1 M y spirit is consumed, my days are extinct, The grave is ready for me.

¶ My breath is corrupt, my days are cut off, and the grave is ready for me.

2 S urely there are mockers with me, And mine eye dwelleth upon their provocation.

Now there are only mockers with me, upon whose bitterness my eye continues to gaze.

3 G ive now a pledge, be surety for me with thyself; Who is there that will strike hands with me?

Put up now, give me surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me?

4 F or thou hast hid their heart from understanding: Therefore shalt thou not exalt them.

For with these, thou hast hid their heart from understanding; therefore, thou shalt not exalt them.

5 H e that denounceth his friends for a prey, Even the eyes of his children shall fail.

He that speaks flattery to his neighbour, even the eyes of his sons shall fail.

6 B ut he hath made me a byword of the people; And they spit in my face.

He has made me a byword of the peoples; and before them I have been as a tambourine.

7 M ine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, And all my members are as a shadow.

My eyes are dim by reason of sorrow, and all my thoughts are as a shadow.

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

Upright men shall be astonied at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite.

9 Y et shall the righteous hold on his way, And he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger.

The righteous shall hold on to his way, and he that has clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.

10 B ut as for you all, come on now again; And I shall not find a wise man among you.

¶ But return all of you, and come now; for I shall not find one that is wise among you.

11 M y days are past, my purposes are broken off, Even the thoughts of my heart.

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

12 T hey change the night into day: The light, say they, is near unto the darkness.

They changed the night into day; the light is short because of the darkness.

13 I f I look for Sheol as my house; If I have spread my couch in the darkness;

If I wait, Sheol is my house; I have made my bed in the darkness.

14 I f I have said to corruption, Thou art my father; To the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister;

I have said to the pit, Thou art my father; to the worms, my mother, and my sister.

15 W here then is my hope? And as for my hope, who shall see it?

And where shall my hope be now? As for my hope, who shall see it?

16 I t shall go down to the bars of Sheol, When once there is rest in the dust.

They shall go down to the bars of Sheol, and together they shall rest in the dust.