1 M y spirit hath been destroyed, My days extinguished -- graves for me.

My spirit is consumed, my days are extinct, The grave is ready for me.

2 I f not -- mockeries with me. And in their provocations mine eye lodgeth.

Surely there are mockers with me, And mine eye dwelleth upon their provocation.

3 P lace, I pray Thee, my pledge with Thee; Who is he that striketh hand with me?

Give now a pledge, be surety for me with thyself; Who is there that will strike hands with me?

4 F or their heart Thou hast hidden From understanding, Therefore Thou dost not exalt them.

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

5 F or a portion he sheweth friendship, And the eyes of his sons are consumed.

He that denounceth his friends for a prey, Even the eyes of his children shall fail.

6 A nd he set me up for a proverb of the peoples, And a wonder before them I am.

But he hath made me a byword of the people; And they spit in my face.

7 A nd dim from sorrow is mine eye, And my members as a shadow all of them.

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

8 A stonished are the upright at this, And the innocent against the profane Stirreth himself up.

Upright men shall be astonished at this, And the innocent shall stir up himself against the godless.

9 A nd the righteous layeth hold his way, And the clean of hands addeth strength, And -- dumb are they all.

Yet shall the righteous hold on his way, And he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger.

10 R eturn, and come in, I pray you, And I find not among you a wise man.

But as for you all, come on now again; And I shall not find a wise man among you.

11 M y days have passed by, My devices have been broken off, The possessions of my heart!

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

12 N ight for day they appoint, Light near because of darkness.

They change the night into day: The light, say they, is near unto the darkness.

13 I f I wait -- Sheol my house, In darkness I have spread out my couch.

If I look for Sheol as my house; If I have spread my couch in the darkness;

14 T o corruption I have called: -- `Thou my father.' `My mother' and `my sister' -- to the worm.

If I have said to corruption, Thou art my father; To the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister;

15 A nd where now my hope? Yea, my hope, who doth behold it?

Where then is my hope? And as for my hope, who shall see it?

16 t he parts of Sheol ye go down, If together on the dust we may rest.

It shall go down to the bars of Sheol, When once there is rest in the dust.