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³⁷Who can command and have it done, if the Lord has not ordained it? ³⁸Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come? ³⁹Why should any who draw breath complain about the punishment of their sins? ⁴⁰Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord. ⁴¹Let us lift up our hearts as well as our hands to God in heaven.

⁴²We have transgressed and rebelled, and you have not forgiven. ⁴³You have wrapped yourself with anger and pursued us, killing without pity; ⁴⁴you have wrapped yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can pass through. ⁴⁵You have made us filth and rubbish among the peoples. ⁴⁶All our enemies have opened their mouths against us; ⁴⁷panic and pitfall have come upon us, devastation and destruction. ⁴⁸My eyes flow with rivers of tears because of the destruction of my people. ⁴⁹My eyes will flow without ceasing, without respite, ⁵⁰until the Lord from heaven looks down and sees. ⁵¹My eyes cause me grief at the fate of all the young women in my city. ⁵²Those who were my enemies without cause have hunted me like a bird; ⁵³they flung me alive into a pit and hurled stones on me; ⁵⁴water closed over my head; I said, “I am lost.”

⁵⁵I called on your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit; ⁵⁶you heard my plea, “Do not close your ear to my cry for help, but give me relief!” ⁵⁷You came near when I called on you; you said, “Do not fear!” ⁵⁸You have taken up my cause, O Lord, you have redeemed my life.