1 "My spirit is consumed.

My days are extinct

and the grave is ready for me.

2 Surely there are mockers with me.

My eye dwells on their provocation.

3 "Now give a pledge. Be collateral for me with yourself.

Who is there who will strike hands with me?

4 For you have hidden their heart from understanding,

therefore you will not exalt them.

5 He who denounces his friends for plunder,

even the eyes of his children will fail.

6 "But he has made me a byword of the people.

They spit in my face.

7 My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow.

All my members are as a shadow.

8 Upright men will be astonished at this.

The innocent will stir himself up against the godless.

9 Yet the righteous will hold to his way.

He who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.

10 But as for you all, come back.

I will not find a wise man among you.

11 My days are past.

My plans are broken off,

as are the thoughts of my heart.

12 They change the night into day,

saying ‘The light is near’ in the presence of darkness.

13 If I look for Sheol as my house,

if I have spread my couch in the darkness,

14 if I have said to corruption, ‘You are my father,’

and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ and ‘My sister,’

15 where then is my hope?

As for my hope, who will see it?

16 Shall it go down with me to the gates of Sheol,

or descend together into the dust?"

1 My gees is verward, my dae is uitgeblus, die graf wag op my.

2 Waarlik, bespottinge is my deel, en op hulle getwis moet my oog rus.

3 Gee tog 'n pand, staan borg vir my by U; wie anders sal vir my borgskap verleen?

4 Want U het hulle hart gesluit vir verstand; daarom sal U hulle nie laat triomfeer nie.

5 Hy wat vriende aanklaag vir 'n buitaandeel -- die oë van sy kinders sal versmag.

6 Maar Hy het my 'n spreekwoord vir die mense gemaak, en ek moet iemand wees wat hulle in die gesig spuug.

7 Daarom het my oog dof geword van verdriet, en al my lede is soos 'n skaduwee.

8 Die opregtes is daaroor ontsteld, en die onskuldige kom teen die goddelose in opstand.

9 Nogtans hou die regverdige vas aan sy weg, en die wat rein van hande is, neem toe in krag.

10 Maar, kom maar altyd weer aan, julle almal! 'n Wyse vind ek onder julle tog nie.

11 My dae is verby, my planne tot niet, die wense van my hart.

12 Van die nag maak hulle 'n dag; lig, sê hulle, is naby vanweë die duisternis.

13 As ek hoop op die doderyk as my huis; in die duisternis my bed uitsprei,

14 die grafkuil toeroep: My vader is jy; die wurms: My moeder en my suster,

15 waar is dan my verwagting? Ja, my verwagting, wie ontdek dit?

16 Na die grendels van die doderyk sal dit neerdaal, wanneer daar tegelykertyd rus is in die stof.