3 I Am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
² He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
³ Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
⁴ My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
⁵ He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
⁶ He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
⁷ He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
⁸ Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
⁹ He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
¹⁰ He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
¹¹ He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.
¹² He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
¹³ He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
¹⁴ I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
¹⁵ He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.
¹⁶ He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
¹⁷ And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
¹⁸ And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord:

The Prophet’s Anguish and Hope

3 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 Surely He has turned His hand against me
Time and time again throughout the day.

⁴ He has aged my flesh and my skin,
And broken my bones.
⁵ He has besieged me
And surrounded me with bitterness and ^[a]woe.
⁶ He has set me in dark places
Like the dead of long ago.

⁷ He has hedged me in so that I cannot get out;
He has made my chain heavy.
⁸ Even when I cry and shout,
He shuts out my prayer.
⁹ He has blocked my ways with hewn stone;
He has made my paths crooked.

¹⁰ He has been to me a bear lying in wait,
Like a lion in ^[b]ambush.
¹¹ He has turned aside my ways and torn me in pieces;
He has made me desolate.
¹² He has bent His bow
And set me up as a target for the arrow.

¹³ He has caused the ^[c]arrows of His quiver
To pierce my ^[d]loins.
¹⁴ I have become the ridicule of all my people—
Their taunting song all the day.
¹⁵ He has filled me with bitterness,
He has made me drink wormwood.

¹⁶ He has also broken my teeth with gravel,
And ^[e]covered me with ashes.
¹⁷ You have moved my soul far from peace;
I have forgotten ^[f]prosperity.
¹⁸ And I said, “My strength and my hope
Have perished from the Lord.”

Footnotes:
a. Lamentations 3:5 hardship or weariness
b. Lamentations 3:10 Lit. secret places
c. Lamentations 3:13 Lit. sons of
d. Lamentations 3:13 Lit. kidneys
e. Lamentations 3:16 Lit. bent me down in
f. Lamentations 3:17 Lit. good

3 ^[a]I am the man who has seen affliction
    by the rod of the Lord’s wrath.
² He has driven me away and made me walk
    in darkness rather than light;
³ indeed, he has turned his hand against me
    again and again, all day long.

⁴ He has made my skin and my flesh grow old
    and has broken my bones.
⁵ He has besieged me and surrounded me
    with bitterness and hardship.
⁶ He has made me dwell in darkness
    like those long dead.

⁷ He has walled me in so I cannot escape;
    he has weighed me down with chains.
⁸ Even when I call out or cry for help,
    he shuts out my prayer.
⁹ He has barred my way with blocks of stone;
    he has made my paths crooked.

¹⁰ Like a bear lying in wait,
    like a lion in hiding,
¹¹ he dragged me from the path and mangled me
    and left me without help.
¹² He drew his bow
    and made me the target for his arrows.

¹³ He pierced my heart
    with arrows from his quiver.
¹⁴ I became the laughingstock of all my people;
    they mock me in song all day long.
¹⁵ He has filled me with bitter herbs
    and given me gall to drink.

¹⁶ He has broken my teeth with gravel;
    he has trampled me in the dust.
¹⁷ I have been deprived of peace;
    I have forgotten what prosperity is.
¹⁸ So I say, “My splendor is gone
    and all that I had hoped from the Lord.”

Footnotes:
a. Lamentations 3:1 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.

Hope in the Lord’s Faithfulness

3 I am the one who has seen the afflictions
    that come from the rod of the Lord’s anger.
² He has led me into darkness,
    shutting out all light.
³ He has turned his hand against me
    again and again, all day long.

⁴ He has made my skin and flesh grow old.
    He has broken my bones.
⁵ He has besieged and surrounded me
    with anguish and distress.
⁶ He has buried me in a dark place,
    like those long dead.

⁷ He has walled me in, and I cannot escape.
    He has bound me in heavy chains.
⁸ And though I cry and shout,
    he has shut out my prayers.
⁹ He has blocked my way with a high stone wall;
    he has made my road crooked.

¹⁰ He has hidden like a bear or a lion,
    waiting to attack me.
¹¹ He has dragged me off the path and torn me in pieces,
    leaving me helpless and devastated.
¹² He has drawn his bow
    and made me the target for his arrows.

