1 “ My spirit is consumed. My days are extinct, And the grave is ready for me.

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

2 S urely there are mockers with me. My eye dwells on their provocation.

For sure those with me make fun of me. My eyes see how they laugh at me.

3 “ Now give a pledge, be collateral for me with yourself. Who is there who will strike hands with me?

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

4 F or you have hidden their heart from understanding, Therefore you shall not exalt them.

For You have kept their heart from understanding, so You will not honor them.

5 H e who denounces his friends for plunder, Even the eyes of his children shall fail.

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

6 “ But he has made me a byword of the people. They spit in my face.

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

7 M y eye also is dim by reason of sorrow. All my members are as a shadow.

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

8 U pright men shall be astonished at this. The innocent shall stir up himself against the godless.

Men 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.

9 Y et shall the righteous hold on his way. He who has clean hands shall grow stronger and stronger.

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

10 B ut as for you all, come on now again; I shall not find a wise man among you.

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

11 M y days are past, my plans are broken off, as are the thoughts of my heart.

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

12 T hey change the night into day, saying ‘The light is near’ in the presence of darkness.

They make night into day, saying, ‘The light is near,’ when there is darkness.

13 I f I look for Sheol as my house, if I have spread my couch in the darkness,

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

14 I f I have said to corruption, ‘You are my father;’ to the worm, ‘My mother,’ and ‘my sister;’

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

15 w here then is my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?

then where is my hope? Who sees hope for me?

16 S hall it go down with me to the gates of Sheol, or descend together into the dust?”

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