Lamentations 3 – NIV & GKY

New International Version

Lamentations 3:1-66

This chapter is an acrostic poem; the verses of each stanza begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and the verses within each stanza begin with the same letter. 1I am the man who has seen affliction

by the rod of the Lord’s wrath.

2He has driven me away and made me walk

in darkness rather than light;

3indeed, he has turned his hand against me

again and again, all day long.

4He has made my skin and my flesh grow old

and has broken my bones.

5He has besieged me and surrounded me

with bitterness and hardship.

6He has made me dwell in darkness

like those long dead.

7He has walled me in so I cannot escape;

he has weighed me down with chains.

8Even when I call out or cry for help,

he shuts out my prayer.

9He has barred my way with blocks of stone;

he has made my paths crooked.

10Like a bear lying in wait,

like a lion in hiding,

11he dragged me from the path and mangled me

and left me without help.

12He drew his bow

and made me the target for his arrows.

13He pierced my heart

with arrows from his quiver.

14I became the laughingstock of all my people;

they mock me in song all day long.

15He has filled me with bitter herbs

and given me gall to drink.

16He has broken my teeth with gravel;

he has trampled me in the dust.

17I have been deprived of peace;

I have forgotten what prosperity is.

18So I say, “My splendor is gone

and all that I had hoped from the Lord.”

19I remember my affliction and my wandering,

the bitterness and the gall.

20I well remember them,

and my soul is downcast within me.

21Yet this I call to mind

and therefore I have hope:

22Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,

for his compassions never fail.

23They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

24I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;

therefore I will wait for him.”

25The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,

to the one who seeks him;

26it is good to wait quietly

for the salvation of the Lord.

27It is good for a man to bear the yoke

while he is young.

28Let him sit alone in silence,

for the Lord has laid it on him.

29Let him bury his face in the dust—

there may yet be hope.

30Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him,

and let him be filled with disgrace.

31For no one is cast off

by the Lord forever.

32Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,

so great is his unfailing love.

33For he does not willingly bring affliction

or grief to anyone.

34To crush underfoot

all prisoners in the land,

35to deny people their rights

before the Most High,

36to deprive them of justice—

would not the Lord see such things?

37Who can speak and have it happen

if the Lord has not decreed it?

38Is it not from the mouth of the Most High

that both calamities and good things come?

39Why should the living complain

when punished for their sins?

40Let us examine our ways and test them,

and let us return to the Lord.

41Let us lift up our hearts and our hands

to God in heaven, and say:

42“We have sinned and rebelled

and you have not forgiven.

43“You have covered yourself with anger and pursued us;

you have slain without pity.

44You have covered yourself with a cloud

so that no prayer can get through.

45You have made us scum and refuse

among the nations.

46“All our enemies have opened their mouths

wide against us.

47We have suffered terror and pitfalls,

ruin and destruction.”

48Streams of tears flow from my eyes

because my people are destroyed.

49My eyes will flow unceasingly,

without relief,

50until the Lord looks down

from heaven and sees.

51What I see brings grief to my soul

because of all the women of my city.

52Those who were my enemies without cause

hunted me like a bird.

53They tried to end my life in a pit

and threw stones at me;

54the waters closed over my head,

and I thought I was about to perish.

55I called on your name, Lord,

from the depths of the pit.

56You heard my plea: “Do not close your ears

to my cry for relief.”

57You came near when I called you,

and you said, “Do not fear.”

58You, Lord, took up my case;

you redeemed my life.

59Lord, you have seen the wrong done to me.

Uphold my cause!

60You have seen the depth of their vengeance,

all their plots against me.

61Lord, you have heard their insults,

all their plots against me—

62what my enemies whisper and mutter

against me all day long.

63Look at them! Sitting or standing,

they mock me in their songs.

64Pay them back what they deserve, Lord,

for what their hands have done.

65Put a veil over their hearts,

and may your curse be on them!

66Pursue them in anger and destroy them

from under the heavens of the Lord.

Holy Bible in Gĩkũyũ

Macakaya 3:1-66

1Niĩ ndĩ mũndũ wonete thĩĩna

nĩ ũndũ wa kũhũũrwo na rũthanju rwa mangʼũrĩ make.

2Andwarĩte akangereria nduma-inĩ

handũ ha ũtheri-inĩ;

3ti-itherũ, atũmĩte guoko gwake kũnjũkĩrĩre

rĩngĩ na rĩngĩ, mũthenya wothe.

4Nĩatũmĩte nyama cia mwĩrĩ wakwa

na gĩkonde kĩaguo ihinyare,

na akoinanga mahĩndĩ makwa.

5Nĩandigiicĩirie, na agaathiũrũrũkĩria

na marũrũ, na thĩĩna.

6Atũmĩte ndũũre nduma-inĩ

o ta andũ arĩa maakuire tene.

7Nĩanjirigĩire na rũthingo nĩguo ndikae kũũra;

mĩnyororo yakwa nĩamĩritũhĩtie mũno.

