dren and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city. [1] 12 They say to their mothers, Where is grain and wine? when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mothers’ bosom. 13 What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee? 14 Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not revealed thy iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment. 15 All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and shake their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth? [2] 16 All thy enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it . 17 The LORD hath done that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he hath thrown down, and hath not pitied: and he hath caused thy enemy to rejoice over thee, he hath set up the horn of thy adversaries. 18 Their heart cried to the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night: give thyself no rest; let not the apple of thy eye cease. 19 Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thy heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger at the head of every street. 20 Behold, O LORD, and consider to whom thou hast done this. Shall the women eat their fruit, children of a span long? shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord? [3] 21 The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets: my virgins and my young men have fallen by the sword; thou hast slain them in the day of thy anger; thou hast killed, and not pitied. 22 Thou hast called as in a solemn day my terrors on every side, so that in the day of the LORD’S anger none escaped nor remained: those that I have swaddled and brought up hath my enemy consumed.
CHAP. 3.
I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
2 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
3 Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
4 My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
5 He hath besieged me, and surrounded me with gall and travail.
6 He hath set me in dark places, as they that are dead of old.
7 He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
8 Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
9 He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
10 He was to me as a bear lying in wait, and 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. [4]
14 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
15 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunk with wormwood. [5]
16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes. [6]
17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgot prosperity. [7]
18 And I said, My strength and my hope hath perished from the LORD:
19 Remembering my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. [8]
20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. [9]
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. [10]
22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25 The LORD is good to them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
27 It is good for a man that he should bear the yoke in his youth.
28 He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
29 He putteth his mouth in the dust; if there may be hope.
30 He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
31 For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
32 But though he causeth 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. [11]
- ↑ swoon: or, faint
- ↑ by: Heb. by the way
- ↑ of a span...: or, swaddled with their hands?
- ↑ arrows: Heb. sons
- ↑ bitterness: Heb. bitternesses
- ↑ covered...: or, rolled me in the ashes
- ↑ prosperity: Heb. good
- ↑ Remembering: or, Remember
- ↑ humbled: Heb. bowed
- ↑ recall...: Heb. make to return to my heart
- ↑ willingly: Heb. from his heart
