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

But now they who are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I disdained to set with the dogs of my flock.

2 Y ea, the strength of their hands, whereto should it profit me? Men in whom ripe age is perished.

Yes, how could the strength of their hands profit me? They were men whose ripe age and vigor had perished.

3 T hey are gaunt with want and famine; They gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of wasteness and desolation.

They 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.

4 T hey pluck salt-wort by the bushes; And the roots of the broom are their food.

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

5 T hey are driven forth from the midst of men; They cry after them as after a thief;

They are driven from among men, who shout after them as after a thief.

6 S o that they dwell in frightful valleys, In holes of the earth and of the rocks.

They must dwell in the clefts of frightful valleys (gullies made by torrents) and in holes of the earth and of the rocks.

7 A mong the bushes they bray; Under the nettles they are gathered together.

Among the bushes they bray and howl; beneath the prickly scrub they fling themselves and huddle together.

8 T hey are children of fools, yea, children of base men; They were scourged out of the land.

Sons of the worthless and nameless, they have been scourged and crushed out of the land.

9 A nd now I am become their song, Yea, I am a byword unto them.

And now I have become their song; yes, I am a byword to them.

10 T hey abhor me, they stand aloof from me, And spare not to spit in my face.

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

11 F or he hath loosed his cord, and afflicted me; And they have cast off the bridle before me.

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

12 U pon my right hand rise the rabble; They thrust aside my feet, And they cast up against me their ways of destruction.

On 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.

13 T hey mar my path, They set forward my calamity, Even men that have no helper.

They break up and clutter my path; they urge on my calamity, even though they have no helper.

14 A s through a wide breach they come: In the midst of the ruin they roll themselves upon me.

As through a wide breach they come in; amid the crash they roll themselves upon me.

15 T errors are turned upon me; They chase mine honor as the wind; And my welfare is passed away as a cloud.

Terrors are turned upon me; my honor and reputation they chase away like the wind, and my welfare has passed away as a cloud.

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

And now my life is poured out within me; the days of affliction have gripped me.

17 I n the night season my bones are pierced in me, And the pains that gnaw me take no rest.

My bones are pierced in the night season, and the pains that gnaw me take no rest.

18 B y God's great force is my garment disfigured; It bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.

By the great force my garment is disguised and disfigured; it binds me about like the collar of my coat.

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

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

20 I cry unto thee, and thou dost not answer me: I stand up, and thou gazest at me.

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

21 T hou art turned to be cruel to me; With the might of thy hand thou persecutest me.

You have become harsh and 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 thou dissolvest me in the storm.

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

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 and to the house appointed for all the living.

24 H owbeit doth not one stretch out the hand in his fall? Or in his calamity therefore cry for help?

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

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

Did not I weep for him who was in trouble? Was not my heart grieved for the poor and needy?

26 W hen I looked for good, then evil came; And when I waited for light, there came darkness.

But when I looked for good, then evil came to me; and when I waited for light, there came darkness.

27 M y heart is troubled, and resteth not; Days of affliction are come upon me.

My heart is troubled and does not rest; days of affliction come to meet me.

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

I go about blackened, but not by the sun; I stand up in the congregation 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 is black, and falleth from me, And my bones are burned with heat.

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

31 T herefore is my harp turned to mourning, And my pipe into the voice of them that weep.

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