¹⁰He hath gathered together his fury against me, and threatening me he hath gnashed with his teeth upon me: my enemy hath beheld me with terrible eyes.

¹¹They have opened their mouths upon me, and reproaching me they have struck me on the cheek, they are filled with my pains.

¹²God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered me into the hands of the wicked.

¹³I that was formerly so wealthy, am all on a sudden broken to pieces: he hath taken me by my neck, he hath broken me, and hath set me up to be his mark.

¹⁴He hath compassed me round about with his lances, he hath wounded my loins, he hath not spared, and hath poured out my bowels on the earth,

¹⁵He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant.

¹⁶I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes.

¹⁷My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim.

¹⁸These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God.

¹⁹O earth, cover not thou my blood, neither let my cry find a hiding place in thee.

²⁰For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high.

²¹My friends are full of words: my eye poureth out tears to God.

²²And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion!

²³For behold short years pass away, and I am walking in a path by which I shall not return.

Chapter 17

My spirit shall be wasted, my days shall be shortened and only the grave remaineth for me.

²I have not sinned, and my eye abideth in bitterness.

³Deliver me, O Lord, and set me beside thee, and let any man’s hand fight against me.

⁴Thou hast set their heart far from understanding, therefore they shall not be exalted.

⁵He promiseth a prey to his companions, and the eyes of his children shall fail.

⁶He hath made me as it were a byword of the people, and I am an example before them.

⁷My eye is dim through indignation, and my limbs are brought as it were to nothing.

⁸The just shall be astonished at this, and the innocent shall be raised up against the hypocrite.

⁹And the just man shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.

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