[1] I am the man that has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. [2] He
has led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light. [3] Surely
against me he turns his hand again and again all the day. [4] My flesh and
my skin has he made old; he has broken my bones. [5] He has built against
me, and compassed me with gall and travail. [6] He has made me to dwell in
dark places, as those that have been long dead. [7] He has walled me
about, that I can`t go forth; he has made my chain heavy. [8] Yes,
when I cry, and call for help, he shuts out my prayer. [9] He has walled up
my ways with hewn stone; he has made my paths crooked. [10] He is to
me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places. [11] He has turned
aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he has made me desolate. [12]
He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow. [13] He has caused
the shafts of his quiver to enter into my reins. [14] I am become a
derision to all my people, and their song all the day. [15] He has
filled me with bitterness, he has sated me with wormwood. [16] He has also
broken my teeth with gravel stones; he has covered me with ashes.
[17] You have removed my soul far off from peace; I forgot prosperity. [18]
I said, My strength is perished, and my expectation from Yahweh. [19]
Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. [20] My
soul still remembers them, and is bowed down within me. [21] This I recall
to my mind; therefore have I hope. [22] [It is of] Yahweh`s
lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion
doesn`t fail. [23] They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
[24] Yahweh is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I hope in him. [25]
Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.
[26] It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the
salvation of Yahweh. [27] It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his
youth. [28] Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he has laid it on
him. [29] Let him put his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be
hope. [30] Let him give his cheek to him who strikes him; let him be filled
full with reproach. [31] For the Lord will not cast off forever. [32]
For though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to
the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. [33] For he does not afflict
willingly, nor grieve the children of men. [34] To crush under foot
all the prisoners of the earth, [35] To turn aside the right of a man
before the face of the Most High, [36] To subvert a man in his cause,
the Lord doesn`t approve. [37] Who is he who says, and it comes to pass,
when the Lord doesn`t command it? [38] Doesn`t evil and good come out
of the mouth of the Most High? [39] Why does a living man complain, a man
for the punishment of his sins? [40] Let us search and try our ways,
and turn again to Yahweh. [41] Let us lift up our heart with our hands to
God in the heavens. [42] We have transgressed and have rebelled; you have
not pardoned. [43] You have covered with anger and pursued us; you have
killed, you have not pitied. [44] You have covered yourself with a
cloud, so that no prayer can pass through. [45] You have made us an
off-scouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples. [46] All our
enemies have opened their mouth wide against us. [47] Fear and the pit are
come on us, devastation and destruction. [48] My eye runs down with streams
of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people. [49] My
eye pours down, and doesn`t cease, without any intermission, [50] Until
Yahweh look down, and see from heaven. [51] My eye affects my soul, because
of all the daughters of my city. [52] They have chased me sore like a bird,
those who are my enemies without cause. [53] They have cut off my
life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone on me. [54] Waters flowed
over my head; I said, I am cut off. [55] I called on your name, Yahweh, out
of the lowest dungeon. [56] You heard my voice; don`t hide your ear at my
breathing, at my cry. [57] You drew near in the day that I called on
you; you said, Don`t be afraid. [58] Lord, you have pleaded the
causes of my soul; you have redeemed my life. [59] Yahweh, you have
seen my wrong; judge you my cause. [60] You have seen all their vengeance
and all their devices against me. [61] You have heard their reproach,
Yahweh, and all their devices against me, [62] The lips of those that
rose up against me, and their device against me all the day. [63] See
you their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their song. [64] You will
render to them a recompense, Yahweh, according to the work of their
hands. [65] You will give them hardness of heart, your curse to them. [66]
You will pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the
heavens of Yahweh.
