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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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