Thomson(i)
1 I am a man who have seen affliction by the rod of his wrath
2 against me. He hath seized me and dragged me into darkness and there is no light.
3 But still he turned his hand against me all the day long.
4 He hath made my flesh and my skin old; he hath broken my bones.
5 He built up against me and encompassed my head and afflicted it with pain:
6 in dark mansions he placed me like the dead of old.
7 He built up against me so that I cannot get out. He made my chain heavy.
8 Though I scream and cry, he shut out my prayer.
9 He walled up my ways; he blocked up my paths;
10 he terrified me. He was as a bear lying in wait; to me he was like a lion in secret coverts.
11 He pursued me when I fled and stopped me. He removed me quite out of sight.
12 He bent his bow and set me up as a mark for his arrow.
13 He poured into my reins the darts of his quiver.
14 I became a subject of laughter to all my people; their song all the day long.
15 He glutted me with worm wood; he gave me a large draught of gall,
16 and broke my teeth with gravel. He drenched me with ashes.
17 He removed my soul far from peace. I forgot prosperity;
18 so my strength was destroyed and the hope which I had from the Lord.
19 I recollected because of mine affliction. When by reason of persecution, my bitterness and gall shall be remembered;
20 then on myself will my soul meditate.
21 I will lay this up in my heart.
22 On this account I will wait for the mercies of the Lord, because he hath not quite forsaken me; because his compassion is not exhausted. In the ensuing months, Lord, exercise compassion, since we are not quite consumed; since thy mercies are not exhausted.
23 New every morning is thine abundant faithfulness.
24 The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore I will wait for him.
25 The Lord is gracious to them who wait for him for the soul, that will seek him,
26 there is good; let it therefore wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
27 It is good for a man when he hath borne a yoke in his youth.
28 He will sit solitary and be silent, because he hath taken it upon him.
29 [Omitted]
30 He will give his cheek to him who smiteth it; he will feed on reproaches;
31 because the Lord will not cast off forever;
32 because he who hath humbled will have compassion, even according to the multitude of his mercies.
33 He did not answer from his heart and humble the children of men
34 with an intent to crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth;
35 to turn aside the cause of man from before the Most High.
36 To condemn a man when he is on his trial, the Lord hath not enjoined.
37 [a] Who ever enjoined thus; when it hath happened, hath not the Lord ordered it?
38 [b] From the mouth of the Most High shall not evils proceed as well as good?
39 Why should a living man murmur; a man for his sin offering?
40 Our way hath been searched and tried; let us then return to the Lord.
41 Let us offer up our hearts on our hands to Him who is High in heaven.
42 We have sinned; we have been guilty of impiety; and thou hast not been appeased.
43 Thou hast covered with wrath and discarded us; thou hast slain and hast not spared;
44 thou hast covered thyself with a cloud because of prayer, that I may shut mine eyes and
45 be cast off. Thou hast placed us in the midst of the peoples;
46 all our enemies have opened their mouths against us.
47 On us are come terror and wrath, desolation and destruction.
48 Let streams of water be collected by mine eye, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 Mine eye is bathed in tears and I cannot keep silence that it may dry,
50 until the Lord look down from heaven and behold.
51 Let mine eye be more watchful for my life, than all the daughters of a city.
52 With eagerness all mine enemies have hunted me like an ostrich;
53 without cause they have condemned me to die in a dungeon, and placed a stone over me.
54 Water was poured above upon my head. I said, I am cast off.
55 I called on thy name, O Lord, out of the deepest dungeon.
56 Thou hast heard my voice; stop not thine ear against my supplication.
57 To my assistance thou didst draw near. On the day I called on thee, thou saidst to me, Fear not. [a] An objection, [b] The answer.
58 Thou, O Lord, hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.
59 Thou, Lord, hast seen my wrongs; thou hast decided my cause.
60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance; into all their devices against me.
61 Thou hast heard their reproach; all their charges against me;
62 the speeches of them who accused me; their studied harangues against me all the day long.
63 [Omitted]
64 At their sitting down and their rising up, look down on their eyes.
65 Thou, O Lord, wilt render them a recompence according to the works of their hands.
66 Thou wilt give them for a shield the sorrow of my heart. Thou wilt pursue them with indignation, and destroy them utterly from under heaven.