¹³ He shot his arrows
    deep into my heart.
¹⁴ My own people laugh at me.
    All day long they sing their mocking songs.
¹⁵ He has filled me with bitterness
    and given me a bitter cup of sorrow to drink.

¹⁶ He has made me chew on gravel.
    He has rolled me in the dust.
¹⁷ Peace has been stripped away,
    and I have forgotten what prosperity is.
¹⁸ I cry out, “My splendor is gone!
    Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost!”

The Prophet’s Anguish

3 I am the man who has seen affliction
    by the rod of His wrath.
² He has driven and brought me
    into darkness without any light.
³ Surely against me has He turned His hand
    continually, the whole day long.

⁴ My flesh and my skin He has made waste away;
    He has broken my bones;
⁵ He has besieged and enveloped me
    with gall and travail.
⁶ He has set me in dark places,
    like the dead of long ago.

⁷ He has hedged me in so that I cannot get out;
    He has made my chain heavy.
⁸ Even when I cry for help,
    He shuts out my prayer.
⁹ He has blocked my ways with hewn stone;
    He has made my paths crooked.

¹⁰ He is to me a bear lying in wait,
    a lion in hiding.
¹¹ He has turned aside my ways and torn me in pieces;
    He has made me desolate.
¹² He has bent His bow
    and set me as a target for the arrow.

¹³ He has caused the arrows of His quiver
    to pierce my inward parts.
¹⁴ I have become the derision of all my people,
    their mocking song all the day.
¹⁵ He has filled me with bitterness,
    He has sated me with wormwood.

¹⁶ He has made my teeth grind on gravel,
    and covered me with ashes.
¹⁷ My soul is bereft of peace;
    I have forgotten prosperity.
¹⁸ So I say, “My strength and my hope
    from the Lord have perished.”

¹⁹ Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
²⁰ My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
²¹ This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
²² It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
²³ They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
²⁴ The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
²⁵ The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
²⁶ It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
²⁷ It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

¹⁹ Remember my affliction and roaming,
The wormwood and the ^[a]gall.
²⁰ My soul still remembers
And ^[b]sinks within me.
²¹ This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.

²² Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
²³ They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
²⁴ “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
²⁶ It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
For the salvation of the Lord.
²⁷ It is good for a man to bear
The yoke in his youth.

Footnotes:
a. Lamentations 3:19 bitterness
b. Lamentations 3:20 Lit. bowed down

¹⁹ I remember my affliction and my wandering,
    the bitterness and the gall.
²⁰ I well remember them,
    and my soul is downcast within me.
²¹ Yet this I call to mind
    and therefore I have hope:

²² Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
    to the one who seeks him;
²⁶ it is good to wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.
²⁷ It is good for a man to bear the yoke
    while he is young.

¹⁹ The thought of my suffering and homelessness
    is bitter beyond words.^[a]
20 I will never forget this awful time,
    as I grieve over my loss.
²¹ Yet I still dare to hope
    when I remember this:

²² The faithful love of the Lord never ends!^[b]
    His mercies never cease.
²³ Great is his faithfulness;
    his mercies begin afresh each morning.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
    therefore, I will hope in him!”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those who depend on him,
    to those who search for him.
²⁶ So it is good to wait quietly
    for salvation from the Lord.
²⁷ And it is good for people to submit at an early age
    to the yoke of his discipline:

Footnotes:
a. 3:19 Or is wormwood and gall.
b. 3:22 As in Syriac version; Hebrew reads of the Lord keeps us from destruction.

¹⁹ Remember my affliction and my misery,
    the wormwood and the gall.
²⁰ Surely my soul remembers
    and is humbled within me.
²¹ But this I call to mind,
    and therefore I have hope:

²² It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed;
    His compassions do not 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 who seeks Him.
²⁶ It is good that a man should wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.
²⁷ It is good for a man to bear the yoke
    in his youth.

²⁸ He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
²⁹ He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
³⁰ He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
³¹ For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
³² But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
³³ For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
³⁴ To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth.
³⁵ To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,
³⁶ To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.
³⁷ Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
³⁸ Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
³⁹ Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?

