GOD'S WORD Translation GW
New King James Version NKJV
1 "But now those who are younger than I am laugh at me. I didn't think their fathers were fit to sit with the dogs of my flock.
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"But now they mock at me, men younger than I, Whose fathers I disdained to put with the dogs of my flock.
2 Of what use to me was the strength of their hands? Their strength is gone.
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Indeed, what profit is the strength of their hands to me? Their vigor has perished.
3 Shriveled up from need and hunger, they gnaw at the dry and barren ground during the night.
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They are gaunt from want and famine, Fleeing late to the wilderness, desolate and waste,
4 They pick saltwort from the underbrush, and the roots of the broom plant are their food.
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Who pluck mallow by the bushes, And broom tree roots for their food.
5 They are driven from the community. People shout at them in the same way they shout at thieves.
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They were driven out from among men, They shouted at them as at a thief.
6 They have to live in dry riverbeds, in holes in the ground, and among rocks.
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They had to live in the clefts of the valleys, In caves of the earth and the rocks.
7 They howl in bushes and huddle together under thornbushes.
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Among the bushes they brayed, Under the nettles they nestled.
8 Godless fools and worthless people are forced out of the land with whips.
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They were sons of fools, Yes, sons of vile men; They were scourged from the land.
9 "And now they make fun of me with songs. I have become a joke to them.
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"And now I am their taunting song; Yes, I am their byword.
10 Since they consider me disgusting, they keep their distance from me and don't hesitate to spit in my face.
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They abhor me, they keep far from me; They do not hesitate to spit in my face.
11 Because God has untied my cord and has made me suffer, they are no longer restrained in my presence.
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Because He has loosed my bowstring and afflicted me, They have cast off restraint before me.
12 They have attacked me on my right side like a mob. They trip my feet and then prepare ways to destroy me.
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At my right hand the rabble arises; They push away my feet, And they raise against me their ways of destruction.
13 Yes, they remove all traces of my path in order to destroy me. No one is there to help me against them.
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They break up my path, They promote my calamity; They have no helper.
14 They come through a wide hole [in the wall]. They crawl through the ruins.
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They come as broad breakers; Under the ruinous storm they roll along.
15 Terrors are directed toward me. They blow away my dignity like the wind. My prosperity vanishes like a cloud.
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Terrors are turned upon me; They pursue my honor as the wind, And my prosperity has passed like a cloud.
16 "Now my life is pouring out of me. Days of suffering seize me.
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"And now my soul is poured out because of my plight; The days of affliction take hold of me.
17 At night God pierces my bones. My body doesn't rest.
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My bones are pierced in me at night, And my gnawing pains take no rest.
18 With great strength he grabs my clothes. He seizes me by the collar of my robe.
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By great force my garment is disfigured; It binds me about as the collar of my coat.
19 He throws me into the dirt so that I become like dust and ashes.
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He has cast me into the mire, And I have become like dust and ashes.
20 "I call to you for help, but you don't answer me. I stand up, but you just look at me.
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"I cry out to You, but You do not answer me; I stand up, and You regard me.
21 You have begun to treat me cruelly. With your mighty hand you assault me.
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But You have become cruel to me; With the strength of Your hand You oppose me.
22 You pick me up and let the wind carry me away. You toss me around with a storm.
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You lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride on it; You spoil my success.
23 I know you will lead me to death, to the dwelling place appointed for all living beings.
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For I know that You will bring me to death, And to the house appointed for all living.
24 "But God doesn't stretch out his hand against one who is ruined when that person calls for help in his disaster.
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"Surely He would not stretch out His hand against a heap of ruins, If they cry out when He destroys it.
25 Didn't I cry for the person whose days were difficult? Didn't my soul grieve for the poor?
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Have I not wept for him who was in trouble? Has not my soul grieved for the poor?
26 When I waited for good, evil came. When I looked for light, darkness came.
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But when I looked for good, evil came to me; And when I waited for light, then came darkness.
27 My insides are churning and won't calm down. Days of misery are ahead of me.
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My heart is in turmoil and cannot rest; Days of affliction confront me.
28 I walk in the dark without the sun. I stand up in public and call for help.
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I go about mourning, but not in the sun; I stand up in the assembly and cry out for help.
29 I'm a brother to jackals and a companion of ostriches.
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I am a brother of jackals, And a companion of ostriches.
30 My skin turns dark and peels. My body burns with fever.
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My skin grows black and falls from me; My bones burn with fever.
31 So my lyre is used for mourning and my flute for loud weeping.
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My harp is turned to mourning, And my flute to the voice of those who weep.