There Is Still Hope
The Prophet Speaks:
1 I have suffered much
because God was angry.
2 He chased me into a dark place,
where no light could enter.
3 I am the only one he punishes
over and over again,
without ever stopping.
4 God caused my skin and flesh
to waste away,
and he crushed my bones.
5 He attacked and surrounded me
with hardships and trouble;
6 he forced me to sit in the dark
like someone long dead.
7 God built a fence around me
that I cannot climb over,
and he chained me down.
8 Even when I shouted
and prayed for help,
he refused to listen.
9 God put big rocks in my way
and made me follow
a crooked path.
10 God was like a bear or a lion
waiting in ambush for me;
11 he dragged me from the road,
then tore me to shreds.
12 God took careful aim
and shot his arrows
13 straight through my heart.
14 I am a joke to everyone—
no one ever stops
making fun of me.
15 God has turned my life sour.
16 He made me eat gravel
and rubbed me in the dirt.
17 I cannot find peace
or remember happiness.
18 I tell myself, “I am finished!
I can't count on the Lord
to do anything for me.”
19 Just thinking of my troubles
and my lonely wandering
makes me miserable.
20 That's all I ever think about,
and I am depressed.
21 Then I remember something
that fills me with hope.
22 The Lord's kindness never fails!
If he had not been merciful,
we would have been destroyed.
23 The Lord can always be trusted
to show mercy each morning.
24 Deep in my heart I say,
“The Lord is all I need;
I can depend on him!”
25 The Lord is kind to everyone
who trusts and obeys him.
26 It is good to wait patiently
for the Lord to save us.
27 When we are young,
it is good to struggle hard
28 and to sit silently alone,
if this is what
the Lord intends.
29 Being rubbed in the dirt
can teach us a lesson;
30 we can also learn from insults
and hard knocks.
31 The Lord won't always reject us!
32 He causes a lot of suffering,
but he also has pity
because of his great love.
33 The Lord doesn't enjoy
sending grief or pain.
34 Don't trample prisoners
under your feet
35 or cheat anyone out of
what is rightfully theirs.
God Most High sees everything,
36 and he knows when you refuse
to give someone a fair trial.
37 No one can do anything
without the Lord's approval.
38 Good and bad each happen
at the command
of God Most High.
39 We're still alive!
We shouldn't complain
when we are being punished
for our sins.
40 Instead, we should think
about the way we are living,
and turn back to the Lord.
41 When we lift our hands
in prayer to God in heaven,
we should offer him our hearts
and say, 42 “We've sinned!
We've rebelled against you,
and you haven't forgiven us!
43 Anger is written all over you,
as you pursue and slaughter us
without showing pity.
44 You are behind a wall of clouds
that blocks out our prayers.
45 You allowed nations
to treat us like garbage;
46 our enemies curse us.
47 We are terrified and trapped,
caught and crushed.”
48 My people are destroyed!
Tears flood my eyes,
49 and they won't stop
50 until the Lord looks down
from heaven and helps.
51 I am horrified when I see
what enemies have done
to the young women of our city.
52 No one had reason to hate me,
but I was hunted down
like a bird.
53 Then they tried to kill me
by tossing me into a pit
and throwing stones at me.
54 Water covered my head—
I thought I was gone.
55 From the bottom of the pit,
I prayed to you, Lord.
56 I begged you to listen.
“Help!” I shouted. “Save me!”
You answered my prayer
57 and came when I was in need.
You told me, “Don't worry!”
58 You rescued me
and saved my life.
59 You saw them abuse me, Lord,
so make things right.
60 You know every plot
they have made against me.
61 Yes, you know their insults
and their evil plans.
62 All day long they attack
with words and whispers.
63 No matter what they are doing,
they keep on mocking me.
64 Pay them back for everything
they have done, Lord!
65 Put your curse on them
and make them suffer.
66 Get angry and go after them
until not a trace is left
under the heavens.
Jeremija līdzdala Israēla ciešanas
1 Es, vīrs, kas dabūjis ciest no viņa dusmības rīkstes;
2 mani viņš dzen, liek staigāt tumsā, ne gaismā;
3 tik griež un griež savu roku pret mani augu dienu.
4 Deldē man miesu un ādu, satriec kaulus;
5 apsēž mani un lenc ar mokām un rūgtumu.
