Lamentations 3

Great(i) 1 I am the man, that (thorowe the rodd of hys wrath) haue experience of misery. 2 He droue me forth, and led me: yee, into darckenesse, but not into lyght. 3 Agaynst me onely he turneth hys hande, and layeth it euer vpon me. 4 My fleshe and my skynne hath he made olde, & my bones hath he brused. 5 He hath buylded rounde aboute me, and closed me in with gall and trauayle. 6 He hath sett me in darckenes, as they that be deed for euer. 7 He hath so hedged me in, that I cannot get out, and hath layed heuy lynckes vpon me. 8 Though I crye and call pyteously, yet heareth he not my prayer. 9 He hath stopped vp my wayes with foure squared stones, and made my pathes croked. 10 He layeth wayte for me lyke a Beare, and as a lyon in a hole. 11 He hath marred my wayes, and broken me in peces, he hath layed me waste altogether. 12 He hath bent hys bowe, & made me as it were a marck to shut at: 13 The arowes of his quyuer hath he shot euen into myne reynes. 14 I am laughed to scorne of all my people, they make songes vpon me all the daye longe. 15 He hath fylled me with bitternes, and geuen me wormwod to dryncke. 16 He hath smitten my teth in peces with stones, and rolled me in the dust. 17 He hath put my soule out of rest, I forget all good thynges. 18 I thought in my selfe: I am vndone, there is no hope for me in the Lorde. 19 O remembre yet my misery and my trouble, the wormwod and the gall. 20 Yee, thou shalt remembre them, for my soule melteth awaye in me. 21 Whyle I consydre these thynges in my herte, I get a hope agayne. 22 Namely, it is of the Lordes mercyes that we are not, vtterly consumed. For trulye hys pytefull compassion hath not ceassed. 23 Newe mercyes shall the Lorde shewe vpon the, erly, yee in the daye sprynge, (O Lorde) greate is thy faythfulnesse. 24 The Lorde is my porcyon, sayeth my soule, therfore wyll I hope in him. 25 O how good is the Lorde vnto them, that put theyr trust in hym, and to the soule that seketh after hym? 26 The good man with stylnes and pacience tarieth, for the health of the Lorde. 27 O howe good is it for a man, to take the yock vpon him from his youth vp. 28 He sytteth alone, he holdeth hym still, and dwelleth quyetly by him selfe. 29 He laieth hys face vpon the earth, yf (percase) there happen to be eny hope. 30 He offreth his cheke to the smyter, he wyll be content with reproues. 31 For the Lorde wyll not forsake for euer, 32 but though he punyshe hym: yet according to the multitude of his mercyes, he receaueth to grace agayne: 33 For he doth not plage & cast out the children of men from his herte. 34 To treade all the presoners of the earth vnder his fete. 35 To moue the iudgement of man before the most hyghest. 36 To condempne a man in hys cause. The Lorde hath not pleasure in soche thynges. 37 What is he then that saieth: there shulde somthinge be done without the Lordes commaundement. 38 Out of the mouth of the moost hyghest goeth not euell and good? 39 Wherfore then murmureth the lyuynge man? let him murmure at his awne synne. 40 Let vs loke, well vpon our awne wayes and remembre oure selues, and turne againe to the Lorde. 41 Let vs lyfte vp oure hertes with oure handes vnto the Lorde that is in heauen. 42 We haue bene dissemblers, and haue offended, wylt thou therfore not be intreaded? 43 Thou hast couered vs in thy wrath, and persecuted vs, thou hast slayne vs without any fauoure. 44 Thou hast hyd thy selfe in a cloude, that oure prayer shuld not go thorowe. 45 Thou hast made vs out castes, and to be despysed amonge the people. 46 All oure enemyes gape vpon vs. 47 Feare and pytt is come vpon vs, yee, deceyte and destruccion. 48 Whole ryuers of water gushe oute of myne eyes, for the greate hurte of my people. 49 Myne eyes runne, and cannot ceasse, for there is no rest. 50 O Lorde, when wylt thou loke downe from heauen, and consydre? 51 Myne eye breaketh my herte: because of all the daughters of my cyte. 52 Myne enemies hunted me out sharpely, lyke a byrde, yee, and that without a cause. 53 They haue put downe my life into a pytt, & they haue cast stones vpon me. 54 They poured water vpon my heade, then thought I: nowe am I vndone. 55 I called vpon thy name, O Lord, out of the depe pyt. 56 Thou hast herde my voyce: and hast not turned awaye thyne eares fro my syghthynge and cryenge. 57 Thou hast enclyned thy selfe vnto me, when I called vpon the, and haste sayde: feare not. 58 Thou (O Lorde) hast mayntened the cause of my soule, and hast redemed my lyfe. 59 O Lorde thou hast sene my blasphemers, take thou my cause vpon the. 60 Thou hast well consydred howe they go aboute to do me harme, & that all their councels are agaynst me. 61 Thou hast heard their despytefull wordes (O Lorde) yee, and all theyr ymaginacyons agaynst me. 62 The lyppes of myne enemyes, and theyr deuices that they take agaynst me, all the daye longe. 63 Thou seyst also theyr syttinge downe, and theyr rysinge vp: they make theyr songes of nothynge but of me. 64 Rewarde them (O Lorde) accordynge to the worckes of theyr handes, 65 Geue them an obstinate herte: euen thy curse. 66 Persecute them (O Lorde) with thyne indignacyon, and rote them out from vnder the heauen.