1 “ My spirit is broken. My days are gone. The grave is ready for me.

My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me.

2 F or sure those with me make fun of me. My eyes see how they laugh at me.

Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation?

3 “ Promise that You will hear me. Who is there that will trust me?

Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me?

4 F or You have kept their heart from understanding, so You will not honor them.

For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them.

5 I f one speaks against friends to get money, the eyes of his children also will become weak.

He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.

6 “ But He has made me an object of shame to the people. Men spit on me.

He hath made me also a byword of the people; and aforetime I was as a tabret.

7 M y eyes have become weak with sorrow. All the parts of my body are like a shadow.

Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow.

8 M en who are right and good will be surprised and afraid at this. He who is without guilt will be moved to go against the sinful.

Upright men shall be astonied at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite.

9 B ut the one who is right with God will hold to his way. And he who has clean hands will become stronger and stronger.

The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.

10 B ut all of you try again, and I will not find a wise man among you.

But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.

11 M y days are past. My plans are torn apart, even the wishes of my heart.

My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart.

12 T hey make night into day, saying, ‘The light is near,’ when there is darkness.

They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.

13 I f I look for the place of the dead as my home, I make my bed in the darkness.

If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.

14 I f I say to the grave, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother and my sister,’

I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.

15 t hen where is my hope? Who sees hope for me?

And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?

16 W ill it go down with me to the place of the dead? Will we go down together into the dust?”

They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.