8O na rĩrĩa ndetana kana ndakaya ngĩenda ũteithio-rĩ,

nĩ kũhingĩrĩria ahingagĩrĩria mahooya makwa.

9Nĩahingĩte njĩra yakwa na mahiga maicũhie;

atũmĩte tũcĩra twakwa tuogome.

10Kũrĩ niĩ aatuĩkĩte o ta nduba rĩrĩa yoheirie,

kana ta mũrũũthi rĩrĩa wĩhithĩte,

11akĩngururia kuuma gacĩra-inĩ,

akĩndambuura, akĩndiganĩria itarĩ na ũteithio.

12Ageetete ũta wake, akangereka,

nduĩke cabaa ya kũrathagwo nĩ mĩguĩ yake.

13Nĩatheecire ngoro yakwa

na mĩguĩ kuuma thiaka-inĩ wake.

143:14 Kĩam 38:23; Jer 20:7Ngĩgĩtuĩka wa gũthekagĩrĩrwo nĩ andũ akwa othe;

maanyũrũragia na rwĩmbo mũthenya wothe.

15Anjiyũrĩtie maũndũ marũrũ,

na akaahũũnia na maaĩ ma nyongo.

163:16 Thim 20:17Nĩangʼethũrangĩte magego makwa na kagoto;

anangĩrĩirie rũkũngũ-inĩ.

17Nĩnjagithĩtio thayũ;

nĩndiganĩirwo ũgaacĩru nĩ kĩĩ.

18Nĩ ũndũ ũcio nguuga atĩrĩ, “Riiri wakwa nĩũthirĩte,

o hamwe na maũndũ marĩa mothe ndũire njĩrĩgĩrĩire kuuma kũrĩ Jehova.”

19Nĩngũririkana thĩĩna wakwa, na kũũrũũra gwakwa,

na ngaririkana maũndũ marũrũ, o na maaĩ ma nyongo.

203:20 Thab 42:5Ngoro yakwa no ĩraririkana maũndũ macio,

nayo ĩkaringĩka thĩinĩ wakwa.

21O na gũtariĩ ũguo nĩndirikanaga ũndũ ũyũ,

na tondũ wa ũguo ngagĩa na kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro:

223:22 Thab 103:11; Hos 11:9Tondũ wa wendo mũnene wa Jehova, nĩkĩo tũtaniinĩtwo biũ,

nĩgũkorwo tha ciake itirĩ hĩndĩ ithiraga.

233:23 Thaam 34:6; Zef 3:5Tha ciaku ikoragwo irĩ njerũ rũciinĩ o rũciinĩ,

wĩhokeku waku nĩ mũnene mũno.

24Ngoro yakwa yugaga atĩrĩ,

“Jehova nĩwe igai rĩakwa; tondũ ũcio nĩwe ndĩrĩetagĩrĩra.”

25Jehova nĩ mwega kũrĩ arĩa mamwĩhokaga,

kũrĩ ngoro ĩyo ĩmũrongoragia;

263:26 Thab 37:7nĩ wega mũndũ gweterera

ũhonokio wa Jehova o akirĩte.

27Nĩ wega mũndũ gũkuua icooki

hĩndĩ ĩrĩa arĩ mũnini.

283:28 Jer 15:17Nĩaikare arĩ wiki akirĩte,

nĩgũkorwo nĩ Jehova ũmũigĩrĩire rĩo.

29Nĩaturumithie ũthiũ wake rũkũngũ-inĩ,

no gũkorwo aahota kũgĩa na kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro.

303:30 Isa 50:6; Mik 5:1Nĩerekererie rũthĩa kũrĩ mũndũ ũrĩa ũkũmũgũtha,

na aiyũrwo nĩ thoni.

313:31 Thab 94:14Nĩgũkorwo Jehova

ndateanagĩria andũ nginya tene.

32O na gũtuĩka nĩarehaga kĩeha-rĩ, we nĩaiguanagĩra tha,

nĩgũkorwo wendo ũcio wake ũtathiraga nĩ mũnene mũno.

333:33 Ezek 33:11Nĩgũkorwo ndarehagĩra andũ mĩnyamaro,

kana akarehere ciana cia andũ kĩeha akĩendaga.

34Rĩrĩa andũ a bũrũri arĩa othe mohetwo

maarangĩrĩrio na makinya-rĩ,

353:35 Kĩam 14:18rĩrĩa mũndũ aagithio kĩhooto gĩake

mbere ya Ũrĩa-ũrĩ-Igũrũ-Mũno-rĩ,

363:36 Hab 1:13o na rĩrĩa mũndũ atuĩrwo ciira hatarĩ kĩhooto-rĩ,

githĩ Mwathani ndonaga maũndũ macio?

373:37 Thab 33:9-11Nũũ ũngĩaria na atũme ũndũ ũcio ũhinge,

Mwathani ataathanĩte gũtuĩke ũguo?

