affliction

[In Fr. afliction; Sp. afliccion; Ital. afflizione, all fr. Lat. afflictio.] [AFFLICT.) I. The act of afflicting. II. The state of being afflicted; the state of being subjected to pain or over-fatigue of body, or to mental distre . "Look upon mine afliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins." Ps. xxv. 18. III. That which tends to produce continued bodily pain or mental distre ; a calamity, a trouble, a trial. "God hath seen mine afliction , and the labour of my hands." Gen. xxx i. 42. "The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast."- Jer . xlviii. 16. In this sense it is frequently used in the plural. "Oh, tell me life is in thy voice How much afflictions were thy choice, And sloth and ense and ease thy scorn." Cowper: Trans, fr. Guion, "Joy of the Cro ." * Bread of affliction: (a) Bread given to prisoners in jail; bread doubtle inferior in quality, and designed to be distasteful to the eater. "And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction , until I return in peace." 2 Chron. xviii. 26. (b) Unleavened bread consumed by Divine command at certain religious fasts and feasts. "Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction ."- Deut . xvi. 3. IV. Abstract for concrete: An afflicted person, a person in poverty or distre . "Then grant what here all sons of woe obtain; For here affliction never pleads in vain." Pope: Homer's Ody ey, bk. viii, 31, 82. 110