1I am the man who hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. 2Me hath he driven out, and led into darkness, but not into light. 3Surely against me doth he turn again and again his hand all the day. 4He hath caused my flesh and my skin to wear out, he hath broken my bones. 5He hath built around me, and encompassed me with poison and hardship. 6In dark places hath he set me to dwell, like the dead of olden times. 7He hath placed a fence round about me, that I cannot get out; he hath made heavy my chain. 8Also when I cry aloud and make entreaty, he shutteth out my prayer. 9He hath fenced up my ways with hewn stone, my paths hath he made crooked. 10A bear lying in wait is he to me, a lion in secret places. 11On my ways hath he placed thorns, and torn me in pieces: he hath made me desolate. 12He hath bent his bow, and placed me as a mark for the arrow. 13He hath caused to enter into my reins the children of his quiver. 14I am become a laughing-stock to all my people, their jeering song all the day. 15He hath sated me with bitter things, he hath made me drunken with wormwood. 16He hath also broken my teeth with gravel-stones, he hath covered me with ashes. 17And my soul hath given up all thoughts of peace: I forget happiness. 18And I said, Lost is my strength, my expectation also from the Lord. 19Remembering my affliction and the cause of my complaint, wormwood and poison. 20Remembering this continually my soul is bowed down deeply within me. 21Yet this answer will I give to my heart: therefore will I wait in confidence. 22It is through the Lord’s kindness that we are not consumed, because his mercies have no end; 23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I wait for him. 25The Lord is good unto those that hope in him, to the soul that seeketh him. 26It is good that one should wait and this in silence for the salvation of the Lord. 27It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth; 28That he sit in solitude and be silent; because He hath laid it upon him; 29That he put his mouth in the dust; perhaps there still is hope; 30That he offer his cheek to him that smiteth him; that he be satisfied with reproach. 31For the Lord will not cast off for ever; 32But though he have caused grief, yet will he have mercy according to the abundance of his kindnesses. 33For he doth not afflict of his own will, and aggrieve the children of men. 34To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth, 35To pervert the justice due to man before the face of the Most High. 36To subvert a man in his contest—should the Lord not see this? 37Who is he that saith aught, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord hath not ordained it? 38Do not out of the mouth of the Most High come both the evil things and the good? 39Wherefore should a living man complain? let every man complain because of his sins. 40Let us search through and investigate our ways, and let us return to the Lord. 41Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. 42We have indeed transgressed and rebelled: thou hast truly not pardoned. 43Thou hast covered us with thy anger, and made pursuit after us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied. 44Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that no prayer should pass through. 45As something loathsome and rejected hast thou rendered us in the midst of the people. 46Wide have all our enemies opened against us their mouth. 47Terror and a snare are come upon us, with desolation and breaches. 48With streams of water runneth my eye down, because of the breach of the daughter of my people. 49My eye trickleth down, and resteth not, without any intermission, 50Till the Lord look down, and behold from heaven. 51My eye affecteth my soul because of all the daughters of my city. 52Those who are my enemies, without a cause, have chased me about like a bird. 53They have shut up in the dungeon my life, and have cast stones upon me. 54Waters streamed over my head: I said, I am cut off. 55I called on thy name, O Lord, out of the dungeon of the lowest depth. 56Thou didst hear my voice: hide not thy ear to give me enlargement at my cry. 57Thou wast ever near on the day that I called on thee: thou saidst, Fear not. 58Thou didst plead, O Lord, the causes of my soul: thou didst before this redeem my life. 59Thou hast now seen, O Lord, the wrong I suffer: judge thou my cause. 60Thou hast seen all their vengeance, all their plans against me. 61Thou hast heard their reviling, O Lord, all their plans against me, 62The speeches of these that rise up against me, and their device against me all the day. 63Oh look upon their sitting down, and their rising up: I am their jeering song. 64Render unto them a recompense, O Lord, according to the work of their hands. 65Give them confusion of heart, thy curse he upon them. 66Pursue them in anger and destroy from under the heavens of the Lord.