1 » Pero ahora se ríen de mí los más jóvenes que yo, a cuyos padres yo desdeñaba poner junto a los perros de mi ganado,

¶ 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 p ues ¿de qué me hubiera servido ni aun la fuerza de sus manos, si no tienen fuerza alguna?

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

3 A causa de la pobreza y del hambre andaban solitarios, huían a la soledad, a lugares tenebrosos, desolados y desiertos.

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

4 R ecogían malvas entre los arbustos y raíces de enebro para calentarse.

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

5 L os echaban de en medio de la gente y todos les gritaban como a ladrones.

They were driven forth from among men (they cried after them as after a thief).

6 V ivían en las barrancas de los arroyos, en las cavernas de la tierra y entre las rocas.

They dwelt in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.

7 B ramaban entre las matas y se reunían debajo de los espinos.

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

8 H ijos de gente vil, hombres sin nombre, más bajos que la misma tierra.

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

9 » ¡Y ahora yo soy objeto de su burla y les sirvo de refrán!

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

10 M e abominan, se alejan de mí y no dejan de escupirme en el rostro.

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

11 P orque Dios ha desatado la cuerda y me ha afligido, por eso se han desenfrenado en mi propio rostro.

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

12 A mi derecha se levanta el populacho, empujan mis pies y preparan caminos para mi ruina.

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

13 D esbaratan mi senda, se aprovechan de mi quebrantamiento, y no tengo quien me auxilie contra ellos.

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

14 V ienen como por un ancho portillo, revolviéndose sobre mi calamidad.

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

15 T errores se han vuelto contra mí; como viento es arrasado mi honor, y mi prosperidad ha pasado como una nube.

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

16 » Ahora mi alma está derramada en mí, pues se apoderan de mí días de aflicción.

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

17 L a noche taladra mis huesos y los dolores que me roen no reposan.

My bones pierce me in the night, and my sinews take no rest.

18 L a violencia deforma mi vestidura: me oprime como el cuello de mi túnica.

By the great force of my disease my garment is changed; it binds me about as the collar of my coat.

19 D ios me ha derribado en el lodo y ahora soy semejante al polvo y a la ceniza.

He has cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes.

20 ¡ Clamo a ti, pero no me escuchas! ¡Me presento, pero no me atiendes!

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

21 T e has vuelto cruel conmigo; con el poder de tu mano me persigues.

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

22 M e has alzado sobre el viento, me haces cabalgar en él y destruyes mi sustancia.

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

23 Y o sé que me conduces a la muerte, y a la casa a donde va todo ser viviente.

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

24 » Mas él, ¿no extenderá la mano contra el sepulcro? ¿O no clamarán los sepultados cuando él los quebrante?

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

25 Y yo, ¿no he llorado por el que sufre? ¿No me he entristecido a causa del necesitado?

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

26 S in embargo, cuando yo esperaba el bien, entonces vino el mal; cuando esperaba la luz, vino la oscuridad.

When I expected good, then evil came unto me; and when I waited for light, there came darkness.

27 M is entrañas se agitan sin reposo, por los días de aflicción que me han sobrecogido.

My bowels boil and do not rest; the days of affliction came upon me.

28 A ndo ennegrecido, y no por el sol; me he levantado en la congregación, y he clamado.

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

29 H e venido a ser hermano de chacales y compañero de avestruces.

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

30 M i piel, ennegrecida, se me cae, mis huesos arden de calor.

My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.

31 M i arpa se ha cambiado por luto, y mi flauta por voz de lamentadores.

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