6 Mitina mani tumsā kā mūžam mirušos.
7 Ceļ mūri ap mani – netieku prom,
dara smagas man važas;
8 arī kad kliedzu un saucu, viņš aprauj man lūgšanu,
9 akmeņiem aizmūrē ceļus, jauc manas takas.
10 Viņš man uzglūn kā lācis, kā lauva no slēpņa.
11 Viļ manus ceļus, saplosa mani un nolēmē.
12 Velk loku un liek mani bultai par mērķi.
13 Triec manās īkstīs bultumaksts dēlus.
14 Ikviens apsmej mani, apdzied augu dienu.
15 Viņš baro mani ar rūgtu, ar vērmelēm dzirda.
16 Saberž man zobus zvirgzdiem, mani izvārta pīšļos;
17 liegts manai dvēselei miers, neatceros vairs labo;
18 saku: pagalam mans stiprums un mana cerība uz Kungu.
Cerība uz Dieva žēlastību
19 Atceries klaidas un ciešanas ar sūrmi un vērmelēm.
20 Minēt to piemin mana dvēsele un nonīkst.
21 Bet šo ņemšu pie sirds, lai ceru:
22 Kunga žēlastība nebeidzas, nav galā viņa žēlsirdība,
23 tās ir jaunas ik rītu, liela tava uzticība!
24 Mana daļa ir Kungs! – saka dvēsele,
tādēļ gaidīšu viņu.
25 Labs ir Kungs gaidītājam – dvēselei, kas viņu meklē;
26 labi ir klusējot gaidīt palīdzību no Kunga.
27 Labi vīram, kas jūgu jaunībā nes,
28 lai sēž klusējot viens, jo tas viņam uzlikts,
29 lai skūpsta pīšļus – varbūt ir cerība!
30 Lai vērš sitējam vaigu, lai atēdas kauna, –
31 jo neba uz mūžu novērsies Kungs.
32 Kaut skumdina – apžēlosies, jo liela tam žēlastība,
33 jo ne ar vieglu sirdi viņš apspiež,
skumdina cilvēka dēlus!
34 Kad min kājām visus zemes gūstekņus,
35 kad sagroza vīra tiesu Visuaugstākā priekšā,
36 kad cilvēku pieviļ strīdā – vai Kungs neredz?
37 Kurš liek – un tā notiek! – ja ne Kungs tā pavēl?
38 Vai ne no Visuaugstākā mutes iziet ļauns un labs?
39 Ko gaužas dzīvais? – viņš vīrs savos grēkos.
40 Lai pārbaudām mūsu ceļus un meklējam –
un atgriežamies pie Kunga.
41 Sirdis celsim, ne rokas uz Dievu debesīs:
42 mēs grēkojām, pretojāmies, tu nepiedevi,
43 ietinies dusmās, tu vajāji mūs, tu kāvi un nežēloji,
44 mākonī ietinies, ka lūgšana netiek tev klāt.
45 Par drazām un mēsliem mūs darīji tautu vidū,
46 ver muti pret mums ik naidnieks:
47 mums baismas un bedre, mums slazdi un posts.
48 Asarām acis man palo manas tautmeitas posta dēļ.
49 Pludo, nerimst man acs, nav mitas,
50 līdz lūkosies lejup un redzēs Kungs no debesīm.
51 Mana acs sāpina dvēseli manas pilsētas meitu dēļ,
52 par neko mani tvarsta kā putnu mani naidnieki,
53 dzīvu met bedrē, akmeņiem mētā,
54 plūst ūdens pār galvu, saucu: pagalam!
55 Saucu tavu vārdu, Kungs, no bedres dziļumiem;
56 klau: mana balss, nenovērs ausi
manam palīgā saucienam.
57 Tu nāci dienā, kad saucu tevi, sacīji: nebīsties.
58 Tu, Kungs, stāvi par manu dvēseli tiesā,
glāb manu dzīvību!
59 Kungs, tu redzi, kā mani apspiež, iztiesā manu tiesu.
60 Tu redzi viņu atbildību, viņu viltu par mani,
61 tu dzirdi viņu paļas, Kungs, viņu viltu uz mani.
62 Pretinieku runas un domas nāk uz mani ik dienu.
63 Tie sēstot un ceļoties smej mani dziesmās.
64 Atmaksā viņiem, Kungs, pēc viņu roku darba.
65 Cietini tiem sirdis, uz viņiem tavs lādējums,
66 dusmās vajā un nīcini zem Kunga debesīm.
