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 nunc autem derident me iuniores tempore
quorum non dignabar patres ponere cum canibus gregis mei
2 quorum virtus manuum erat mihi pro nihilo
et vita ipsa putabantur indigni
3 egestate et fame steriles
qui rodebant in solitudine squalentes calamitate et miseria
4 et mandebant herbas et arborum cortices
et radix iuniperorum erat cibus eorum
5 qui de convallibus ista rapientes
cum singula repperissent ad ea cum clamore currebant
6 in desertis habitabant torrentium
et in cavernis terrae vel super glaream
7 qui inter huiuscemodi laetabantur
et esse sub sentibus delicias conputabant
8 filii stultorum et ignobilium et in terra penitus non parentes
9 nunc in eorum canticum versus sum
et factus sum eis proverbium
10 abominantur me et longe fugiunt a me
et faciem meam conspuere non verentur
11 faretram enim suam aperuit et adflixit me
et frenum posuit in os meum
12 ad dexteram orientis calamitatis meae ilico
surrexerunt
pedes meos subverterunt
et oppresserunt quasi fluctibus semitis suis
13 dissipaverunt itinera mea insidiati sunt mihi et praevaluerunt
et non fuit qui ferret auxilium
14 quasi rupto muro et aperta ianua inruerunt super me
et ad meas miserias devoluti sunt
15 redactus sum in nihili
abstulisti quasi ventus desiderium meum
et velut nubes pertransiit salus mea
16 nunc autem in memet ipso marcescit anima mea
et possident me dies adflictionis
17 nocte os meum perforatur doloribus
et qui me comedunt non dormiunt
18 in multitudine eorum consumitur vestimentum meum
et quasi capitio tunicae sic cinxerunt me
19 conparatus sum luto et adsimilatus favillae et cineri
20 clamo ad te et non exaudis me
sto et non respicis me
21 mutatus es mihi in crudelem
et in duritia manus tuae adversaris mihi
22 elevasti me et quasi super ventum ponens elisisti me valide
23 scio quia morti tradas me
ubi constituta domus est omni viventi
24 verumtamen non ad consumptionem
eorum emittis manum tuam
et si corruerint ipse salvabis
25 flebam quondam super eum qui adflictus erat
et conpatiebatur anima mea pauperi
26 expectabam bona et venerunt mihi mala
praestolabar lucem et eruperunt tenebrae
27 interiora mea efferbuerunt absque ulla requie
praevenerunt me dies adflictionis
28 maerens incedebam sine furore
consurgens in turba clamavi
29 frater fui draconum et socius strutionum
30 cutis mea denigrata est super me
et ossa mea aruerunt prae caumate
31 versa est in luctum cithara mea
et organum meum in vocem flentium