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 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.

2 I ndeed, what profit is the strength of their hands to me? Their vigor has perished.

For, unto what might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom time was lost?

3 T hey are gaunt from want and famine, Fleeing late to the wilderness, desolate and waste,

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

4 W ho pluck mallow by the bushes, And broom tree roots for their food.

Who cut up mallows among the bushes and juniper roots for their food.

5 T hey were driven out from among men, They shouted at them as at a thief.

They were driven forth from among men (they cried 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 dwelt in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.

7 A mong the bushes they brayed, Under the nettles they nestled.

Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.

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

They were sons of fools and men without names; they were lower than the earth.

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

And now I am their song, and I am their byword.

10 T hey abhor me, they keep far from me; They do not hesitate to spit in my face.

They abhor me, they distance themselves from me, and do not spare to spit in my face.

11 B ecause He has loosed my bowstring and afflicted me, They have cast off restraint before me.

Because God has loosed my cord and afflicted me, they have also gone out of control before my face.

12 A t my right hand the rabble arises; They push away my feet, And they raise against me their ways of destruction.

Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction.

13 T hey break up my path, They promote my calamity; They have no helper.

They cast down my path, they took advantage of my calamity, against them there was no helper.

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

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

15 T errors are turned upon me; They pursue my honor as the wind, And my prosperity has passed like a cloud.

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

16 “ And now my soul is poured out because of my plight; The days of affliction take hold of me.

And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.

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

My bones pierce me in the night, and my sinews 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 of my disease my garment is changed; it binds me about as the collar of my coat.

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

He 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 unto thee, and thou dost not hear me; I present myself, and thou regardest me not.

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

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

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

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

23 F or I know that You will bring me to death, And to the house appointed for all living.

For I know that thou dost conduct me unto death and to the house appointed for all living.

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

But he will not stretch out his hand against the grave; do those who are buried cry out when he destroys them?

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

Did I not weep for the one that was in trouble? Was not my soul grieved for the needy?

26 B ut when I looked for good, evil came to me; And when I waited for light, then came darkness.

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

28 I go about mourning, but not in the sun; I stand up in the assembly and cry out for help.

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

29 I am a brother of jackals, And a companion of ostriches.

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

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

My skin is black upon me, 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.

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