{"response":[{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"1","text":"&#1488; (Alef) I am the man who has experienced affliction from the rod of his wrath.","title":"The Prophet Speaks:"},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"2","text":"He drove me into captivity and made me walk in darkness and not light."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"3","text":"He repeatedly attacks me, he turns his hand against me all day long."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"4","text":"&#1489; (Bet) He has made my mortal skin waste away; he has broken my bones."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"5","text":"He has besieged and surrounded me with bitter hardship."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"6","text":"He has made me reside in deepest darkness like those who died long ago."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"7","text":"&#1490; (Gimel) He has walled me in so that I cannot get out; he has weighted me down with heavy prison chains."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"8","text":"Also, when I cry out desperately for help, he has shut out my prayer."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"9","text":"He has blocked every road I take with a wall of hewn stones; he has made every path impassable."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"10","text":"&#1491; (Dalet) To me he is like a bear lying in ambush, like a hidden lion stalking its prey."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"11","text":"He has obstructed my paths and torn me to pieces; he has made me desolate."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"12","text":"He drew his bow and made me the target for his arrow."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"13","text":"&#1492; (He) He shot his arrows into my heart."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"14","text":"I have become the laughingstock of all people, their mocking song all day long."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"15","text":"He has given me my fill of bitter herbs and made me drunk with bitterness."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"16","text":"&#1493; (Vav) He ground my teeth in gravel; he trampled me in the dust."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"17","text":"I am deprived of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"18","text":"So I said, \u201cMy endurance has expired; I have lost all hope of deliverance from the Lord.\u201d"},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"19","text":"&#1494; (Zayin) Remember my impoverished and homeless condition, which is a bitter poison."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"20","text":"I continually think about this, and I am depressed."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"21","text":"But this I call to mind; therefore I have hope:"},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"22","text":"&#1495; (Khet) The Lord\u2019s loyal kindness never ceases; his compassions never end."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"23","text":"They are fresh every morning; your faithfulness is abundant!"},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"24","text":"\u201cMy portion is the Lord,\u201d I have said to myself, so I will put my hope in him."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"25","text":"&#1496; (Tet) The Lord is good to those who trust in him, to the one who seeks him."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"26","text":"It is good to wait patiently for deliverance from the Lord."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"27","text":"It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"28","text":"&#1497; (Yod) Let a person sit alone in silence, when the Lord is disciplining him."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"29","text":"Let him bury his face in the dust; perhaps there is hope."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"30","text":"Let him offer his cheek to the one who hits him; let him have his fill of insults."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"31","text":"&#1499; (Kaf) For the Lord will not reject us forever."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"32","text":"Though he causes us grief, he then has compassion on us according to the abundance of his loyal kindness."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"33","text":"For he is not predisposed to afflict or to grieve people."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"34","text":"&#1500; (Lamed) To crush underfoot all the earth\u2019s prisoners,"},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"35","text":"to deprive a person of his rights in the presence of the Most High,"},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"36","text":"to defraud a person in a lawsuit &#8211; the Lord does not approve of such things!"},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"37","text":"&#1502; (Mem) Whose command was ever fulfilled unless the Lord decreed it?"},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"38","text":"Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that everything comes &#8211; both calamity and blessing?"},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"39","text":"Why should any living person complain when punished for his sins?"},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"40","text":"&#1504; (Nun) Let us carefully examine our ways, and let us return to the Lord."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"41","text":"Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven:"},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"42","text":"\u201cWe have blatantly rebelled; you have not forgiven.\u201d"},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"43","text":"&#1505; (Samek) You shrouded yourself with anger and then pursued us; you killed without mercy."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"44","text":"You shrouded yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"45","text":"You make us like filthy scum in the estimation of the nations."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"46","text":"&#1508; (Pe) All our enemies have gloated over us;"},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"47","text":"Panic and pitfall have come upon us, devastation and destruction."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"48","text":"Streams of tears flow from my eyes because my people are destroyed."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"49","text":"&#1506; (Ayin) Tears flow from my eyes and will not stop; there will be no break"},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"50","text":"until the Lord looks down from heaven and sees what has happened."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"51","text":"What my eyes see grieves me &#8211; all the suffering of the daughters in my city."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"52","text":"&#1510; (Tsade) For no good reason my enemies hunted me down like a bird."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"53","text":"They shut me up in a pit and threw stones at me."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"54","text":"The waters closed over my head; I thought I was about to die."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"55","text":"&#1511; (Qof) I have called on your name, O Lord, from the deepest pit."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"56","text":"You heard my plea: \u201cDo not close your ears to my cry for relief!\u201d"},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"57","text":"You came near on the day I called to you; you said, \u201cDo not fear!\u201d"},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"58","text":"&#1512; (Resh) O Lord, you championed my cause, you redeemed my life."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"59","text":"You have seen the wrong done to me, O Lord; pronounce judgment on my behalf!"},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"60","text":"You have seen all their vengeance, all their plots against me."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"61","text":"&#1513; (Sin\/Shin) You have heard their taunts, O Lord, all their plots against me."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"62","text":"My assailants revile and conspire against me all day long."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"63","text":"Watch them from morning to evening; I am the object of their mocking songs."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"64","text":"&#1514; (Tav) Pay them back what they deserve, O Lord, according to what they have done."},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"65","text":"Give them a distraught heart; may your curse be on them!"},{"bookname":"Lamentations","chapter":"3","verse":"66","text":"Pursue them in anger and eradicate them from under the Lord\u2019s heaven."}]}