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 younger than I mock me, Whose fathers I disdained to put with the dogs of my flock.

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

“Indeed, what good was the strength of their hands to me? Vigor had perished from them.

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

“From want and famine they are gaunt Who gnaw the dry ground by night in waste and desolation,

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

Who pluck mallow by the bushes, And whose food is the root of the broom shrub.

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

“They are driven from the community; They shout against them as against a thief,

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

So that they dwell in dreadful valleys, 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 cry out; Under the nettles they are gathered together.

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

“ Fools, even those without a name, They were scourged from the land.

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

“And now I have become their taunt, I have even become 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 and stand aloof from me, And they do not refrain from spitting at my face.

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

“Because He has loosed His bowstring and afflicted 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 the right hand their brood arises; They thrust aside my feet and build 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 my path, They profit from my destruction; No one restrains them.

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

“As through a wide breach they come, Amid the tempest they roll on.

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 against me; They pursue my honor as the wind, And my prosperity has passed away like 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 soul is poured out within me; Days of affliction have seized me.

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

“At night it pierces my bones within me, And my gnawing pains take no rest.

18 B y great force my garment is disfigured; It binds me about as the collar of my coat.

“By a great force my garment is distorted; 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 out to You for help, but You do not answer me; I stand up, and You turn Your attention against me.

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

“You have become 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 to the wind and cause me to ride; And You dissolve me in a storm.

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 of meeting 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.

“Yet does not one in a heap of ruins stretch out his hand, Or in his disaster therefore cry out for help?

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

“Have I not wept for the one whose life is hard? 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; When I waited for light, then darkness came.

27 M y heart is in turmoil and cannot rest; Days of affliction confront me.

“ I am seething within and cannot relax; Days of affliction confront 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 mourning without comfort; I stand up in the assembly and cry out for help.

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

“I have become a brother to jackals And a companion of ostriches.

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

“My skin turns black on me, And my bones burn with fever.

31 M y harp is turned to mourning, And my flute to the voice of those who weep.

“Therefore my harp is turned to mourning, And my flute to the sound of those who weep.