1 ¶ But now those that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have 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 F or, unto what might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom time was lost?

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

3 F or want and famine they walked alone; fleeing into solitude, to the dark place, desolate and waste.

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 W ho cut up mallows among the bushes and juniper roots for 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 were driven forth from among men (they cried after them as after a thief).

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

6 T hey dwelt in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in 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 brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.

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

8 T hey were sons of fools and men without names; they were lower than the earth.

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

9 A nd now I am their song, and I am their byword.

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

10 T hey abhor me, they distance themselves from me, and do not spare 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 B ecause God has loosed my cord and afflicted me, they have also gone out of control before my face.

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 youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their 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 cast down my path, they took advantage of my calamity, against them there was no helper.

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

14 T hey came in as through a wide breach; they were stirred up because of my calamity.

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

15 ¶ They have loosed terrors upon me; they fought my will as the wind and my saving health as a cloud that passes.

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 upon me; the 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 M y bones pierce me in the night, and my sinews take no rest.

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

18 B y the great force of my disease my garment is changed; it binds 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 has cast me into the mire, and I have 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 hear me; I present myself, and thou regardest me not.

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

21 T hou art become cruel to me; with the strength of thy hand thou dost hate me.

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

22 T hou didst lift me up and cause me to ride upon the wind, and didst dissolve my being.

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 dost conduct me unto 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 B ut he will not stretch out his hand against the grave; do those who are buried cry out when he destroys them?

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 I not weep for the one 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 expected good, then evil came unto me; 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 bowels boil and do not rest; the days of affliction came upon me.

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

28 I went about darkened, but not by the sun; I stood up and cried out in the congregation.

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

29 I have become a brother to dragons and a companion to owls.

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

30 M y skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.

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

31 M y harp is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of those that weep.

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