[1] My spirit is broken; I am ready to give up. My life is almost gone; the grave is waiting for me.
[2] People stand around me and laugh at me. I watch them as they tease and insult me.
[3] “God, show me that you really support me. No other person will support me.
[4] You have closed my friends’ minds and they don’t understand. Please don’t let them win.
[5] You know what people say, 'A man neglects his own children to help his friends.’ But my friends have turned against me.
[6] God has made my name a bad word to everyone. People spit in my face.
[7] My eyes have become almost blind because I am very sad and in great pain. My whole body has become very thin, like a shadow.
[8] Good people are upset about this. Innocent people are upset at people that don’t care about God.
[9] But good people continue to live right. Innocent people will become stronger.
[10] “But come on, all of you, try to show me that it is all my fault. None of you are wise.
[11] My life is passing away. My plans are destroyed. My hope is gone.
[12] But my friends are all mixed up. They think night is day. They think darkness drives away the light.
[13] “I might hope for the grave to be my new home. I might hope to make my bed in the dark grave.
[14] I might say to the grave, 'You are my father,’ and to the worms, 'My mother,’ or 'My sister.’
[15] But if that is my only hope then I have no hope at all. If that is my only hope then people have found me no hope at all.
[16] ˻Will my hope die with me?˼ Will it also go down to the place of death? Will we go down into the dirt together?”