^{1 Ref} "My spirit is consumed, my days are extinct, And the grave is ready for me.

^{2 Ref} Surely there are mockers with me, My eye dwells on their provocation.

^{3 Ref} "Now give a pledge, be collateral for me with yourself. Who is there who will strike hands with me?

^{4 Ref} For you have hidden their heart from understanding, Therefore shall you not exalt them.

^{5 Ref} He who denounces his friends for a prey, Even the eyes of his children shall fail.

^{6 Ref} "But he has made me a byword of the people. They spit in my face.

^{7 Ref} My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow. All my members are as a shadow.

^{8 Ref} Upright men shall be astonished at this. The innocent shall stir up himself against the godless.

^{9 Ref} Yet shall the righteous hold on his way. He who has clean hands shall grow stronger and stronger.

^{10 Ref} But as for you all, come on now again; I shall not find a wise man among you.

^{11 Ref} My days are past, my plans are broken off, As are the thoughts of my heart.

^{12 Ref} They change the night into day, Saying 'The light is near' in the presence of darkness.

^{13 Ref} If I look for Sheol as my house, If I have spread my couch in the darkness,

^{14 Ref} If I have said to corruption, 'You are my father;' To the worm, 'My mother,' and 'my sister;'

^{15 Ref} Where then is my hope? As for my hope, who shall see it?

^{16 Ref} Shall it go down with me to the gates of Sheol, Or descend together into the dust?"

^{1 Ref} My spirit hath been destroyed, My days extinguished -- graves `are' for me.

^{2 Ref} If not -- mockeries `are' with me. And in their provocations mine eye lodgeth.

^{3 Ref} Place, I pray Thee, my pledge with Thee; Who is he that striketh hand with me?

^{4 Ref} For their heart Thou hast hidden From understanding, Therefore Thou dost not exalt them.

^{5 Ref} For a portion he sheweth friendship, And the eyes of his sons are consumed.

^{6 Ref} And he set me up for a proverb of the peoples, And a wonder before them I am.

^{7 Ref} And dim from sorrow is mine eye, And my members as a shadow all of them.

^{8 Ref} Astonished are the upright at this, And the innocent against the profane Stirreth himself up.

^{9 Ref} And the righteous layeth hold `on' his way, And the clean of hands addeth strength, And -- dumb are they all.

^{10 Ref} Return, and come in, I pray you, And I find not among you a wise man.

^{11 Ref} My days have passed by, My devices have been broken off, The possessions of my heart!

^{12 Ref} Night for day they appoint, Light `is' near because of darkness.

^{13 Ref} If I wait -- Sheol `is' my house, In darkness I have spread out my couch.

^{14 Ref} To corruption I have called: -- `Thou `art' my father.' `My mother' and `my sister' -- to the worm.

^{15 Ref} And where `is' now my hope? Yea, my hope, who doth behold it?

^{16 Ref} `To' the parts of Sheol ye go down, If together on the dust we may rest.

^{1 Ref} My spirit is broken, my days are ended, the last resting-place is ready for me.

^{2 Ref} Truly, those who make sport of me are round about me, and my eyes become dark because of their bitter laughing.

^{3 Ref} Be pleased, now, to be responsible for me to yourself; for there is no other who will put his hand in mine.

^{4 Ref} You have kept their hearts from wisdom: for this cause you will not give them honour.

^{5 Ref} As for him who is false to his friend for a reward, light will be cut off from the eyes of his children.

^{6 Ref} He has made me a word of shame to the peoples; I have become a mark for their sport.

^{7 Ref} My eyes have become dark because of my pain, and all my body is wasted to a shade.

^{8 Ref} The upright are surprised at this, and he who has done no wrong is troubled because of the evil-doers.

^{9 Ref} Still the upright keeps on his way, and he who has clean hands gets new strength.

^{10 Ref} But come back, now, all of you, come; and I will not see a wise man among you.

^{11 Ref} My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the desires of my heart.

^{12 Ref} They are changing night into day; they say, The light is near the dark.

^{13 Ref} If I am waiting for the underworld as my house, if I have made my bed in the dark;

^{14 Ref} If I say to the earth, You are my father; and to the worm, My mother and my sister;

^{15 Ref} Where then is my hope? and who will see my desire?

^{16 Ref} Will they go down with me into the underworld? Will we go down together into the dust?