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¹ I am the man, that hath seene affliction in the rod of his indignation.² He hath ledde mee, and brought me into darkenes, but not to light.³ Surely he is turned against me: he turneth his hand against me all the day.⁴ My flesh and my skinne hath he caused to waxe olde, and he hath broken my bones.⁵ He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall, and labour.⁶ He hath set me in darke places, as they that be dead for euer.⁷ He hath hedged about mee, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chaines heauy.⁸ Also when I cry and showte, hee shutteth out my prayer.⁹ He hath stopped vp my wayes with hewen stone, and turned away my paths.¹⁰ He was vnto me as a beare lying in waite, and as a Lion in secret places.¹¹ He hath stopped my wayes, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.¹² He hath bent his bow & made me a marke for the arrow.¹³ Hee caused the arrowes of his quiuer to enter into my reines.¹⁴ I was a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.¹⁵ He hath filled me with bitternes, & made me drunken with wormewood.¹⁶ He hath also broken my teeth with stones, and hath couered me with ashes.¹⁷ Thus my soule was farre off from peace: I forgate prosperitie,¹⁸ And I saide, My strength & mine hope is perished from the Lord,¹⁹ Remembring mine affliction, & my mourning, the wormewood and the gall.²⁰ My soule hath them in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

²¹ I consider this in mine heart: therefore haue I hope.²² It is the Lordes mercies that wee are not consumed, because his compassions faile not.²³ They are renued euery morning: great is thy faithfulnesse.²⁴ The Lorde is my portion, sayth my soule: therefore wil I hope in him.²⁵ The Lord is good vnto them, that trust in him, and to the soule that seeketh him.²⁶ It is good both to trust, and to waite for the saluation of the Lord.²⁷ It is good for a man that he beare the yoke in his youth.²⁸ He sitteth alone, and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it vpon him.²⁹ He putteth his mouth in the dust, if there may be hope.³⁰ Hee giueth his cheeke to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproches.³¹ For the Lord will not forsake for euer.³² But though he sende affliction, yet will he haue compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.³³ For he doeth not punish willingly, nor afflict the children of men,³⁴ In stamping vnder his feete all the prisoners of the earth,³⁵ In ouerthrowing the right of a man before the face of the most high,³⁶ In subuerting a man in his cause: the Lord seeth it not.

³⁷ Who is he then that sayth, & it commeth to passe, and the Lord commandeth it not?³⁸ Out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not euill and good?³⁹ Wherefore then is the liuing man sorowfull? man suffreth for his sinne.⁴⁰ Let vs search and try our wayes, and turne againe to the Lord.⁴¹ Let vs lift vp our hearts with our handes vnto God in the heauens.

⁴² We haue sinned, and haue rebelled, therefore thou hast not spared.⁴³ Thou hast couered vs with wrath, and persecuted vs: thou hast slaine and not spared.⁴⁴ Thou hast couered thy selfe with a cloude, that our prayer should not passe through.⁴⁵ Thou hast made vs as the ofscouring and refuse in the middes of the people.⁴⁶ All our enemies haue opened their mouth against vs.⁴⁷ Feare, and a snare is come vpon vs with desolation and destruction.⁴⁸ Mine eye casteth out riuers of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.⁴⁹ Mine eye droppeth without stay and ceaseth not,⁵⁰ Till the Lorde looke downe, and beholde from heauen.⁵¹ Mine eye breaketh mine heart because of all the daughters of my citie.⁵² Mine enemies chased me sore like a birde, without cause.⁵³ They haue shut vp my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone vpon me.⁵⁴ Waters flowed ouer mine head, then thought I, I am destroyed.

⁵⁵ I called vpon thy Name, O Lorde, out of the lowe dungeon.⁵⁶ Thou hast heard my voyce: stoppe not thine eare from my sigh and from my cry.⁵⁷ Thou drewest neere in the day that I called vpon thee: thou saydest, Feare not.⁵⁸ O Lord, thou hast maintained the cause of my soule, and hast redeemed my life.⁵⁹ O Lorde, thou hast seene my wrong, iudge thou my cause.⁶⁰ Thou hast seene all their vengeance, and all their deuises against me.⁶¹ Thou hast heard their reproch, O Lord, and all their imaginations against me:⁶² The lippes also of those that rose against me, and their whispering against me continually.⁶³ Behold, their sitting downe and their rising vp, how I am their song.⁶⁴ Giue them a recompence, O Lord, according to the worke of their handes.⁶⁵ Giue them sorow of heart, euen thy curse to them.⁶⁶ Persecute with wrath & destroy them from vnder the heauen, O Lord.