Lamentations 3:21-46
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 3
21I recall this to my mind, Therefore I wait. 22 The Lord’S acts of mercy indeed do not end, For His compassions do not fail. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 24'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'Therefore I wait for Him.' 25The Lord is good to those who await Him, To the person who seeks Him. 26 It is good that he waits silently For the salvation of the Lord. 27 It is good for a man to bear The yoke in his youth. 28Let him sit alone and keep quiet, Since He has laid it on him. 29Let him put his mouth in the dust; Perhaps there is hope. 30Let him give his cheek to the one who is going to strike him; Let him be filled with shame. 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.King James Version
Chapter 3
21This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22It is of the Lord'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
24The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
27It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
28He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
30He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
31For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
33For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
34To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,
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?
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.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 3
21Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope: 22Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. 23They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness! 24I say, "The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in him." 25The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the person who seeks him. 26It is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord. 27It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is still young. 28Let him sit alone and be silent, for God has disciplined him. 29Let him put his mouth in the dust — perhaps there is still hope. 30Let him offer his cheek to the one who would strike him; let him be filled with disgrace. 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 us examine and probe our ways, and turn back to the Lord. 41Let us 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.New Living Translation
22The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.
23Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.
24I say to myself, 'The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!'
25The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him.
26So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.
27And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of his discipline:
28Let them sit alone in silence beneath the Lord’s demands.
29Let them lie face down in the dust, for there may be hope at last.
30Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them and accept the insults of their enemies.
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.
English Standard Version
Chapter 3
21But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: 22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." 25The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. 26 It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. 27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. 28Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him; 29 let him put his mouth in the dust — there may yet be hope; 30 let him give his cheek to the one who strikes, and let him be filled with insults. 31 For the Lord will not cast off forever, 32but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; 33 for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men. 34To crush underfoot all the prisoners of the earth, 35 to deny a man justice in the presence of the Most High, 36to subvert a man in his lawsuit, the Lord does not approve. 37 Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? 38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come? 39 Why 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! 41 Let 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; 44 you have wrapped yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can pass through. 45 You have made us scum and garbage among the peoples. 46 "All our enemies open their mouths against us;New International Version
Chapter 3
21Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
24I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
25The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
26it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
27It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.
28Let him sit alone in silence, for the Lord has laid it on him.
29Let him bury his face in the dust— there may yet be hope.
30Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace.
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:
New King James Version