383:38 Ayub 2:10; Jer 32:42Githĩ kanua-inĩ ka Ũrĩa-ũrĩ-Igũrũ-Mũno

tiho hoimaga maũndũ mooru, na hakoima maũndũ mega?

393:39 Mik 7:9Mũndũ o wothe ũrĩ muoyo-rĩ, atetaga nĩkĩ

rĩrĩa ekũherithio nĩ ũndũ wa mehia make?

403:40 Thab 119:59Nĩtũthuthuurie-i mĩthiĩre iitũ na tũmĩtuĩrie,

tũcokerere Jehova.

41Nĩtwambararie ngoro ciitũ na moko maitũ na igũrũ

kũrĩ Mũrungu ũrĩa ũrĩ igũrũ, tuuge atĩrĩ:

423:42 Jer 14:20; 2Ath 24:4“Ithuĩ-rĩ, nĩtwĩhĩtie na tũgakũremera,

wee nawe ũkaaga gũtũrekera.

433:43 Thab 35:6“Wee wĩhumbĩrĩte na marakara, ũgatũingatithia;

ũũraganĩte ũtekũiguanĩra tha.

443:44 Thab 97:2; Zek 7:13Wee wĩhumbĩrĩte na itu

nĩgeetha gũtikagĩe na ihooya rĩngĩgũkinyĩra.

453:45 1Akor 4:13Wee ũtũmĩte tũtuĩke ta gĩko,

na ta mahuti gatagatĩ ka ndũrĩrĩ.

463:46 Maca 2:16“Thũ ciitũ ciothe itwathamĩirie tũnua itũũkĩrĩre.

473:47 Isa 24:17-18Nĩtũkorereirwo nĩ kĩmako kĩnene, na tũkenjerwo marima,

tũgakorwo nĩ ũniinani, na mwanangĩko.”

48Maitho makwa maranyũrũrũkia tũrũũĩ twa maithori

nĩ ũndũ andũ akwa nĩmanangĩtwo.

493:49 Jer 14:17Maitho makwa marĩnyũrũrũkagia maithori mategũtigithĩria,

magaikara o makĩnyũrũrũkaga,

503:50 Thab 14:2; Isa 63:15nginya rĩrĩa Jehova agaacũthĩrĩria arĩ igũrũ oone.

51Maũndũ marĩa ndĩrona nĩmaranjiguithia kĩeha ngoro,

tondũ wa andũ-a-nja othe a itũũra rĩakwa inene.

523:52 Thab 35:7Andũ arĩa maatuĩkĩte thũ ciakwa hatarĩ gĩtũmi

nĩo maanguĩmaga ta nyoni.

533:53 Jer 37:16Maanjikirie irima makĩenda kũnjũraga,

na makĩĩhũũra na mahiga;

543:54 Thab 69:2; Ezek 37:11ndaahubanĩirio nĩ maaĩ maingĩ,

magĩikũrũkĩra igũrũ rĩa mũtwe wakwa,

na niĩ ngĩĩciiria ndĩ hakuhĩ kũniinwo.

553:55 Jon 2:2Ngĩkaĩra rĩĩtwa rĩaku Wee Jehova,

ndĩ kũu irima-inĩ rĩu iriku.

56Na we ũkĩigua ithaithana rĩakwa, ngĩkwĩra atĩrĩ,

“Tiga kũhinga matũ maku ngĩgũkaĩra ũndeithie.”

573:57 Isa 41:10Nawe ũkĩnguhĩrĩria rĩrĩa ndagũkaĩire,

ũkĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, “Tiga gwĩtigĩra.”

58Wee Mwathani-rĩ, nĩwe wanjiirĩrĩire;

nawe ũgĩgĩkũũra muoyo wakwa.

59Wee Jehova, nĩwonete ũũru ũrĩa njĩkĩtwo.

Tua ciira wakwa arĩ we!

603:60 Jer 11:20Wee nĩwonete kwĩrĩhĩria kwao guothe,

o na mathugunda mao mothe ma kũnjũkĩrĩra.

61Wee Jehova-rĩ, nĩũiguĩte irumi iria manumĩte nacio,

o na mathugunda mao mothe ma kũnjũkĩrĩra:

62maũndũ marĩa thũ ciakwa ciaragia na mĩheehũ ikĩngʼungʼuanaga

injũkĩrĩre mũthenya wothe.

633:63 Ayub 30:9Ta kĩmarore! Magĩikara thĩ kana magĩũkĩra,

maanyũrũragia na nyĩmbo ciao.

643:64 Thab 28:4Wee Jehova-rĩ, marĩhe kũringana na ũrĩa mekĩte,

kũringana na wĩra wa moko mao.

653:65 Thaam 14:8; Isa 6:10Ũmia ngoro ciao, nakĩo kĩrumi gĩaku kĩroikara nao!

66Maingatithie ũrĩ na marakara,

na ũmaniine mathire gũkũ mũhuro wa igũrũ rĩa Jehova.