3:1

אֲנִי הַגֶּבֶר רָאָה עֳנִי בְּשֵׁבֶט עֶבְרָתוֹ׃

I am the man that hath seen affliction By the rod of His wrath.

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3:2

אוֹתִי נָהַג וַיֹּלַךְ חֹשֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אוֹר׃

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

3:3

אַךְ בִּי יָשֻׁב יַהֲפֹךְ יָדוֹ כָּל־הַיּוֹם׃

Surely against me He turneth His hand again and again all the day.

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3:4

בִּלָּה בְשָׂרִי וְעוֹרִי שִׁבַּר עַצְמוֹתָי׃

My flesh and my skin hath He worn out; He hath broken my bones.

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3:5

בָּנָה עָלַי וַיַּקַּף רֹאשׁ וּתְלָאָה׃

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

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3:6

בְּמַחֲשַׁכִּים הוֹשִׁיבַנִי כְּמֵתֵי עוֹלָם׃

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

3:7

גָּדַר בַּעֲדִי וְלֹא אֵצֵא הִכְבִּיד נְחָשְׁתִּי׃

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

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3:8

גַּם כִּי אֶזְעַק וַאֲשַׁוֵּעַ שָׂתַם תְּפִלָּתִי׃

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

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3:9

גָּדַר דְּרָכַי בְּגָזִית נְתִיבֹתַי עִוָּה׃

He hath enclosed my ways with hewn stone, He hath made my paths crooked.

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3:10

דֹּב אֹרֵב הוּא לִי אריה [אֲרִי] בְּמִסְתָּרִים׃

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

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3:11

דְּרָכַי סוֹרֵר וַיְפַשְּׁחֵנִי שָׂמַנִי שֹׁמֵם׃

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

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3:12

דָּרַךְ קַשְׁתוֹ וַיַּצִּיבֵנִי כַּמַּטָּרָא לַחֵץ׃

He hath bent His bow, and set me As a mark for the arrow.

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3:13

הֵבִיא בְּכִלְיוֹתָי בְּנֵי אַשְׁפָּתוֹ׃

He hath caused the arrows of His quiver To enter into my reins.

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3:14

הָיִיתִי שְּׂחֹק לְכָל־עַמִּי נְגִינָתָם כָּל־הַיּוֹם׃

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

3:15

הִשְׂבִּיעַנִי בַמְּרוֹרִים הִרְוַנִי לַעֲנָה׃

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

3:16

וַיַּגְרֵס בֶּחָצָץ שִׁנָּי הִכְפִּישַׁנִי בָּאֵפֶר׃

He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, He hath made me to wallow in ashes.

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3:17

וַתִּזְנַח מִשָּׁלוֹם נַפְשִׁי נָשִׁיתִי טוֹבָה׃

And my soul is removed far off from peace, I forgot prosperity.

3:18

וָאֹמַר אָבַד נִצְחִי וְתוֹחַלְתִּי מֵיְהוָה׃

And I said: ‘My strength is perished, And mine expectation from the LORD.’

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3:19

זְכָר־עָנְיִי וּמְרוּדִי לַעֲנָה וָרֹאשׁ׃

Remember mine affliction and mine anguish, The wormwood and the gall.

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3:20

זָכוֹר תִּזְכּוֹר ותשיח [וְתָשׁוֹחַ] עָלַי נַפְשִׁי׃

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

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3:21

זֹאת אָשִׁיב אֶל־לִבִּי עַל־כֵּן אוֹחִיל׃

This I recall to my mind, Therefore have I hope.

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3:22

חַסְדֵי יְהוָה כִּי לֹא־תָמְנוּ כִּי לֹא־כָלוּ רַחֲמָיו׃

Surely the LORD’S mercies are not consumed, Surely His compassions fail not.

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3:23

חֲדָשִׁים לַבְּקָרִים רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶךָ׃

They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness.

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3:24

חֶלְקִי יְהוָה אָמְרָה נַפְשִׁי עַל־כֵּן אוֹחִיל לוֹ׃

’The LORD is my portion’, saith my soul; ‘Therefore will I hope in Him.’

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3:25

טוֹב יְהוָה לְקוָֹו לְנֶפֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶׁנּוּ׃

The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, To the soul that seeketh Him.

3:26

טוֹב וְיָחִיל וְדוּמָם לִתְשׁוּעַת יְהוָה׃

It is good that a man should quietly wait For the salvation of the LORD.

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3:27

טוֹב לַגֶּבֶר כִּי־יִשָּׂא עֹל בִּנְעוּרָיו׃

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

3:28

יֵשֵׁב בָּדָד וְיִדֹּם כִּי נָטַל עָלָיו׃

Let him sit alone and keep silence, Because He hath laid it upon him.

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3:29

יִתֵּן בֶּעָפָר פִּיהוּ אוּלַי יֵשׁ תִּקְוָה׃

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

3:30

יִתֵּן לְמַכֵּהוּ לֶחִי יִשְׂבַּע בְּחֶרְפָּה׃

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

3:31

כִּי לֹא יִזְנַח לְעוֹלָם אֲדֹנָי׃

For the Lord will not cast off For ever.

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3:32

כִּי אִם־הוֹגָה וְרִחַם כְּרֹב חסדו [חֲסָדָיו׃]

For though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion According to the multitude of His mercies.

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3:33

כִּי לֹא עִנָּה מִלִּבּוֹ וַיַּגֶּה בְנֵי־אִישׁ׃

For He doth not afflict willingly, Nor grieve the children of men.

