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.
33For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.
34To crush underfoot all prisoners in the land,
35to deny people their rights before the Most High,
36to deprive them of justice-- would not the Lord see such things?
37Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it?
38Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?
39Why should the living complain when punished for their sins?
40Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.
41Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven, and say:
42We have sinned and rebelled and you have not forgiven.
43You have covered yourself with anger and pursued us; you have slain without pity.
44You have covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through.
45You have made us scum and refuse among the nations.
46All our enemies have opened their mouths wide against us.
47We have suffered terror and pitfalls, ruin and destruction.'
48Streams of tears flow from my eyes because my people are destroyed.
49My eyes will flow unceasingly, without relief,
50until the LORD looks down from heaven and sees.
New King James Version