²⁸ Let him sit alone and keep silent,
Because God has laid it on him;
²⁹ Let him put his mouth in the dust—
There may yet be hope.
³⁰ Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him,
And be full of reproach.

³¹ For the Lord will not cast off forever.
³² Though He causes grief,
Yet He will show compassion
According to the multitude of His mercies.
³³ For He does not afflict ^[a]willingly,
Nor grieve the children of men.

³⁴ To crush under one’s feet
All the prisoners of the earth,
³⁵ To turn aside the justice due a man
Before the face of the Most High,
³⁶ Or subvert a man in his cause—
The Lord does not approve.

³⁷ Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass,
When the Lord has not commanded it?
³⁸ Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
That woe and well-being proceed?
³⁹ Why should a living man ^[b]complain,
A man for the punishment of his sins?

Footnotes:
a. Lamentations 3:33 Lit. from His heart
b. Lamentations 3:39 Or murmur

²⁸ Let him sit alone in silence,
    for the Lord has laid it on him.
²⁹ Let him bury his face in the dust—
    there may yet be hope.
³⁰ Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him,
    and let him be filled with disgrace.

³¹ For no one is cast off
    by the Lord forever.
³² Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
    so great is his unfailing love.
³³ For he does not willingly bring affliction
    or grief to anyone.

³⁴ To crush underfoot
    all prisoners in the land,
³⁵ to deny people their rights
    before the Most High,
³⁶ to deprive them of justice—
    would not the Lord see such things?

³⁷ Who can speak and have it happen
    if the Lord has not decreed it?
³⁸ Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
    that both calamities and good things come?
³⁹ Why should the living complain
    when punished for their sins?

²⁸ Let them sit alone in silence
    beneath the Lord’s demands.
²⁹ Let them lie face down in the dust,
    for there may be hope at last.
³⁰ Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them
    and accept the insults of their enemies.

³¹ For no one is abandoned
    by the Lord forever.
³² Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion
    because of the greatness of his unfailing love.
³³ For he does not enjoy hurting people
    or causing them sorrow.

³⁴ If people crush underfoot
    all the prisoners of the land,
³⁵ if they deprive others of their rights
    in defiance of the Most High,
³⁶ if they twist justice in the courts—
    doesn’t the Lord see all these things?

³⁷ Who can command things to happen
    without the Lord’s permission?
³⁸ Does not the Most High
    send both calamity and good?
³⁹ Then why should we, mere humans, complain
    when we are punished for our sins?

²⁸ Let him sit alone in silence
    when it is laid on him;
²⁹ let him put his mouth in the dust—
    there may yet be hope.
³⁰ Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes,
    and let him be filled with insults.

³¹ For the Lord
    will not cast off forever.
³² But though He causes grief, yet He will have compassion
    according to the abundance of His mercies.
³³ For He does not afflict from His heart,
    nor grieve the sons of men.

³⁴ To crush underfoot
    all the prisoners of the earth,
³⁵ to turn aside the justice due a man
    in the presence of the Most High,
³⁶ to subvert a man in his cause,
    the Lord does not approve.

³⁷ Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass,
    unless the Lord has commanded it?
³⁸ Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
    that good and bad proceed?
³⁹ Why should a living man complain,
    a man for the punishment of his sins?

⁴⁰ Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.
⁴¹ Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
⁴² We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.
⁴³ Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
⁴⁴ Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through.
⁴⁵ Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people.
⁴⁶ All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
⁴⁷ Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.
⁴⁸ Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
⁴⁹ Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission.
⁵⁰ Till the Lord look down, and behold from heaven.
⁵¹ Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.

⁴⁰ Let us search out and examine our ways,
And turn back to the Lord;
⁴¹ Let us lift our hearts and hands
To God in heaven.
⁴² We have transgressed and rebelled;
You have not pardoned.

⁴³ You have covered Yourself with anger
And pursued us;
You have slain and not pitied.
⁴⁴ You have covered Yourself with a cloud,
That prayer should not pass through.
⁴⁵ You have made us an offscouring and refuse
In the midst of the peoples.

