34. To crush underfootall prisoners in the land,
35. to deny people their rightsbefore the Most High,
36. to deprive them of justice –would not the Lord see such things?
37. Who can speak and have it happenif the Lord has not decreed it?
38. Is it not from the mouth of the Most Highthat both calamities and good things come?
39. Why should the living complainwhen punished for their sins?
40. Let us examine our ways and test them,and let us return to the Lord.
41. Let us lift up our hearts and our handsto God in heaven, and say:
42. ‘We have sinned and rebelledand you have not forgiven.
43. ‘You have covered yourself with anger and pursued us;you have slain without pity.
44. You have covered yourself with a cloudso that no prayer can get through.
45. You have made us scum and refuseamong the nations.
46. ‘All our enemies have opened their mouthswide against us.
47. We have suffered terror and pitfalls,ruin and destruction.’
48. Streams of tears flow from my eyesbecause my people are destroyed.
49. My eyes will flow unceasingly,without relief,
50. until the Lord looks downfrom heaven and sees.