1 But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.

1 ¶ But now they that are younger than I have me in derision,
Whose fathers I disdained to set with the dogs of my flock.

2 Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?

2 ¶ Yea, the strength of their hands, whereto should it profit me?
Men in whom ripe age is perished.

3 For want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste.

3 ¶ They are gaunt with want and famine;
They gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of wasteness and desolation.

4 Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat.

4 ¶ They pluck salt-wort by the bushes;
And the roots of the broom are their meat.

5 They were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them as after a thief;)

5 ¶ They are driven forth from the midst of men;
They cry after them as after a thief.

6 To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.

6 ¶ In the clefts of the valleys must they dwell,
In holes of the earth and of the rocks.

7 Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.

7 ¶ Among the bushes they bray;
Under the nettles they are gathered together.

8 They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler than the earth.

8 ¶ They are children of fools, yea, children of base men;
They were scourged out of the land.

9 And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword.

9 ¶ And now I am become their song,
Yea, I am a byword unto them.

10 They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.

10 ¶ They abhor me, they stand aloof from me,
And spare not to spit in my face.

11 Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me.

11 ¶ For he hath loosed his cord, and afflicted me,
And they have cast off the bridle before me.

12 Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction.

12 ¶ Upon my right hand rise the rabble;
They thrust aside my feet,
And they cast up against me their ways of destruction.

13 They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper.

13 ¶ They mar my path,
They set forward my calamity,
Even men that have no helper.

14 They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters: in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me.

14 ¶ As through a wide breach they come:
In the midst of the ruin they roll themselves upon me.

15 Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud.

15 ¶ Terrors are turned upon me,
They chase mine honour as the wind;
And my welfare is passed away as a cloud.

16 And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.

16 ¶ And now my soul is poured out within me;
Days of affliction have taken hold upon me.

17 My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest.

17 ¶ In the night season my bones are pierced in me,
And the pains that gnaw me take no rest.

18 By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.

18 ¶ By the great force of my disease is my garment disfigured:
It bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.

19 He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.

19 ¶ He hath cast me into the mire,
And I am become like dust and ashes.

20 I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not.

20 ¶ I cry unto thee, and thou dost not answer me:
I stand up, and thou lookest at me.

21 Thou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me.

21 ¶ Thou art turned to be cruel to me:
With the might of thy hand thou persecutest me.

22 Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to ride upon it, and dissolvest my substance.

22 ¶ Thou liftest me up to the wind, thou causest me to ride upon it;
And thou dissolvest me in the storm.

23 For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.

23 ¶ For I know that thou wilt bring me to death,
And to the house appointed for all living.

24 Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, though they cry in his destruction.

24 ¶ Surely against a ruinous heap he will not put forth his hand;
Though it be in his destruction, one may utter a cry because of these things.

25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?

25 ¶ Did not I weep for him that was in trouble?
Was not my soul grieved for the needy?

26 When I looked for good, then evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness.

26 ¶ When I looked for good, then evil came;
And when I waited for light, there came darkness.

27 My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me.

27 ¶ My bowels boil, and rest not;
Days of affliction are come upon me.

28 I went mourning without the sun: I stood up, and I cried in the congregation.

28 ¶ I go mourning without the sun:
I stand up in the assembly, and cry for help.

29 I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.

29 ¶ I am a brother to jackals,
And a companion to ostriches.

30 My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.

30 ¶ My skin is black, and falleth from me,
And my bones are burned with heat.

31 My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.

31 ¶ Therefore is my harp turned to mourning,
And my pipe into the voice of them that weep.