⁴⁶ All our enemies
Have opened their mouths against us.
⁴⁷ Fear and a snare have come upon us,
Desolation and destruction.
⁴⁸ My eyes overflow with rivers of water
For the destruction of the daughter of my people.

⁴⁹ My eyes flow and do not cease,
Without interruption,
⁵⁰ Till the Lord from heaven
Looks down and sees.
⁵¹ My eyes bring suffering to my soul
Because of all the daughters of my city.

⁴⁰ Let us examine our ways and test them,
    and let us return to the Lord.
⁴¹ Let 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.
⁴⁴ You have covered yourself with a cloud
    so that no prayer can get through.
⁴⁵ You have made us scum and refuse
    among the nations.

⁴⁶ “All our enemies have opened their mouths
    wide against us.
⁴⁷ We have suffered terror and pitfalls,
    ruin and destruction.”
⁴⁸ Streams of tears flow from my eyes
    because my people are destroyed.

⁴⁹ My eyes will flow unceasingly,
    without relief,
⁵⁰ until the Lord looks down
    from heaven and sees.
⁵¹ What I see brings grief to my soul
    because of all the women of my city.

⁴⁰ Instead, let us test and examine our ways.
    Let us turn back to the Lord.
⁴¹ Let us lift our hearts and hands
    to God in heaven and say,
⁴² “We have sinned and rebelled,
    and you have not forgiven us.

⁴³ “You have engulfed us with your anger, chased us down,
    and slaughtered us without mercy.
⁴⁴ You have hidden yourself in a cloud
    so our prayers cannot reach you.
⁴⁵ You have discarded us as refuse and garbage
    among the nations.

⁴⁶ “All our enemies
    have spoken out against us.
⁴⁷ We are filled with fear,
    for we are trapped, devastated, and ruined.”
⁴⁸ Tears stream from my eyes
    because of the destruction of my people!

⁴⁹ My tears flow endlessly;
    they will not stop
⁵⁰ until the Lord looks down
    from heaven and sees.
⁵¹ My heart is breaking
    over the fate of all the women of Jerusalem.

⁴⁰ Let us search and try our ways,
    and return to the Lord!
⁴¹ Let us lift up our hearts and hands
    to God in heaven:
⁴² We have transgressed and rebelled;
    You have not pardoned.

⁴³ You have covered Yourself with anger and pursued us;
    You have killed and not pitied.
⁴⁴ You have covered Yourself with a cloud,
    so that no prayer should pass through.
⁴⁵ You have made us filthy refuse
    in the midst of the peoples.

⁴⁶ All our enemies have opened their mouths
    against us.
⁴⁷ Panic and snare have come upon us,
    desolation and destruction.
⁴⁸ My eyes flow with rivers of tears
    for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

⁴⁹ My eyes flow and do not cease,
    without respite,
⁵⁰ until the Lord from heaven
    looks down and sees.
⁵¹ My eyes bring suffering to my soul
    at the fate of all the daughters of my city.

⁵² Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.
⁵³ They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.
⁵⁴ Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.
⁵⁵ I called upon thy name, O Lord, out of the low dungeon.
⁵⁶ Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.
⁵⁷ Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
⁵⁸ O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.
⁵⁹ O Lord, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.
⁶⁰ Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.
⁶¹ Thou hast heard their reproach, O Lord, and all their imaginations against me;
⁶² The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
⁶³ Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.
⁶⁴ Render unto them a recompence, O Lord, according to the work of their hands.
⁶⁵ Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.
⁶⁶ Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the Lord.

⁵² My enemies without cause
Hunted me down like a bird.
⁵³ They ^[a]silenced my life in the pit
And threw ^[b]stones at me.
⁵⁴ The waters flowed over my head;
I said, “I am cut off!”

⁵⁵ I called on Your name, O Lord,
From the lowest pit.
⁵⁶ You have heard my voice:
“Do not hide Your ear
From my sighing, from my cry for help.”
⁵⁷ You drew near on the day I called on You,
And said, “Do not fear!”

⁵⁸ O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul;
You have redeemed my life.
⁵⁹ O Lord, You have seen ^[c]how I am wronged;
Judge my case.
⁶⁰ You have seen all their vengeance,
All their schemes against me.

