Chapter 3
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 worn out; 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 hedged 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 enclosed 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 arrows 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
made me to wallow in ashes.
17 And my soul is removed far off from peace, I forgot
prosperity.
18 And I said: 'My strength is perished, and mine expectation
from HaShem.'
19 Remember mine affliction and mine anguish, 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 Surely HaShem'S mercies are not consumed, surely His
compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness.
24 'The HaShem is my portion', saith my soul; 'Therefore will
I hope in Him.'
25 HaShem is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul
that seeketh Him.
26 It is good that a man should quietly wait for the
salvation of HaShem.
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 L-rd will not cast off for ever.
32 For 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 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 L-rd approveth not.
37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the L-rd
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 strong man because
of his sins?
40 Let us search and try our ways, and return to HaShem.
41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto G-d 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 unsparingly.
44 Thou hast covered Thyself with a cloud, so that no prayer
can pass through.
45 Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the
midst of the peoples.
46 All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.
47 Terror and the pit are come upon us, desolation and
destruction.
48 Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water, for the breach
of the daughter of my people.
49 Mine eye is poured out, and ceaseth not, without any
intermission,
50 Till HaShem look forth, and behold from heaven.
51 Mine eye affected my soul, because of all the daughters of
my city.
52 They have chased me sore like a bird, that are mine
enemies without cause.
53 They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast
stones upon me.
54 Waters flowed over my head; I said: 'I am cut off.'
55 I called upon Thy name, O HaShem, Out of the lowest
dungeon.
56 Thou heardest my voice; hide not Thine ear at my sighing,
at my cry.
57 Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon Thee; Thou
saidst: 'Fear not.'
58 O L-rd, Thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; Thou hast
redeemed my life.
59 O HaShem, 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 taunt, O HaShem, and all their
devices against me;
62 The lips of those that rose up against me, and their
muttering 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 HaShem,
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 HaShem.
Sources: Portions copyright © 1997 by Benyamin Pilant, All Rights Reserved
JPS Electronic Edition Copyright © 1998 by Larry Nelson, All Rights Reserved
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