Chapter 3

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

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  He hath led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light.  

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  Surely against me he turneth his hand again and again all the day.  

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

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

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  He hath made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.  

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  He hath walled me about, that I cannot go forth; he hath made my chain heavy.  

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  Yea, when I cry, and call for help, he shutteth out my prayer.  

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  He hath walled up my ways with hewn stone; he hath made my paths crooked.  

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

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

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

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

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  I am become a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.  

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  He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath sated me with wormwood.  

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

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

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  And I said, My strength is perished, and mine expectation from Jehovah.  

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

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  My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is bowed down within me.  

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

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  [It is of] Jehovah's lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  

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  They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.  

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

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

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

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

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  Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he hath laid it upon him.  

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  Let him put his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope.  

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  Let him give his cheek to him that smiteth him; let him be filled full with reproach.  

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  For the Lord will not cast off for ever.  

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

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

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  To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,  

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

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

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

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  Out of the mouth of the Most High cometh there not evil and good?  

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

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

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

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

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  Thou hast covered with anger and pursued us; thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.  

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  Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.  

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  Thou hast made us an off-scouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples.  

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  All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.  

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  Fear and the pit are come upon us, devastation and destruction.  

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

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  Mine eye poureth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,  

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  Till Jehovah look down, and behold from heaven.  

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  Mine eye affecteth my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.  

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  They have chased me sore like a bird, they that are mine enemies without cause.  

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

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

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  I called upon thy name, O Jehovah, out of the lowest dungeon.  

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  Thou heardest my voice; hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.  

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

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

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  O Jehovah, thou hast seen my wrong; judge thou my cause.  

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

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  Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, and all their devices against me,  

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

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

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  Thou wilt render unto them a recompense, O Jehovah, according to the work of their hands.  

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  Thou wilt give them hardness of heart, thy curse unto them.  

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  Thou wilt pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Jehovah.  

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