The composer writes: The Book of Lamentations (traditionally attributed to Jeremiah) is perhaps an unlikely place to go looking for a message of hope and comfort. And yet such a message can be found, “hiding in plain sight,” in Lamentations III, verses 24 – 41.

TEXT

Pars mea Dominus, dixit anima mea; propterea exspectabo eum.
Bonus est Dominus sperantibus in eum, animæ quærenti illum.
Bonum est præstolari cum silentio salutare Dei.
Bonum est viro cum portaverit jugum ab adolescentia sua.
Sedebit solitarius, et tacebit, quia levavit super se.
Ponet in pulvere os suum, si forte sit spes.
Dabit percutienti se maxillam: saturabitur opprobriis.
Quia non repellet in sempiternum Dominus.
Quia si abjecit, et miserebitur, secundum multitudinem misericordiarum suarum.
Non enim humiliavit ex corde suo et abjecit filios hominum.
Ut conteret sub pedibus suis omnes vinctos terræ.
Ut declinaret judicium viri in conspectu vultus Altissimi.
Ut perverteret hominem in judicio suo; Dominus ignoravit.
Quis est iste qui dixit ut fieret, Domino non jubente?
Ex ore Altissimi non egredientur nec mala nec bona?
Quid murmuravit homo vivens, vir pro peccatis suis?
Scrutemur vias nostras, et quæramus, et revertamur ad Dominum.
Levemus corda nostra cum minibus ad Dominum in cælos.

TRANSLATION

The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth.
To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,
To subvert a man in his cause, the LORD approveth not.
Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.
Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.