1 “ But now they mock at me, men younger than I, Whose fathers I disdained to put 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 I ndeed, what profit is the strength of their hands to me? Their vigor has 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 from want and famine, Fleeing late to the wilderness, 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 pluck mallow by the bushes, And broom tree 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 out from among men, They shouted at them as at a thief.

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

6 T hey had to live in the clefts of the valleys, In caves of the earth and 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 nestled.

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

8 T hey were sons of fools, Yes, sons of vile men; They were scourged from the land.

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

9 “ And now I am their taunting song; Yes, I am their byword.

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

10 T hey abhor me, they keep far from me; They do not hesitate 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 He has loosed my bowstring and afflicted me, They have cast off restraint before me.

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

12 A t my right hand the rabble arises; They push away my feet, And they raise 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 break up my path, They promote my calamity; They have no helper.

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

14 T hey come as broad breakers; Under the ruinous storm they roll along.

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

15 T errors are turned upon me; They pursue my honor as the wind, And my prosperity has passed like 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 “ And now my soul is poured out because of my plight; The days of affliction take hold of me.

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

17 M y bones are pierced in me at night, And my gnawing pains take no rest.

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

18 B y great force my garment is disfigured; 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 out to You, but You do not answer me; I stand up, and You regard me.

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

21 B ut You have become cruel to me; With the strength of Your hand You oppose me.

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

22 Y ou lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride on it; You spoil my success.

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 You will 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 “ Surely He would not stretch out His hand against a heap of ruins, If they cry out when He destroys it.

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 H ave I not wept for him who was in trouble? Has not my soul grieved for the poor?

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

26 B ut when I looked for good, evil came to me; And when I waited for light, then 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 in turmoil and cannot rest; Days of affliction confront me.

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

28 I go about mourning, but not in the sun; I stand up in the assembly and cry out 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 of jackals, And a companion of ostriches.

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

30 M y skin grows black and falls from me; My bones burn with fever.

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 flute to the voice of those who weep.

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