New King James Version

English Standard Version

1“But now they mock at me, men younger than I, Whose fathers I disdained to put with the dogs of my flock.

1“But now they laugh at me, men who are younger than I, whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock.

2Indeed, what profit is the strength of their hands to me? Their vigor has perished.

2What could I gain from the strength of their hands, men whose vigor is gone?

3They are gaunt from want and famine, Fleeing late to the wilderness, desolate and waste,

3Through want and hard hunger they gnaw the dry ground by night in waste and desolation;

4Who pluck mallow by the bushes, And broom tree roots for their food.

4they pick saltwort and the leaves of bushes, and the roots of the broom tree for their food.

5They were driven out from among men, They shouted at them as at a thief.

5They are driven out from human company; they shout after them as after a thief.

6They had to live in the clefts of the valleys, In caves of the earth and the rocks.

6In the gullies of the torrents they must dwell, in holes of the earth and of the rocks.

7Among the bushes they brayed, Under the nettles they nestled.

7Among the bushes they bray; under the nettles they huddle together.

8They were sons of fools, Yes, sons of vile men; They were scourged from the land.

8A senseless, a nameless brood, they have been whipped out of the land.

9“And now I am their taunting song; Yes, I am their byword.

9“And now I have become their song; I am a byword to them.

10They abhor me, they keep far from me; They do not hesitate to spit in my face.

10They abhor me; they keep aloof from me; they do not hesitate to spit at the sight of me.

11Because He has loosed my bowstring and afflicted me, They have cast off restraint before me.

11Because God has loosed my cord and humbled me, they have cast off restraint in my presence.

12At my right hand the rabble arises; They push away my feet, And they raise against me their ways of destruction.

12On my right hand the rabble rise; they push away my feet; they cast up against me their ways of destruction.

13They break up my path, They promote my calamity; They have no helper.

13They break up my path; they promote my calamity; they need no one to help them.

14They come as broad breakers; Under the ruinous storm they roll along.

14As through a wide breach they come; amid the crash they roll on.

15Terrors are turned upon me; They pursue my honor as the wind, And my prosperity has passed like a cloud.

15Terrors are turned upon me; my honor is pursued as by the wind, and my prosperity has passed away like a cloud.

16“And now my soul is poured out because of my plight; The days of affliction take hold of me.

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

17My bones are pierced in me at night, And my gnawing pains take no rest.

17The night racks my bones, and the pain that gnaws me takes no rest.

18By great force my garment is disfigured; It binds me about as the collar of my coat.

18With great force my garment is disfigured; it binds me about like the collar of my tunic.

19He has cast me into the mire, And I have become like dust and ashes.

19God has cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes.

20“I cry out to You, but You do not answer me; I stand up, and You regard me.

20I cry to you for help and you do not answer me; I stand, and you only look at me.

21But You have become cruel to me; With the strength of Your hand You oppose me.

21You have turned cruel to me; with the might of your hand you persecute me.

22You lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride on it; You spoil my success.

22You lift me up on the wind; you make me ride on it, and you toss me about in the roar of the storm.

23For I know that You will bring me to death, And to the house appointed for all living.

23For I know that you will bring me to death and to the house appointed for all living.

24“Surely He would not stretch out His hand against a heap of ruins, If they cry out when He destroys it.

24“Yet does not one in a heap of ruins stretch out his hand, and in his disaster cry for help?

25Have I not wept for him who was in trouble? Has not my soul grieved for the poor?

25Did not I weep for him whose day was hard? Was not my soul grieved for the needy?

26But when I looked for good, evil came to me; And when I waited for light, then came darkness.

26But when I hoped for good, evil came, and when I waited for light, darkness came.

27My heart is in turmoil and cannot rest; Days of affliction confront me.

27My inward parts are in turmoil and never still; days of affliction come to meet me.

28I go about mourning, but not in the sun; I stand up in the assembly and cry out for help.

28I go about darkened, but not by the sun; I stand up in the assembly and cry for help.

29I am a brother of jackals, And a companion of ostriches.

29I am a brother of jackals and a companion of ostriches.

30My skin grows black and falls from me; My bones burn with fever.

30My skin turns black and falls from me, and my bones burn with heat.

31My harp is turned to mourning, And my flute to the voice of those who weep.

31My lyre is turned to mourning, and my pipe to the voice of those who weep.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.