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¹ But now the youngest have laughed me to scorn, now they reprove me in their turn, whose fathers I set at nought; whom I did not deem worthy to be with my shepherd dogs. ² Yea, why had I the strength of their hands? for them the full term of life was lost. ³ One is childless in want and famine, such as they that fled but lately the distress and misery of drought. ⁴ Who compass the salt places on the sounding shore, who had salt herbs for their food, and were dishonorable and of no repute, in want of every good thing; who also ate roots of trees by reason of great hunger. ⁵ Thieves have risen up against me, ⁶ whose houses were the caves of the rocks, who lived under the wild shrubs. ⁷ They will cry out among the rustling bushes. ⁸ They are sons of fools and vile men, whose name and glory are quenched from off the earth. ⁹ But now I am their music, and they have me for a by-word. ¹⁰ And they stood aloof and abhorred me, and spared not to spit in my face. ¹¹ For he has opened his quiver and afflicted me: they also have cast off the restraint of my presence. ¹² They have risen up against me on the right hand of their offspring; they have stretched out their foot, and directed against me the ways of their destruction. ¹³ My paths are ruined; for they have stripped off my raiment: he has shot at me with his weapons. ¹⁴ And he has pleaded against me as he will: I am overwhelmed with pains.

¹⁵ My pains return upon me; my hope is gone like the wind, and my safety as a cloud. ¹⁶ Even now my life shall be poured forth upon me; and days of anguish seize me. ¹⁷ And by night my bones are confounded; and my sinews are relaxed. ¹⁸ With great force my disease has taken hold of my garment: it has compassed me as the collar of my coat. ¹⁹ And thou hast counted me as clay; my portion in dust and ashes. ²⁰ And I have cried to thee, but thou hearest me not: but they stood still, and observed me. ²¹ They attacked me also without mercy: thou hast scourged me with a strong hand. ²² And thou hast put me to grief, and hast cast me away from safety. ²³ For I know that death will destroy me: for the earth is the house appointed for every mortal. ²⁴ Oh then that I might lay hands upon myself, or at least ask another, and he should do this for me. ²⁵ Yet I wept over every helpless man; I groaned when I saw a man in distress. ²⁶ But I, when I waited for good things, behold, days of evils came the more upon me. ²⁷ My belly boiled, and would not cease: the days of poverty prevented me. ²⁸ I went mourning without restraint: and I have stood and cried out in the assembly. ²⁹ I am become a brother of monsters, and a companion of ostriches. ³⁰ And my skin has been greatly blackened, and my bones are burned with heat. ³¹ My harp also has been turned into mourning, and my song into my weeping.