Lamentations 3:1–3
The poet of Lamentations describes his suffering without adornment
Study it word by word1I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
2He has driven me and made me walk in darkness and not in light.
3Surely against me he turns back, he turns his hand all the day.
In its context
…
4He has worn out my flesh and my skin; he has broken my bones.
5He has built against me and surrounded me with poison and hardship.
Its words in the original
- גֶּבֶרgever· man
Man, a grown man in his strength.
- רָאָהraa· see
See. Also look, observe, notice, consider; in some forms, "appear" or "show".
- עֳנִיoni· affliction
Affliction, suffering, misery.
- שֵׁבֶטshevet· rod, scepter, tribe
Rod, staff; a king's scepter; also tribe.
- עֶבְרָתevrat· fury
Overflowing rage, fury.
- נָהַגnahag· drive, lead
Drive, lead along (livestock, people); carry off.
- יֹּלַךְyolach· go, walk
Go, walk, depart; in the causative form, lead or bring.
- חֹשֶׁךְchoshech· darkness
Darkness, lack of light. Figuratively it can point to misfortune, ignorance or death.
- אוֹרor· light
Light: daylight, the light of a lamp or of the heavenly bodies. Figuratively, life, joy or well-being.
- יָשֻׁבyashuv· return, turn back
Turn back, return. Also turn away; in the causative form, bring back, give back, answer. Figuratively, turn back to God (change course). Often adverbial: "again".
- יַהֲפֹךְyahafoch· turn, overthrow
Turn, turn over; change, overthrow.
- יָדyad· hand, power
Hand. Figuratively, power or control ("into the hand of" = into the power of); also side, part, or share. Also a projecting piece, such as a tenon.
- יּוֹםyom· day
Day: the hours of light, or a whole day from one evening to the next. Also an indefinite time or age ("in the day that...", "in those days").