⁶¹ You have heard their reproach, O Lord,
All their schemes against me,
⁶² The lips of my enemies
And their whispering against me all the day.
⁶³ Look at their sitting down and their rising up;
I am their taunting song.

⁶⁴ Repay them, O Lord,
According to the work of their hands.
⁶⁵ Give them ^[d]a veiled heart;
Your curse be upon them!
⁶⁶ In Your anger,
Pursue and destroy them
From under the heavens of the Lord.

Footnotes:
a. Lamentations 3:53 LXX put to death
b. Lamentations 3:53 Lit. a stone on
c. Lamentations 3:59 Lit. my wrong
d. Lamentations 3:65 A Jewish tradition sorrow of

⁵² Those who were my enemies without cause
    hunted me like a bird.
⁵³ They tried to end my life in a pit
    and threw stones at me;
⁵⁴ the waters closed over my head,
    and I thought I was about to perish.

⁵⁵ I called on your name, Lord,
    from the depths of the pit.
⁵⁶ You heard my plea: “Do not close your ears
    to my cry for relief.”
⁵⁷ You came near when I called you,
    and you said, “Do not fear.”

⁵⁸ You, Lord, took up my case;
    you redeemed my life.
⁵⁹ Lord, you have seen the wrong done to me.
    Uphold my cause!
⁶⁰ You have seen the depth of their vengeance,
    all their plots against me.

⁶¹ Lord, you have heard their insults,
    all their plots against me—
⁶² what my enemies whisper and mutter
    against me all day long.
⁶³ Look at them! Sitting or standing,
    they mock me in their songs.

⁶⁴ Pay them back what they deserve, Lord,
    for what their hands have done.
⁶⁵ Put a veil over their hearts,
    and may your curse be on them!
⁶⁶ Pursue them in anger and destroy them
    from under the heavens of the Lord.

⁵² My enemies, whom I have never harmed,
    hunted me down like a bird.
⁵³ They threw me into a pit
    and dropped stones on me.
⁵⁴ The water rose over my head,
    and I cried out, “This is the end!”

⁵⁵ But I called on your name, Lord,
    from deep within the pit.
⁵⁶ You heard me when I cried, “Listen to my pleading!
    Hear my cry for help!”
⁵⁷ Yes, you came when I called;
    you told me, “Do not fear.”

⁵⁸ Lord, you have come to my defense;
    you have redeemed my life.
⁵⁹ You have seen the wrong they have done to me, Lord.
    Be my judge, and prove me right.
⁶⁰ You have seen the vengeful plots
    my enemies have laid against me.

⁶¹ Lord, you have heard the vile names they call me.
    You know all about the plans they have made.
⁶² My enemies whisper and mutter
    as they plot against me all day long.
⁶³ Look at them! Whether they sit or stand,
    I am the object of their mocking songs.

⁶⁴ Pay them back, Lord,
    for all the evil they have done.
⁶⁵ Give them hard and stubborn hearts,
    and then let your curse fall on them!
⁶⁶ Chase them down in your anger,
    destroying them beneath the Lord’s heavens.

⁵² My enemies chased me like a bird,
    without cause.
⁵³ They cut off my life in the pit
    and cast stones on me.
⁵⁴ Waters flowed over my head;
    I said, “I am cut off!”

⁵⁵ I called on Your name, O Lord,
    from the lowest pit.
⁵⁶ You have heard my plea:
    “Do not close Your ear to my cry for help!”
⁵⁷ You drew near on the day I called on You,
    and You said, “Do not fear!”

⁵⁸ O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul;
    You have redeemed my life.
⁵⁹ O Lord, You have seen the wrong done to me;
    judge my case.
⁶⁰ You have seen all their vengeance,
    all their schemes against me.

⁶¹ You have heard their reproach, O Lord,
    all their schemes against me,
⁶² the lips of my enemies and
    their devices against me all the day.
⁶³ Look at their sitting down and their rising up;
    I am their mocking song.

⁶⁴ Render to them a recompense, O Lord,
    according to the work of their hands.
⁶⁵ Give them hardness of heart;
    may Your curse be upon them!
⁶⁶ In Your anger pursue and destroy them
    from under Your heavens, O Lord!