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. 2 Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished? 3 For want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste. 4 Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat. 5 They were driven forth from among men , (they cried after them as after a thief;) 6 To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks. 7 Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together. 8 They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler than the earth. 9 And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword. 10 They abhor me, they flee far 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. 12 Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction. 13 They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper. 14 They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters: in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me .
15 Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud. 16 And now my soul is poured out upon me; the 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. 18 By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: 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. 20 I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not . 21 Thou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me. 22 Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to ride upon it , and dissolvest my substance. 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. 25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor? 26 When I looked for good, then evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness. 27 My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me. 28 I went mourning without the sun: I stood up, and I cried in the congregation. 29 I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls. 30 My skin is black upon 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.
1 Bvt now they that are yonger then I, mocke me: yea, they whose fathers I haue refused to set with the dogges of my flockes. 2 For whereto shoulde the strength of their handes haue serued mee, seeing age perished in them? 3 For pouertie and famine they were solitary, fleeing into the wildernes, which is darke, desolate and waste. 4 They cut vp nettels by the bushes, and the iuniper rootes was their meate. 5 They were chased forth from among men: they shouted at them, as at a theefe. 6 Therfore they dwelt in the clefts of riuers, in the holes of the earth and rockes. 7 They roared among the bushes, and vnder the thistles they gathered themselues. 8 They were the children of fooles and the children of villaines, which were more vile then the earth. 9 And now am I their song, and I am their talke. 10 They abhorre me, and flee farre from mee, and spare not to spit in my face. 11 Because that God hath loosed my corde and humbled mee, they haue loosed the bridle before me. 12 The youth rise vp at my right hand: they haue pusht my feete, and haue trode on me as on the paths of their destruction. 13 They haue destroyed my paths: they tooke pleasure at my calamitie, they had none helpe. 14 They came as a great breach of waters, and vnder this calamitie they come on heapes. 15 Feare is turned vpon mee: and they pursue my soule as the winde, and mine health passeth away as a cloude. 16 Therefore my soule is nowe powred out vpon me, and the dayes of affliction haue taken holde on me. 17 It pearceth my bones in the night, and my sinewes take no rest. 18 For the great vehemencie is my garment changed, which compasseth me about as the colar of my coate. 19 He hath cast me into the myre, and I am become like ashes and dust. 20 Whe I cry vnto thee, thou doest not heare me, neither regardest me, when I stand vp. 21 Thou turnest thy selfe cruelly against me, and art enemie vnto mee with the strength of thine hand. 22 Thou takest me vp and causest mee to ride vpon the winde, and makest my strength to faile. 23 Surely I knowe that thou wilt bring mee to death, and to the house appoynted for all the liuing. 24 Doubtles none can stretch his hand vnto the graue, though they cry in his destruction. 25 Did not I weepe with him that was in trouble? was not my soule in heauinesse for the poore? 26 Yet when I looked for good, euill came vnto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkenesse. 27 My bowels did boyle without rest: for the dayes of affliction are come vpon me. 28 I went mourning without sunne: I stood vp in the congregation and cryed. 29 I am a brother to the dragons, and a companion to the ostriches. 30 My skinne is blacke vpon me, and my bones are burnt with heate. 31 Therefore mine harpe is turned to mourning, and mine organs into the voyce of them that weepe.