1 I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

2 M e hath he led, and brought into darkness, and not into light.

3 S urely against me hath he turned again and again his hand all the day.

4 M y flesh and my skin hath he wasted away, he hath broken my bones.

5 H e hath built against me, and encompassed with gall and toil.

6 H e hath made me to dwell in dark places as those that have been long dead.

7 H e hath hedged me about that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.

8 E ven when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.

9 H e hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.

10 H e is unto me a bear lying in wait, a lion in secret places.

11 H e hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he hath made me desolate.

12 H e hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

13 H e hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.

14 I am become a derision to all my people; their song all the day.

15 H e hath sated me with bitterness, he hath made me drunk with wormwood.

16 H e hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.

17 A nd thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I have forgotten prosperity.

18 A nd I said, My strength is perished, and my hope in Jehovah.

19 R emember thou mine affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and the gall.

20 M y soul hath constantly in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

21 — This I recall to heart, therefore have I hope.

22 I t is of Jehovah's loving-kindness we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not;

23 t hey are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

24 J ehovah is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

25 J ehovah is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul seeketh him.

26 I t is good that one should both wait, and that in silence, for the salvation of Jehovah.

27 I t is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth:

28 H e sitteth solitary and keepeth silence, because he hath laid it upon him;

29 h e putteth his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope;

30 h e giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him; he is filled full with reproach.

31 F or the Lord will not cast off for ever;

32 b ut if he have caused grief, he will have compassion according to the multitude of his loving-kindnesses:

33 f or he doth not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men.

34 T o crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,

35 t o turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High,

36 t o wrong a man in his cause,—will not the Lord see it?

37 W ho is he that saith, and there cometh to pass, what the Lord hath not commanded?

38 O ut of the mouth of the Most High doth not there proceed evil and good?

39 W herefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?

40 L et us search and try our ways, and turn again to Jehovah.

41 L et us lift up our heart with hands unto God in the heavens.

42 W e have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.

43 T hou hast covered thyself with anger, and pursued us; thou hast slain, thou hast not spared.

44 T hou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that prayer should not pass through.

45 T hou hast made us the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples.

46 A ll our enemies have opened their mouth against us.

47 F ear and the pit are come upon us, devastation and ruin.

48 M ine eye runneth down with streams of water for the ruin of the daughter of my people.

49 M ine eye poureth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,

50 t ill Jehovah look down and behold from the heavens.

51 M ine eye affecteth my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.

52 T hey that are mine enemies without cause have chased me sore like a bird.

53 T hey have cut off my life in a pit, and cast a stone upon me.

54 W aters streamed over my head; I said, I am cut off.

55 I called upon thy name, Jehovah, out of the lowest pit.

56 T hou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my sighing, at my cry.

57 T hou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee; thou saidst, Fear not.

58 L ord, thou hast pleaded the cause of my soul, thou hast redeemed my life.

59 J ehovah, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.

60 T hou hast seen all their vengeance, all their imaginations against me.

61 T hou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, all their imaginations against me;

62 t he lips of those that rise up against me and their meditation against me all the day.

63 B ehold thou their sitting down and their rising up: I am their song.

64 R ender unto them a recompence, O Jehovah, according to the work of their hands;

65 g ive them obduracy of heart, thy curse unto them;

66 p ursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Jehovah.