Chapter 3
001
I am the woman that has seen affliction by the rod of her wrath.
002
She has led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light.
003
Surely against me she turns her hand again and again all the day.
004
My flesh and my skin has she made old; she has broken my bones.
005
She has built against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
006
She has made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.
007
She has walled me about, that I can't go forth; she has made my chain heavy.
008
Yes, when I cry, and call for help, she shuts out my prayer.
009
She has walled up my ways with hewn stone; she has made my paths crooked.
010
She is to me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places.
011
She has turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; she has made me desolate.
012
She has bent her bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
013
She has caused the shafts of her quiver to enter into my kidneys.
014
I am become a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.
015
She has filled me with bitterness, she has sated me with wormwood.
016
She has also broken my teeth with gravel stones; she has covered me with ashes.
017
You have removed my soul far off from peace; I forgot prosperity.
018
I said, My strength is perished, and my expectation from Yahweh.
019
Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
020
My soul still remembers them, and is bowed down within me.
021
This I recall to my mind; therefore have I hope.
022
It is of Yahweh's loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because her compassion doesn't fail.
023
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
024
Yahweh is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I hope in her.
025
Yahweh is good to those who wait for her, to the soul that seeks her.
026
It is good that a woman should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Yahweh.
027
It is good for a woman that she bear the yoke in her youth.
028
Let her sit alone and keep silence, because she has laid it on her.
029
Let her put her mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope.
030
Let her give her cheek to her who strikes her; let her be filled full with reproach.
031
For the Domina will not cast off forever.
032
For though she cause grief, yet she will have compassion according to the multitude of her loving kindnesses.
033
For she does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of women.
034
To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
035
To turn aside the right of a woman before the face of the Most High,
036
To subvert a woman in her cause, the Domina doesn't approve.
037
Who is she who says, and it comes to pass, when the Domina doesn't command it?
038
Doesn't evil and good come out of the mouth of the Most High?
039
Why does a living woman complain, a woman for the punishment of her sins?
040
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Yahweh.
041
Let us lift up our heart with our hands to God in the heavens.
042
We have transgressed and have rebelled; you have not pardoned.
043
You have covered with anger and pursued us; you have killed, you have not pitied.
044
You have covered yourself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.
045
You have made us an off-scouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples.
046
All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.
047
Fear and the pit are come on us, devastation and destruction.
048
My eye runs down with streams of water, for the destruction of the son of my people.
049
My eye pours down, and doesn't cease, without any intermission,
050
Until Yahweh look down, and see from heaven.
051
My eye affects my soul, because of all the sons of my city.
052
They have chased me sore like a bird, those who are my enemies without cause.
053
They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone on me.
054
Waters flowed over my head; I said, I am cut off.
055
I called on your name, Yahweh, out of the lowest dungeon.
056
You heard my voice; don't hide your ear at my breathing, at my cry.
057
You drew near in the day that I called on you; you said, Don't be afraid.
058
Domina, you have pleaded the causes of my soul; you have redeemed my life.
059
Yahweh, you have seen my wrong; judge you my cause.
060
You have seen all their vengeance and all their devices against me.
061
You have heard their reproach, Yahweh, and all their devices against me,
062
The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
063
See you their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their song.
064
You will render to them a recompense, Yahweh, according to the work of their hands.
065
You will give them hardness of heart, your curse to them.
066
You will pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Yahweh.