Three

Lamentations Recounts Of G-d’s True Character And Nature

There is hope of forgiveness, if one repents and returns to Hashem.

To the enemies, may curse be upon them.
_____________

“G-d’s Decrees And His Mercies”

I have become a laughingstock to all my people; object of their jibes all day long.
3:14
And I said, “Lost is my strength and my expectation from Hashem.”
:18
Hashem’s kindness surely has not ended, nor are His mercies exhausted.
They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness!
:22-23
“Hashem is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I have hope in Him.”
:24
Hashem is good to those who trust in Him; to the soul that seeks Him.
:25
It is good to hope silently for Hashem’s salvation.
:26
For the Lord does not reject forever; He first afflicts, then pities, according to His abundant kindness.
:31-32
to wrong a man in his conflict; the Lord does not approve.
:36
Whose decree was ever fulfilled, if the Lord did not ordain it?
:37
Of what shall a living man complain? A man for his sins!
:39
Let us search and examine our ways and return to Hashem.
:40
Let us lift our hearts with our hands to God in heaven.
:41
We have transgressed and rebelled; You have not forgiven.
:42
You wrapped Yourself in a cloud that prayer cannot pierce.
:44
You made us filth and refuse among the nations.
:45
My eye will flow and will not cease — without relief —
until Hashem looks down and takes notice from heaven.
:49-50
I have been constantly ensnared like a bird by my enemies without cause.
:52
I called on Your name, Hashem, from the depths of the pit.
:55
You have heard my voice; do not shut Your ear to (my prayer for) my relief, to my cry.
:56
Give them a broken heart; may Your curse be upon them!
:65

“G-d’s Decrees And His Mercies”

I have become a laughingstock to all my people; object of their jibes all day long.
3:14
And I said, “Lost is my strength and my expectation from Hashem.”
:18
Hashem’s kindness surely has not ended, nor are His mercies exhausted.
They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness!
:22-23
“Hashem is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I have hope in Him.”
:24
Hashem is good to those who trust in Him; to the soul that seeks Him.
:25
It is good to hope silently for Hashem’s salvation.
:26
For the Lord does not reject forever; He first afflicts, then pities, according to His abundant kindness.
:31-32
to wrong a man in his conflict; the Lord does not approve.
:36
Whose decree was ever fulfilled, if the Lord did not ordain it?
:37
Of what shall a living man complain? A man for his sins!
:39
Let us search and examine our ways and return to Hashem.
:40
Let us lift our hearts with our hands to God in heaven.
:41
We have transgressed and rebelled; You have not forgiven.
:42
You wrapped Yourself in a cloud that prayer cannot pierce.
:44
You made us filth and refuse among the nations.
:45
My eye will flow and will not cease — without relief —
until Hashem looks down and takes notice from heaven.
:49-50
I have been constantly ensnared like a bird by my enemies without cause.
:52
I called on Your name, Hashem, from the depths of the pit.
:55
You have heard my voice; do not shut Your ear to (my prayer for) my relief, to my cry.
:56
Give them a broken heart; may Your curse be upon them!
:65

1 I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of His wrath.
2 He has led me and made me walk [in] darkness and not [in] light.
3 Only against me would He repeatedly turn His hand the whole day long.
4 He has made my flesh and my skin waste away [and] has broken my bones.
5 He has built up [camps of siege] against me, and encompassed [me with] gall and travail.
6 He has made me dwell in darkness like those who are forever dead.
7 He has fenced me in, so that I cannot get out; He has made my chains heavy.
8 Though I cry out and plead, He shuts out my prayer.
9 He has walled up my roads with hewn stones, He has made my paths crooked.
10 He is to me a bear lying in wait, a lion in hiding.
11 He scattered thorns on my ways, He caused me to spread my legs apart, and made me desolate.
12 He bent His bow and set me up as a target for the arrow.
13 He has caused the arrows of His quiver to enter into my reins.
14 I have become the laughing stock of all my people, their song [of derision] all day long.
15 He has filled me with bitterness; He has sated me with wormwood.
16 Indeed, He has made my teeth grind on gravel, and caused me to wallow in ashes.
17 And my soul is far removed from peace, I have forgotten [what] goodness [is].
18 So I said, “Gone is my life, and my expectation from the Lord.”
19 Remember my affliction and my misery, wormwood and gall.
20 My soul well remembers and is bowed down within me.
21 This I reply to my heart; therefore I have hope.
22 Verily, the kindnesses of the Lord never cease! Indeed, His mercies never fail!
23 They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul; “therefore I will hope in Him.”
25 The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him.
26 It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
27 It is good for a man that he bear a yoke in his youth.
28 Let him sit solitary and wait, for He has laid [it] upon him.
29 Let him put his mouth into the dust; there may yet be hope.
30 Let him offer his cheek to his smiter; let him be filled with reproach.
31 For the Lord will not cast [him] off forever.
32 Though he cause grief, He will yet have compassion according to the abundance of His kindness.
33 For He does not willingly afflict or grieve the sons of man.
34 [Or] crush under His feet all the prisoners of the earth.
35 [Or] turn aside the right of a man in the presence of the Most High.
36 To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord does not approve.
37 Who has commanded and it came to pass, unless the Lord ordained it?
38 [And] by the command of the Most High, neither good nor evil come.
39 Why should a living man complain? A man for his sins.
40 Let us search and examine our ways, and let us return to the Lord.
41 Let us lift up our hearts to our hands, to God in heaven.
42 We have rebelled and have been disobedient; You have not forgiven.
43 You have enveloped Yourself with anger and pursued us; You have slain without mercy.
44 You have enveloped Yourself in a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.
45 You make us as scum and refuse among the peoples.
46 All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.
47 We had terror and pitfalls, desolation and ruin.
48 My eyes shed torrents of water over the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 My eye streams and is not silent, without respite.
50 Till the Lord looks down from the heavens and beholds.
51 My eye sullies my soul more than all the daughters of my city.
52 My enemies have hunted me like a bird, without cause.
53 They have confined my life in the dungeon and have cast a stone upon me.
54 Water flowed over my head; I thought, “I am cut off.”
55 I called on Your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit.
56 You did hear my voice; hide not Your ear from my sighing [or] from my crying.
57 You did draw near when I called on You; You did say, “Do not fear.”
58 You did plead my cause, O Lord; You did redeem my life.
59 You have seen wrong done to me, O Lord; judge my cause.
60 You have seen all their [acts of] vengeance, all their devices against me.
61 You have heard their insults, O Lord, all their plots against me.
62 The utterances of my assailants and their thoughts are against me all day long.
63 Behold their sitting down and their rising; I am their song [of derision].
64 Requite them, O Lord, according to the work of their hands.
65 Give them a weakness of heart; may Your curse be upon them.
66 Pursue them in anger and destroy them from under the heavens of the Lord.