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

“My spirit is broken, My days are extinguished, The grave is ready for me.

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

Are not mockers with me? And does not my eye dwell on their provocation?

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

“Now put down a pledge for me with Yourself. Who is he who will shake hands with me?

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

For You have hidden their heart from understanding; Therefore You will not exalt them.

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

He who speaks flattery to his friends, Even the eyes of his children will fail.

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

“But He has made me a byword of the people, And I have become one in whose face men spit.

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

My eye has also grown dim because of sorrow, And all my members are like shadows.

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 are astonished at this, And the innocent stirs himself up 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.

Yet the righteous will hold to his way, And he who has clean hands will be stronger and stronger.

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

“But please, come back again, all of you, For I shall not 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 near,’ they say, in the face 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 for the grave as my house, If I make 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,’

If I say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ And to the worm, ‘You are my mother and my sister,’

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

Where then is my hope? As for my hope, who can see it?

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

Will they go down to the gates of Sheol? Shall we have rest together in the dust?”