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The Lamentations of Jeremiah, Chapter 3
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1 |
I AM the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
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2 |
He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
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3 |
Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all
the day.
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4 |
My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
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5 |
He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and
travail.
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6 |
He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
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7 |
He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my
chain heavy.
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8 |
Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
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9 |
He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths
crooked.
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10 |
He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret
places.
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11 |
He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath
made me desolate.
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12 |
He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
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13 |
He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
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14 |
I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
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15 |
He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with
wormwood.
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16 |
He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered
me with ashes.
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17 |
And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat
prosperity.
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18 |
And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:
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19 |
Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the
gall.
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20 |
My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
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21 |
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
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22 |
It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his
compassions fail not.
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23 |
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
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24 |
The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in
him.
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25 |
The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that
seeketh him.
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26 |
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the
salvation of the LORD.
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27 |
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke of his youth.
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28 |
He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it
upon him.
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29 |
He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
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30 |
He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full
with reproach.
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31 |
For the LORD will not cast off for ever:
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32 |
But though he causegrief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his
mercies.
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33 |
For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
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34 |
To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth.
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35 |
To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most
High,
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36 |
To subvert a man in his cause, the LORD approveth not.
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37 |
Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord
commandeth it not?
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38 |
Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth
not evil and good?
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39 |
Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man
for the punishment of his sins?
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40 |
Let us search and try our ways,
and turn again to the LORD.
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41 |
Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
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42 |
We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.
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43 |
Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain,
thou hast not pitied.
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44 |
Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should
not pass through.
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45 |
Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of
the people.
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46 |
All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
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47 |
Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.
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48 |
Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of
the daughter of my people.
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49 |
Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any
intermission.
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50 |
Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.
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51 |
Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my
city.
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52 |
Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.
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53 |
They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon
me.
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54 |
Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.
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55 |
I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.
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56 |
Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at
my cry.
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57 |
Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou
saidst, Fear not.
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58 |
O LORD, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast
redeemed my life.
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59 |
O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.
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60 |
Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations
against me.
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61 |
Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their
imaginations against me;
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62 |
The lips of those that rose up against
me, and their device against me all the day.
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63 |
Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their
musick.
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64 |
Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of
their hands.
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65 |
Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.
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66 |
Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the
LORD.
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