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3:34

לְדַכֵּא תַּחַת רַגְלָיו כֹּל אֲסִירֵי אָרֶץ׃

To crush under foot All the prisoners of the earth,

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3:35

לְהַטּוֹת מִשְׁפַּט־גָּבֶר נֶגֶד פְּנֵי עֶלְיוֹן׃

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

3:36

לְעַוֵּת אָדָם בְּרִיבוֹ אֲדֹנָי לֹא רָאָה׃

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

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3:37

מִי זֶה אָמַר וַתֶּהִי אֲדֹנָי לֹא צִוָּה׃

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

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3:38

מִפִּי עֶלְיוֹן לֹא תֵצֵא הָרָעוֹת וְהַטּוֹב׃

Out of the mouth of the Most High proceedeth not Evil and good?

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3:39

מַה־יִּתְאוֹנֵן אָדָם חָי גֶּבֶר עַל־חטאו [חֲטָאָיו׃]

Wherefore doth a living man complain, A strong man because of his sins?

3:40

נַחְפְּשָׂה דְרָכֵינוּ וְנַחְקֹרָה וְנָשׁוּבָה עַד־יְהוָה׃

Let us search and try our ways, And return to the LORD.

3:41

נִשָּׂא לְבָבֵנוּ אֶל־כַּפָּיִם אֶל־אֵל בַּשָּׁמָיִם׃

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

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3:42

נַחְנוּ פָשַׁעְנוּ וּמָרִינוּ אַתָּה לֹא סָלָחְתָּ׃

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

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3:43

סַכֹּתָה בָאַף וַתִּרְדְּפֵנוּ הָרַגְתָּ לֹא חָמָלְתָּ׃

Thou hast covered with anger and pursued us; Thou hast slain unsparingly.

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3:44

סַכּוֹתָה בֶעָנָן לָךְ מֵעֲבוֹר תְּפִלָּה׃

Thou hast covered Thyself with a cloud, So that no prayer can pass through.

3:45

סְחִי וּמָאוֹס תְּשִׂימֵנוּ בְּקֶרֶב הָעַמִּים׃

Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse In the midst of the peoples.

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3:46

פָּצוּ עָלֵינוּ פִּיהֶם כָּל־אֹיְבֵינוּ׃

All our enemies have opened their mouth Wide against us.

3:47

פַּחַד וָפַחַת הָיָה לָנוּ הַשֵּׁאת וְהַשָּׁבֶר׃

Terror and the pit are come upon us, Desolation and destruction.

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3:48

פַּלְגֵי־מַיִם תֵּרַד עֵינִי עַל־שֶׁבֶר בַּת־עַמִּי׃

Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water, For the breach of the daughter of my people.

3:49

עֵינִי נִגְּרָה וְלֹא תִדְמֶה מֵאֵין הֲפֻגוֹת׃

Mine eye is poured out, and ceaseth not, Without any intermission,

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3:50

עַד־יַשְׁקִיף וְיֵרֶא יְהוָה מִשָּׁמָיִם׃

Till the LORD look forth, And behold from heaven.

3:51

עֵינִי עוֹלְלָה לְנַפְשִׁי מִכֹּל בְּנוֹת עִירִי׃

Mine eye affected my soul, Because of all the daughters of my city.

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3:52

צוֹד צָדוּנִי כַּצִּפּוֹר אֹיְבַי חִנָּם׃

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

3:53

צָמְתוּ בַבּוֹר חַיָּי וַיַּדּוּ־אֶבֶן בִּי׃

They have cut off my life in the dungeon, And have cast stones upon me.

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3:54

צָפוּ־מַיִם עַל־רֹאשִׁי אָמַרְתִּי נִגְזָרְתִּי׃

Waters flowed over my head; I said: ‘I am cut off.’

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3:55

קָרָאתִי שִׁמְךָ יְהוָה מִבּוֹר תַּחְתִּיּוֹת׃

I called upon Thy name, O LORD, Out of the lowest dungeon.

3:56

קוֹלִי שָׁמָעְתָּ אַל־תַּעְלֵם אָזְנְךָ לְרַוְחָתִי לְשַׁוְעָתִי׃

Thou heardest my voice; hide not Thine ear at my sighing, at my cry.

3:57

קָרַבְתָּ בְּיוֹם אֶקְרָאֶךָּ אָמַרְתָּ אַל־תִּירָא׃

Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon Thee; Thou saidst: ‘Fear not.’ .

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3:58

רַבְתָּ אֲדֹנָי רִיבֵי נַפְשִׁי גָּאַלְתָּ חַיָּי׃

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

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3:59

רָאִיתָה יְהוָה עַוָּתָתִי שָׁפְטָה מִשְׁפָּטִי׃

O LORD, Thou hast seen my wrong; Judge Thou my cause.

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3:60

רָאִיתָה כָּל־נִקְמָתָם כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָם לִי׃

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

3:61

שָׁמַעְתָּ חֶרְפָּתָם יְהוָה כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָם עָלָי׃

Thou hast heard their taunt, O LORD, And all their devices against me;

3:62

שִׂפְתֵי קָמַי וְהֶגְיוֹנָם עָלַי כָּל־הַיּוֹם׃

The lips of those that rose up against me, And their muttering against me all the day.

3:63

שִׁבְתָּם וְקִימָתָם הַבִּיטָה אֲנִי מַנְגִּינָתָם׃

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

3:64

תָּשִׁיב לָהֶם גְּמוּל יְהוָה כְּמַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶם׃

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

3:65

תִּתֵּן לָהֶם מְגִנַּת־לֵב תַּאֲלָתְךָ לָהֶם׃

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

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3:66

תִּרְדֹּף בְּאַף וְתַשְׁמִידֵם מִתַּחַת שְׁמֵי יְהוָה׃

Thou wilt pursue them in anger, and destroy them From under the heavens of the LORD.