Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
The Message Bible MSG
1 But now the younger in time scorn me, whose fathers I would not have set with the dogs of my flock:
1
"But no longer. Now I'm the butt of their jokes - young ruffians! whippersnappers!
2 The strength of whose hands was to me as nothing, and they were thought unworthy of life itself.
2
Why, I considered their fathers mere inexperienced pups. But they are worse than dogs - good for nothing, stray, mangy animals,
3 Barren with want and hunger, who gnawed in the wilderness, disfigured with calamity and misery.
3
Half-starved, scavenging the back alleys, howling at the moon;
4 And they ate grass, and barks of trees, and the root of junipers was their food.
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Homeless guttersnipes chewing on old bones and licking old tin cans;
5 Who snatched up these things out of the valleys, and when they had found any of them, they ran to them with a cry.
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Outcasts from the community, cursed as dangerous delinquents.
6 They dwelt in the desert places of torrents, and in caves of earth, or upon the gravel.
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Nobody would put up with them; they were driven from the neighborhood.
7 They pleased themselves among these kind of things, and counted it delightful to be under the briers.
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You could hear them out there at the edge of town, yelping and barking, huddled in junkyards,
8 The children of foolish and base men, and not appearing at all upon the earth.
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A gang of beggars and no-names, thrown out on their ears.
9 Now I am turned into their song, and am become their byword.
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"But now I'm the one they're after, mistreating me, taunting and mocking.
10 They abhor me, and flee far from me, and are not afraid to spit in my face.
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They abhor me, they abuse me. How dare those scoundrels - they spit in my face!
11 For he hath opened his quiver, and hath afflicted me, and hath put a bridle into my mouth.
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Now that God has undone me and left me in a heap, they hold nothing back. Anything goes.
12 At the right hand of my rising, my calamities forthwith arose: they have overthrown my feet, and have overwhelmed me with their paths as with waves.
12
They come at me from my blind side, trip me up, then jump on me while I'm down.
13 They have destroyed my ways, they have lain in wait against me, and they have prevailed, and there was none to help.
13
They throw every kind of obstacle in my path, determined to ruin me - and no one lifts a finger to help me!
14 They have rushed in upon me, as when a wall is broken, and a gate opened, and have rolled themselves down to my miseries.
14
They violate my broken body, trample through the rubble of my ruined life.
15 I am brought to nothing: as a wind thou hast taken away my desire: and my prosperity hath passed away like a cloud.
15
Terrors assault me - my dignity in shreds, salvation up in smoke.
16 And now my soul fadeth within myself, and the days of affliction possess me.
16
"And now my life drains out, as suffering seizes and grips me hard.
17 In the night my bone is pierced with sorrows: and they that feed upon me, do not sleep.
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Night gnaws at my bones; the pain never lets up.
18 With the multitude of them my garment is consumed, and they have girded me about, as with the collar of my coat.
18
I am tied hand and foot, my neck in a noose. I twist and turn.
19 I am compared to dirt, and am likened to embers and ashes.
19
Thrown facedown in the muck, I'm a muddy mess, inside and out. What Did I Do to Deserve This?
20 I cry to thee, and thou hearest me not: I stand up, and thou dost not regard me.
20
"I shout for help, God, and get nothing, no answer! I stand to face you in protest, and you give me a blank stare!
21 Thou art changed to be cruel toward me, and in the hardness of thy hand thou art against me.
21
You've turned into my tormenter - you slap me around, knock me about.
22 Thou hast lifted me up, and set me as it were upon the wind, and thou hast mightily dashed me.
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You raised me up so I was riding high and then dropped me, and I crashed.
23 I know that thou wilt deliver me to death, where a house is appointed for every one that liveth.
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I know you're determined to kill me, to put me six feet under.
24 But yet thou stretchest not forth thy hand to their consumption: and if they shall fall down thou wilt save.
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"What did I do to deserve this? Did I ever hit anyone who was calling for help?
25 I wept heretofore for him that was afflicted, and my soul had compassion on the poor.
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Haven't I wept for those who live a hard life, been heartsick over the lot of the poor?
26 I expected good things, and evils are come upon me: I waited for light, and darkness broke out.
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But where did it get me? I expected good but evil showed up. I looked for light but darkness fell.
27 My inner parts have boiled without any rest, the days of affliction have prevented me.
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My stomach's in a constant churning, never settles down. Each day confronts me with more suffering.
28 I went mourning without indignation; I rose up, and cried in the crowd.
28
I walk under a black cloud. The sun is gone. I stand in the congregation and protest.
29 I was the brother of dragons, and companion of ostriches.
29
I howl with the jackals, I hoot with the owls.
30 My skin is become black upon me, and my bones are dried up with heat.
30
I'm black and blue all over, burning up with fever.
31 My harp is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of those that weep.
31
My fiddle plays nothing but the blues; my mouth harp wails laments.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.