Common English Bible CEB
New International Version NIV
1 I am someone who saw the suffering caused by God's angry rod.
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I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of the LORD’s wrath.
2 He drove me away, forced me to walk in darkness, not light.
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He has driven me away and made me walk in darkness rather than light;
3 He turned his hand even against me, over and over again, all day long.
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indeed, he has turned his hand against me again and again, all day long.
4 He wore out my flesh and my skin; he broke my bones.
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He has made my skin and my flesh grow old and has broken my bones.
5 He besieged me, surrounding me with bitterness and weariness.
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He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.
6 He made me live in dark places like those who've been dead a long time.
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He has made me dwell in darkness like those long dead.
7 He walled me in so I couldn't escape; he made my chains heavy.
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He has walled me in so I cannot escape; he has weighed me down with chains.
8 Even though I call out and cry for help, he silences my prayer.
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Even when I call out or cry for help, he shuts out my prayer.
9 He walled in my paths with stonework; he made my routes crooked.
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He has barred my way with blocks of stone; he has made my paths crooked.
10 He is a bear lurking for me, a lion in hiding.
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Like a bear lying in wait, like a lion in hiding,
11 He took me from my path and tore me apart; he made me desolate.
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he dragged me from the path and mangled me and left me without help.
12 He drew back his bow, made me a shooting target for arrows.
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He drew his bow and made me the target for his arrows.
13 He shot the arrows of his quiver into my inside parts.
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He pierced my heart with arrows from his quiver.
14 I have become a joke to all my people, the object of their song of ridicule all day long.
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I became the laughingstock of all my people; they mock me in song all day long.
15 He saturated me with grief, made me choke on bitterness.
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He has filled me with bitter herbs and given me gall to drink.
16 He crushed my teeth into the gravel; he pressed me down into the ashes.
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He has broken my teeth with gravel; he has trampled me in the dust.
17 I've rejected peace; I've forgotten what is good.
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I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is.
18 I thought: My future is gone, as well as my hope from the LORD.
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So I say, “My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the LORD.”
19 The memory of my suffering and homelessness is bitterness and poison.
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I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.
20 I can't help but remember and am depressed.
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I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.
21 I call all this to mind—therefore, I will wait.
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Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:
22 Certainly the faithful love of the LORD hasn't ended; certainly God's compassion isn't through!
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Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
23 They are renewed every morning. Great is your faithfulness.
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They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
24 I think: The LORD is my portion! Therefore, I'll wait for him.
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I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”
25 The LORD is good to those who hope in him, to the person who seeks him.
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The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
26 It's good to wait in silence for the LORD's deliverance.
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it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
27 It's good for a man to carry a yoke in his youth.
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It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.
28 He should sit alone and be silent when God lays it on him.
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Let him sit alone in silence, for the LORD has laid it on him.
29 He should put his mouth in the dirt—perhaps there is hope.
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Let him bury his face in the dust— there may yet be hope.
30 He should offer his cheek for a blow; he should be filled with shame.
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Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace.
31 My Lord definitely won't reject forever.
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For no one is cast off by the Lord forever.
32 Although he has caused grief, he will show compassion in measure with his covenant loyalty.
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Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.
33 He definitely doesn't enjoy affliction, making humans suffer.
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For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.
34 Now crushing underfoot all the earth's prisoners,
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To crush underfoot all prisoners in the land,
35 denying someone justice before the Most High,
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to deny people their rights before the Most High,
36 subverting a person's lawsuit—doesn't my Lord see all this?
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to deprive them of justice— would not the Lord see such things?
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.