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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.² Hide 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.³ For consumed in smoke have been my days, And my bones as a fire-brand have burned.⁴ Smitten as the herb, and withered, is my heart, For I have forgotten to eat my bread.⁵ From the voice of my sighing Hath my bone cleaved to my flesh.⁶ I have been like to a pelican of the wilderness, I have been as an owl of the dry places.⁷ I have watched, and I am As a bird alone on the roof.⁸ All the day mine enemies reproached me, Those mad at me have sworn against me.⁹ Because ashes as bread I have eaten, And my drink with weeping have mingled,¹⁰ From Thine indignation and Thy wrath, For Thou hast lifted me up, And dost cast me down.¹¹ My days as a shadow [are] stretched out, And I -- as the herb I am withered.

¹² And Thou, O Jehovah, to the age abidest, And Thy memorial to all generations.¹³ Thou -- Thou risest -- Thou pitiest Zion, For the time to favour her, For the appointed time hath come.¹⁴ For Thy servants have been pleased with her stones, And her dust they favour.¹⁵ And nations fear the name of Jehovah, And all kings of the earth Thine honour,¹⁶ For Jehovah hath builded Zion, He hath been seen in His honour,¹⁷ He turned unto the prayer of the destitute, And He hath not despised their prayer.¹⁸ This is written for a later generation, And the people created do praise Jah.¹⁹ For He hath looked From the high place of His sanctuary. Jehovah from heaven unto earth looked attentively,²⁰ To hear the groan of the prisoner, To loose sons of death,²¹ To declare in Zion the name of Jehovah, And His praise in Jerusalem,²² In the peoples being gathered together, And the kingdoms -- to serve Jehovah.

²³ He hath humbled in the way my power, He hath shortened my days.²⁴ I say, `My God, take me not up in the midst of my days,' Through all generations [are] Thine years.²⁵ Beforetime the earth Thou didst found, And the work of Thy hands [are] the heavens.²⁶ They -- They perish, and Thou remainest, And all of them as a garment become old, As clothing Thou changest them, And they are changed.²⁷ And Thou [art] the same, and Thine years are not finished.²⁸ The sons of Thy servants do continue, And their seed before Thee is established!