But at the end of the appointed time ¹  I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up ²  toward heaven, and my sanity returned to me. I extolled the Most High, and I praised and glorified the one who lives forever. For his authority is an everlasting authority, and his kingdom extends from one generation to the next.

No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. ¹  And God is faithful: He ²  will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, ³  but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it.

Once again there will be sounds ¹  of joy and gladness and the glad celebrations of brides and grooms. ²  Once again people will bring their thank offerings to the temple of the Lord and will say, “Give thanks to the Lord who rules over all. For the Lord is good and his unfailing love lasts forever.” ³  For I, the Lord, affirm ⁴  that I will restore the land to what it was ⁵  in days of old.’ ⁶ 

Let my lord go on ahead of his servant. I will travel more slowly, at the pace of the herds and the children, ¹  until I come to my lord at Seir.”

So ¹  when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter somehow tempted you and our toil had proven useless.

Is my strength like that of stones? ¹  or is my flesh made of bronze?

The Lord watches over the innocent day by day ¹  and they possess a permanent inheritance. ² 

I weep and refrain from eating food, ¹  which causes others to insult me. ² 

They acted like fools in their rebellious ways, ¹  and suffered because of their sins.

ל (Lamed) O Lord, your instructions endure; they stand secure in heaven. ¹ 

Today they stand firm by your decrees, for all things are your servants.

Your justice endures, ¹  and your law is reliable. ² 

But Judah will reside securely forever, and Jerusalem will be secure ¹  from one generation to the next.

Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer.

in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, ¹  in troubles, ²  in sleepless nights, in hunger,

“While the earth continues to exist, ¹  planting time ²  and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.”

Your house and your kingdom will stand before me ¹  permanently; your dynasty ²  will be permanent.’”

For the wise man, like ¹  the fool, will not be remembered for very long, ²  because ³  in the days to come, both will already have been forgotten. ⁴  Alas, ⁵  the wise man dies – just like ⁶  the fool!

And I cried out, ¹  “We are doomed! ²  Our wound is severe! We once thought, ‘This is only an illness. And we will be able to bear it!’ ³ 

So this is what the sovereign Lord says: I vow ¹  that the nations around you will endure insults as well.