1 ¶ My breath is corrupt, my days are cut off, and the grave is ready for me.

My spirit hath been destroyed, My days extinguished -- graves for me.

2 N ow there are only mockers with me, upon whose bitterness my eye continues to gaze.

If not -- mockeries with me. And in their provocations mine eye lodgeth.

3 P ut up now, give me surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me?

Place, I pray Thee, my pledge with Thee; Who is he that striketh hand with me?

4 F or with these, thou hast hid their heart from understanding; therefore, thou shalt not exalt them.

For their heart Thou hast hidden From understanding, Therefore Thou dost not exalt them.

5 H e that speaks flattery to his neighbour, even the eyes of his sons shall fail.

For a portion he sheweth friendship, And the eyes of his sons are consumed.

6 H e has made me a byword of the peoples; and before them I have been as a tambourine.

And he set me up for a proverb of the peoples, And a wonder before them I am.

7 M y eyes are dim by reason of sorrow, and all my thoughts are as a shadow.

And dim from sorrow is mine eye, And my members as a shadow all of them.

8 U pright men shall be astonied at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite.

Astonished are the upright at this, And the innocent against the profane Stirreth himself up.

9 T he righteous shall hold on to his way, and he that has clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.

And the righteous layeth hold his way, And the clean of hands addeth strength, And -- dumb are they all.

10 ¶ But return all of you, and come now; for I shall not find one that is wise among you.

Return, and come in, I pray you, And I find not among you a wise man.

11 M y days are past, my thoughts were broken off, even the purposes of my heart.

My days have passed by, My devices have been broken off, The possessions of my heart!

12 T hey changed the night into day; the light is short because of the darkness.

Night for day they appoint, Light near because of darkness.

13 I f I wait, Sheol is my house; I have made my bed in the darkness.

If I wait -- Sheol my house, In darkness I have spread out my couch.

14 I have said to the pit, Thou art my father; to the worms, my mother, and my sister.

To corruption I have called: -- `Thou my father.' `My mother' and `my sister' -- to the worm.

15 A nd where shall my hope be now? As for my hope, who shall see it?

And where now my hope? Yea, my hope, who doth behold it?

16 T hey shall go down to the bars of Sheol, and together they shall rest in the dust.

the parts of Sheol ye go down, If together on the dust we may rest.