Lamentations 3

I AM the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

I am the one who has personally experienced the harsh sting of his anger.

He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.

He guided me, leading me into shadows, yet not towards the brightness.

Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.

He is certainly against me, constantly turning his hand against me.

My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.

He has aged my body and skin; He has shattered my bones.

He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.

He has constructed barriers against me, surrounding me with bitterness and hardship.

He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.

He has placed me in shadows, like those long forgotten in death.

He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.

I feel trapped, unable to escape; the burden he's placed on me is overwhelming.

Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.

Even when I weep and scream, it feels like my prayers are ignored.

He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.

He has trapped me with walls of stone, making my journey twisted and difficult.

He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.

He felt to me like a hidden bear, ready to pounce, or a secret lion, lurking unseen.

He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.

He has diverted my path, torn me apart, and left me feeling utterly alone.

He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

He has drawn his bow, aiming directly at me with his arrow.

He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.

He has deeply pierced my heart with his arrows.

I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.

My people mocked me relentlessly, their taunts were their daily hymn.

He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.

He has overwhelmed me with sorrow, he has intoxicated me with deep anguish.

He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.

He has shattered my strength like pebbles, and cloaked me in a veil of despair.

And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.

You've pushed my spirit far from tranquility; I've forgotten what prosperity feels like.

And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:

I cried out, "I feel weak and hopeless, as if God has abandoned me."

Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

Recalling my pain and sorrow, the bitterness and poison in my life.

My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

I vividly remember them, and my heart is humbled.

This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

Remembering this fills my heart, and so, I find hope.

It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

We are saved from destruction only by God's unending kindness and unfailing love.

They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

His mercies are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

My soul declares, God is all I need; thus, I place my hope in Him.

The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

God showers kindness on those who patiently trust in Him, and blesses the hearts that earnestly search for Him.

It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

It's beautiful when someone patiently and peacefully anticipates the Lord's rescue with a hopeful heart.

It is good for a man that he bear the yoke of his youth.

It's beneficial for a person to carry the responsibilities of their youth.

He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.

He sits alone, quietly enduring his burdens in solitude.

He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.

He humbly bows his head to the ground, clinging to the possibility of hope.

He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.

He willingly turns his face to those who strike him, absorbing their scorn without retaliation.

For the LORD will not cast off for ever:

God will never abandon us forever; His love is eternal.

But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

Even if he brings sorrow, he will show immense kindness due to his boundless mercy.

For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

God doesn't intentionally cause pain or sorrow to people, it's not in His nature.

To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth.

To liberate all those held captive on this earth with a firm, compassionate step.

To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,

To deny a person's rights in the presence of God,

To subvert a man in his cause, the LORD approveth not.

God doesn't support undermining someone's purpose or mission.

Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?

Who can make things happen if it's not God's will?

Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?

From the lips of the Almighty, only goodness flows, not evil.

Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?

Why should a man, still blessed with life, grumble about the consequences of his own mistakes?

Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.

Let's examine our actions, correct our mistakes, and return to God with a humble heart.

Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.

Let's raise our hearts and hands, reaching out to our God above with love and devotion.

We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.

We've messed up and defied you, yet you haven't forgiven us.

Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.

You've cloaked yourself in fury, relentlessly pursuing us. You've taken lives without showing mercy.

Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.

You've wrapped yourself in a fog, blocking our prayers from reaching you.

Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.

You've reduced us to being seen as worthless and discarded among the people.

All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.

Every foe we have is speaking ill of us.

Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.

We are gripped by fear and trapped, surrounded by desolation and ruin.

Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

Tears flood my eyes, mourning the devastation of my people.

Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission.

My tears flow endlessly, without a moment's pause.

Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.

Until the LORD gazes upon us, observing from the heavens.

Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.

My heart aches as I watch the suffering of the young women in my city.

Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.

My foes pursued me relentlessly, innocent as a bird, for no reason at all.

They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.

They've ended my existence in this dark prison, throwing a stone over me.

Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.

Overwhelmed by a flood of despair, I felt utterly abandoned.

I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.

In my darkest hour, I cried out to you, O LORD, from the depths of despair.

Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.

You've heard my call, please don't ignore my sighs and my desperate pleas.

Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.

When I reached out to you in my time of need, you came close and comforted me, saying, "Don't be afraid."

O LORD, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.

My Lord, you've passionately defended my spirit; you've saved my life.

O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.

Lord, you've witnessed my mistakes; please, defend my case.

Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.

You've witnessed every act of revenge and every plot they've schemed against me.

Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me;

You've heard their insults, Lord, and all their plans against me.

The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.

Those who oppose me constantly plot against me, their words filled with deceit and malice.

Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.

Watch them as they rest and as they rise; I am the melody that guides their lives.

Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.

Lord, repay them for their actions, based on what they've done.

Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.

Fill their hearts with sadness, let them feel your displeasure.

Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.

In the Lord's righteous fury, let them be driven and eradicated from beneath His divine skies.