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 who are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to put with my sheep dogs.

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

Of what use is the strength of their hands to me, men in whom ripe age has perished?

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

They are gaunt from lack and famine. They gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of waste and desolation.

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

They pluck salt herbs by the bushes. The roots of the broom are their food.

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

They are driven out from among men. They cry 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.

So that they dwell in frightful valleys, and in holes of the earth and of the rocks.

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

Among the bushes they bray; and under the nettles they are gathered together.

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

They are children of fools, yes, children of base men. They were flogged out of the land.

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

“Now I have become their song. Yes, I am a byword to them.

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

They abhor me, they stand aloof from me, and don’t hesitate 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.

For he has untied his cord, and afflicted me; and they have thrown off restraint before me.

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.

On my right hand rise the rabble. They thrust aside my feet, They cast up against me their ways of destruction.

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

They mar my path, They set forward my calamity, without anyone’s help.

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

As through a wide breach they come, in the middle of the ruin they roll themselves in.

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

Terrors have turned on me. They chase my honor as the wind. My welfare has passed away as a cloud.

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

“Now my soul is poured out within me. Days of affliction have taken hold on me.

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

In the night season my bones are pierced in me, and the pains that gnaw me 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 great force is my garment disfigured. 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. 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 to you, and you do not answer me. I stand up, and you gaze at me.

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

You have turned to be cruel to me. With the might of your hand you persecute me.

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

You lift me up to the wind, and drive me with it. You dissolve me in the storm.

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

For I know that you will bring me to death, 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.

“However doesn’t one stretch out a hand in his fall? Or in his calamity therefore cry for help?

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

Didn’t I weep for him who was in trouble? Wasn’t 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 looked for good, then evil came; When I waited for light, there came darkness.

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

My heart is troubled, and doesn’t rest. Days of affliction have come on me.

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

I go mourning without the sun. I stand up in the assembly, and cry for help.

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

I am a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.

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

My skin grows black and peels from me. 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.

Therefore my harp has turned to mourning, and my pipe into the voice of those who weep.