1 B ut now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.

¶ But now those that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.

2 Y ea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?

For, unto what might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom time was lost?

3 F or want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste.

For want and famine they walked alone; fleeing into solitude, to the dark place, desolate and waste.

4 W ho cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat.

Who cut up mallows among the bushes and juniper roots for their food.

5 T hey were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them as after a thief;)

They were driven forth from among men (they cried after them as after a thief).

6 t o dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.

They dwelt in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.

7 A mong the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.

Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.

8 T hey were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler than the earth.

They were sons of fools and men without names; they were lower than the earth.

9 A nd now am I their song, yea, I am their byword.

And now I am their song, and I am their byword.

10 T hey abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.

They abhor me, they distance themselves from me, and do not spare to spit in my face.

11 B ecause he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me.

Because God has loosed my cord and afflicted me, they have also gone out of control before my face.

12 U pon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction.

Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction.

13 T hey mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper.

They cast down my path, they took advantage of my calamity, against them there was no helper.

14 T hey came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters: in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me.

They came in as through a wide breach; they were stirred up because of my calamity.

15 T errors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud.

¶ They have loosed terrors upon me; they fought my will as the wind and my saving health as a cloud that passes.

16 A nd now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.

And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.

17 M y bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest.

My bones pierce me in the night, and my sinews take no rest.

18 B y the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.

By the great force of my disease my garment is changed; it binds me about as the collar of my coat.

19 H e hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.

He has cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes.

20 I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not.

I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me; I present myself, and thou regardest me not.

21 T hou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me.

Thou art become cruel to me; with the strength of thy hand thou dost hate me.

22 T hou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to ride upon it, and dissolvest my substance.

Thou didst lift me up and cause me to ride upon the wind, and didst dissolve my being.

23 F or I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.

For I know that thou dost conduct me unto death and to the house appointed for all living.

24 H owbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, though they cry in his destruction.

But he will not stretch out his hand against the grave; do those who are buried cry out when he destroys them?

25 D id not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?

Did I not weep for the one that was in trouble? Was not my soul grieved for the needy?

26 W hen I looked for good, then evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness.

When I expected good, then evil came unto me; and when I waited for light, there came darkness.

27 M y bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me.

My bowels boil and do not rest; the days of affliction came upon me.

28 I went mourning without the sun: I stood up, and I cried in the congregation.

I went about darkened, but not by the sun; I stood up and cried out in the congregation.

29 I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.

I have become a brother to dragons and a companion to owls.

30 M y skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.

My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.

31 M y harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.

My harp is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of those that weep.