1 M y spirit is broken, my days are spent (snuffed out); the grave is ready for me.

“My spirit is broken, My days are extinguished, The grave is ready for me.

2 S urely there are mockers and mockery around me, and my eye dwells on their obstinacy, insults, and resistance.

Are not mockers with me? And does not my eye dwell on their provocation?

3 G ive me a pledge with Yourself; who is there that will give security for me?

“Now put down a pledge for me with Yourself. Who is he who will shake hands with me?

4 B ut their hearts You have closed to understanding; therefore You will not let them triumph.

For You have hidden their heart from understanding; Therefore You will not exalt them.

5 H e who denounces his friends a prey and get a share, the eyes of his children shall fail.

He who speaks flattery to his friends, Even the eyes of his children will fail.

6 B ut He has made me a byword among the people, and they spit before my face.

“But He has made me a byword of the people, And I have become one in whose face men spit.

7 M y eye has grown dim because of grief, and all my members are like a shadow.

My eye has also grown dim because of sorrow, And all my members are like shadows.

8 U pright men shall be astonished and appalled at this, and the innocent shall stir himself up against the godless and polluted.

Upright men are astonished at this, And the innocent stirs himself up against the hypocrite.

9 Y et shall the righteous (those upright and in right standing with God) hold to their ways, and he who has clean hands shall grow stronger and stronger.

Yet the righteous will hold to his way, And he who has clean hands will be stronger and stronger.

10 B ut as for you, come on again, all of you, though I find not a wise man among you.

“But please, come back again, all of you, For I shall not find one wise man among you.

11 M y days are past, my purposes and plans are frustrated; even the thoughts (desires and possessions) of my heart.

My days are past, My purposes are broken off, Even the thoughts of my heart.

12 T hese extend from the night into the day, the light is short because of darkness.

They change the night into day; ‘The light is near,’ they say, in the face of darkness.

13 B ut if I look to Sheol (the unseen state) as my abode, if I spread my couch in the darkness,

If I wait for the grave as my house, If I make my bed in the darkness,

14 I f I say to the grave and corruption, You are my father, and to the worm, You are my mother and my sister,

If I say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ And to the worm, ‘You are my mother and my sister,’

15 W here then is my hope? And if I have hope, who will see ?

Where then is my hope? As for my hope, who can see it?

16 s hall go down to the bars of Sheol (the unseen state) when once there is rest in the dust.

Will they go down to the gates of Sheol? Shall we have rest together in the dust?”