Lamentations 3:37

New Living Translation

Who can command things to happen without the Lord's permission?

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Who is there who speaks and it happens,unless the Lord has ordained it?

Hebrew Names Version
Who is he who says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord doesn't command it?

King James Version
Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?

English Standard Version
Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it?

New American Standard Bible
Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, Unless the Lord has commanded it?

New Century Version
Nobody can speak and have it happen unless the Lord commands it.

Amplified Bible
Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, Unless the Lord has authorized and commanded it?

World English Bible
Who is he who says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord doesn't command it?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Who is he then that sayth, & it commeth to passe, and the Lord commandeth it not?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, Unless the Lord has commanded it?

Legacy Standard Bible
Who is there who speaks and it happens,Unless the Lord has commanded it?

Berean Standard Bible
Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it?

Contemporary English Version
No one can do anything without the Lord's approval.

Complete Jewish Bible
Who can say something and have it happen without Adonai's commanding it?

Darby Translation
Who is he that saith, and there cometh to pass, what the Lord hath not commanded?

Easy-to-Read Version
No one can say something and make it happen, unless the Lord orders it.

George Lamsa Translation
Who is he that says, and it comes to pass, when the LORD has not commanded it?

Good News Translation
The will of the Lord alone is always carried out.

Lexham English Bible
Who can speak and it will happen if the Lord has not commanded it?

Literal Translation
Who is this speaking, and it happens when the Lord does not command it?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
What is he then that saieth: there shulde somthinge be done without the LORDES comaundement?

American Standard Version
Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?

Bible in Basic English
Who is able to say a thing, and give effect to it, if it has not been ordered by the Lord?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?

King James Version (1611)
Who is hee that sayth, and it commeth to passe, when the Lord commandeth it not?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
What is he then that saith, there should some thing be done without the Lordes commaundement?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Who has thus spoken, and it has come to pass? the Lord has not commanded it.

English Revised Version
Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Men. Who is this that seide, that a thing schulde be don, whanne the Lord comaundide not?

Update Bible Version
Who is he that says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord does not command it?

Webster's Bible Translation
Who [is] he [that] saith, and it cometh to pass, [when] the Lord commandeth [it] not?

New English Translation

מ (Mem)

Whose command was ever fulfilled unless the Lord decreed it?

New King James Version
Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass, When the Lord has not commanded it?

New Life Bible
Who has said that something would happen and then it did happen, unless the Lord has said that it should be?

New Revised Standard
Who can command and have it done, if the Lord has not ordained it?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Who was it that spake, and it was done, when , My Lord, had not commanded?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Mem. Who is he that hath commanded a thing to be done, when the Lord commandeth it not?

Revised Standard Version
Who has commanded and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it?

Young's Literal Translation
Who [is] this -- he hath said, and it is, [And] the Lord hath not commanded [it]?

THE MESSAGE
Who do you think "spoke and it happened"? It's the Master who gives such orders. Doesn't the High God speak everything, good things and hard things alike, into being? And why would anyone gifted with life complain when punished for sin?

Contextual Overview

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? 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,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

saith: Psalms 33:9-11, Proverbs 16:9, Proverbs 19:21, Proverbs 21:30, Isaiah 46:10, Daniel 4:35, Romans 9:15, Ephesians 1:11, James 4:13-15

Reciprocal: Genesis 27:45 - then I Genesis 42:28 - What is Exodus 10:10 - look to it 2 Samuel 17:14 - appointed 1 Kings 11:40 - Solomon sought Nehemiah 4:15 - God Job 10:13 - I know Job 17:11 - purposes Job 22:28 - decree Psalms 33:11 - The counsel Psalms 37:5 - and Ecclesiastes 1:15 - crooked Ecclesiastes 9:11 - but Isaiah 7:7 - General Isaiah 8:10 - counsel Isaiah 14:24 - Surely Jeremiah 19:7 - I will make Jeremiah 44:28 - shall know Ezekiel 20:32 - that which Malachi 1:4 - They shall build Matthew 2:8 - go Matthew 26:5 - Not John 19:11 - Thou Acts 5:23 - The prison Acts 5:38 - for Acts 12:4 - intending Acts 19:21 - purposed Acts 23:16 - when Acts 25:12 - unto Caesar shalt Romans 15:28 - I will Ephesians 1:9 - purposed James 4:15 - If

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Who [is] he [that] saith, and it cometh to pass?.... Or, "who [that] says [this shall be], and it cometh to pass?" or, "who [is] he [that] saith [this shall] come to pass?" i this, or that, or the other thing, he wills and desires, and his heart is set upon:

[when] the Lord commandeth [it] not? has not willed and decreed it, but determined the contrary; for nothing escapes his knowledge and foreknowledge; or can resist his will; or control his power; or frustrate his councils, and counterwork his designs; whatever schemes men form to get riches, obtain honour, do mischief to others, prolong life to themselves, and perpetuate their names to posterity, being contrary to the purpose of God, never succeed; whenever they do succeed in any of the above instances, it is because God has commanded, or he has determined, it should be so; as in the instances of Joseph's brethren, in their usage of him; and of the Jews, in the crucifixion of Christ, Proverbs 16:9. The Targum is,

"who is the man that saith, and evil is done in the world; but because they have done what was not commanded from the mouth of the Lord?''

i So some in Gataker.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Why then does a loving God, who disapproves of suffering when inflicted by man upon man, Himself send sorrow and misery? “Because of sins.”

Lamentations 3:37

Literally, “Who is this that spake and it was done, though אדני 'ădonāy commanded it not?”

Lamentations 3:39

So long as God spares a man’s life, why does he complain? The chastisement is really for his good; only let him use it aright, and he will be thankful for it in the end.

A man for the punishment of his sins - Translate: Let “each man sigh for,” i. e. because of, “his sins.” Instead of complaining because God sends him sorrow, let him rather mourn over the sins which have made punishment necessary. The sense of the King James Version is, Why does a man ... complain “for his sins?” i. e. for the necessary results of them in chastisement.