1 A Prayer of the afflicted when he is feeble, and before Jehovah poureth out his plaint. O Jehovah, hear my prayer, yea, my cry to Thee cometh.

Hear my prayer, O Lord, And let my cry come to You.

2 H ide not Thou Thy face from me, In a day of mine adversity, Incline unto me Thine ear, In the day I call, haste, answer me.

Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble; Incline Your ear to me; In the day that I call, answer me speedily.

3 F or consumed in smoke have been my days, And my bones as a fire-brand have burned.

For my days are consumed like smoke, And my bones are burned like a hearth.

4 S mitten as the herb, and withered, is my heart, For I have forgotten to eat my bread.

My heart is stricken and withered like grass, So that I forget to eat my bread.

5 F rom the voice of my sighing Hath my bone cleaved to my flesh.

Because of the sound of my groaning My bones cling to my skin.

6 I have been like to a pelican of the wilderness, I have been as an owl of the dry places.

I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl of the desert.

7 I have watched, and I am As a bird alone on the roof.

I lie awake, And am like a sparrow alone on the housetop.

8 A ll the day mine enemies reproached me, Those mad at me have sworn against me.

My enemies reproach me all day long; Those who deride me swear an oath against me.

9 B ecause ashes as bread I have eaten, And my drink with weeping have mingled,

For I have eaten ashes like bread, And mingled my drink with weeping,

10 F rom Thine indignation and Thy wrath, For Thou hast lifted me up, And dost cast me down.

Because of Your indignation and Your wrath; For You have lifted me up and cast me away.

11 M y days as a shadow stretched out, And I -- as the herb I am withered.

My days are like a shadow that lengthens, And I wither away like grass.

12 A nd Thou, O Jehovah, to the age abidest, And Thy memorial to all generations.

But You, O Lord, shall endure forever, And the remembrance of Your name to all generations.

13 T hou -- Thou risest -- Thou pitiest Zion, For the time to favour her, For the appointed time hath come.

You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come.

14 F or Thy servants have been pleased with her stones, And her dust they favour.

For Your servants take pleasure in her stones, And show favor to her dust.

15 A nd nations fear the name of Jehovah, And all kings of the earth Thine honour,

So the nations shall fear the name of the Lord, And all the kings of the earth Your glory.

16 F or Jehovah hath builded Zion, He hath been seen in His honour,

For the Lord shall build up Zion; He shall appear in His glory.

17 H e turned unto the prayer of the destitute, And He hath not despised their prayer.

He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, And shall not despise their prayer.

18 T his is written for a later generation, And the people created do praise Jah.

This will be written for the generation to come, That a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.

19 F or He hath looked From the high place of His sanctuary. Jehovah from heaven unto earth looked attentively,

For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; From heaven the Lord viewed the earth,

20 T o hear the groan of the prisoner, To loose sons of death,

To hear the groaning of the prisoner, To release those appointed to death,

21 T o declare in Zion the name of Jehovah, And His praise in Jerusalem,

To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, And His praise in Jerusalem,

22 I n the peoples being gathered together, And the kingdoms -- to serve Jehovah.

When the peoples are gathered together, And the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.

23 H e hath humbled in the way my power, He hath shortened my days.

He weakened my strength in the way; He shortened my days.

24 I say, `My God, take me not up in the midst of my days,' Through all generations Thine years.

I said, “O my God, Do not take me away in the midst of my days; Your years are throughout all generations.

25 B eforetime the earth Thou didst found, And the work of Thy hands the heavens.

Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands.

26 T hey -- They perish, and Thou remainest, And all of them as a garment become old, As clothing Thou changest them, And they are changed.

They will perish, but You will endure; Yes, they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will change them, And they will be changed.

27 A nd Thou the same, and Thine years are not finished.

But You are the same, And Your years will have no end.

28 T he sons of Thy servants do continue, And their seed before Thee is established!

The children of Your servants will continue, And their descendants will be established before You.”