1 B ut now they who are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I disdained to 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 es, how could the strength of their hands profit me? They were men whose ripe age and vigor had perished.

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

3 T hey are gaunt with want and famine; they gnaw the dry and barren ground or flee into the wilderness, into the gloom of wasteness and desolation.

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

4 T hey pluck saltwort or mallows among the bushes, and roots of the broom for their food or to warm them.

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

5 T hey are driven from among men, who shout after them as after a thief.

They are driven out from among men. They cry after them as after a thief;

6 T hey must dwell in the clefts of frightful valleys (gullies made by torrents) and in holes of the earth and of 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 bray and howl; beneath the prickly scrub they fling themselves and huddle together.

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

8 S ons of the worthless and nameless, they have been scourged and crushed out of the land.

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

9 A nd now I have become their song; yes, I am a byword to them.

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

10 T hey abhor me, they stand aloof from me, and do not refrain from spitting in my face or at the sight of me.

They abhor me, they stand aloof from me, and don’t hesitate to spit in my face.

11 F or God has loosed my bowstring and afflicted and humbled me; they have cast off the bridle before me.

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

12 O n my right hand rises the rabble brood; they jostle me and push away my feet, and they cast up against me their ways of 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 break up and clutter my path; they urge on my calamity, even though they have no helper.

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

14 A s through a wide breach they come in; amid the crash they roll 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; my honor and reputation they chase away like the wind, and my welfare has passed 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 life is poured out within me; the days of affliction have gripped me.

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

17 M y bones are pierced in the night season, and the pains that gnaw me 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 my garment is disguised and disfigured; it binds me about like the collar of my coat.

By great force is my garment disfigured. It binds me about as the collar of my coat.

19 h as cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes.

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

20 I cry to You, and You do not answer me; I stand up, but You gaze at me.

I cry to you, and you do not answer me. I stand up, and you gaze at me.

21 Y ou have become harsh and cruel to me; with the might of Your hand You persecute me.

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

22 Y ou lift me up on the wind; You cause me to ride upon it, and You toss me about in the tempest.

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

23 F or I know that You will bring me to death and to the house appointed for all the living.

For I know that you will bring me to death, To the house appointed for all living.

24 H owever, does not one falling in a heap of ruins stretch out his hand? Or in his calamity will he not therefore cry for help?

“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 who was in trouble? Was not my heart grieved for the poor and needy?

Didn’t I weep for him who was in trouble? Wasn’t my soul grieved for the needy?

26 B ut when I looked for good, then evil came to 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 heart is troubled and does not rest; days of affliction come to meet me.

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

28 I go about blackened, but not by the sun; I stand up in the congregation and cry for help.

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

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

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

30 M y skin falls from me in blackened flakes, and my bones are burned with heat.

My skin grows black and peels from me. My bones are burned with heat.

31 T herefore my lyre is turned to mourning, and my pipe into the voice of those who weep.

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