Psalm 35:11–14

11 Ruthless witnesses come forward;

they question me on things I know nothing about.

12 They repay me evil for good

and leave me like one bereaved.

13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth

and humbled myself with fasting.

When my prayers returned to me unanswered,

14 I went about mourning

as though for my friend or brother.

I bowed my head in grief

as though weeping for my mother.

11 False witnesses did rise up;

They laid to my charge things that I knew not.

12 They rewarded me evil for good

To the spoiling of my soul.

13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth:

I humbled my soul with fasting;

And my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother:

I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.

11 Malicious witnesses testify against me.

They accuse me of crimes I know nothing about.

12 They repay me evil for good.

I am sick with despair.

13 Yet when they were ill, I grieved for them.

I denied myself by fasting for them,

but my prayers returned unanswered.

14 I was sad, as though they were my friends or family,

as if I were grieving for my own mother.

11 Fierce witnesses rise up;

They ask me things that I do not know.

12 They reward me evil for good,

To the sorrow of my soul.

13 But as for me, when they were sick,

My clothing was sackcloth;

I humbled myself with fasting;

And my prayer would return to my own heart.

14 I paced about as though he were my friend or brother;

I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother.

11 Men without mercy stand up to testify.

They ask me things I do not know.

12 They repay me with evil for the good I have done,

and they make me very sad.

13 Yet when they were sick, I put on clothes of sadness

and showed my sorrow by fasting.

But my prayers were not answered.

14 I acted as if they were my friends or brothers.

I bowed in sadness as if I were crying for my mother.

11 Unrighteous witnesses rise up;

They ask me of things that I know not.

12 They reward me evil for good,

To the bereaving of my soul.

13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth:

I afflicted my soul with fasting;

And my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

14 I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother:

I bowed down mourning, as one that bewaileth his mother.

11 Unrighteous witnesses rise up; they lay to my charge things which I know not. 12 They reward me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul. 13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I chastened my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into mine own bosom: 14 I behaved myself as though he had been a friend, a brother to me; I bowed down in sadness, as one that mourneth for a mother.

11 Malicious people bring charges against me. 

They ask me things I know nothing about. 

12 I am devastated 

because they pay me back with evil instead of good. 

13 But when they were sick, I wore sackcloth. 

I humbled myself with fasting. 

When my prayer returned unanswered, 

14 I walked around as if I were mourning for my friend or my brother. 

I was bent over as if I were mourning for my mother. 

11 Malicious witnesses come forward;

they question me about things I do not know.

12 They repay me evil for good,

making me desolate.

13 Yet when they were sick,

my clothing was sackcloth;

I humbled myself with fasting,

and my prayer was genuine.

14 I went about grieving as if for my friend or brother;

I was bowed down with grief,

like one mourning a mother.

11 Malicious witnesses rise up;

they ask me about things I do not know.

12 They repay me evil for good;

my soul is forlorn.

13 But as for me, when they were sick,

I wore sackcloth;

I afflicted myself with fasting.

I prayed with head bowed on my bosom,

14 as though I grieved for a friend or a brother;

I went about as one who laments for a mother,

bowed down and in mourning.

11 Violent witnesses rise up;

they ask me concerning what I do not know.

12 They repay me evil in place of good.

It is bereavement to my soul.

13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth.

I weakened my soul with fasting,

and my prayer returned to me unanswered.

14 I behaved as though he were a friend or as a brother to me.

As one lamenting a mother, I was bowed down in mourning.

11 Mean people come forward to give witness against me.

They ask me things I don’t know anything about.

12 They pay me back with evil, even though I was good to them.

They leave me without hope.

13 But when they were sick, I put on black clothes.

I made myself low by going without food.

My prayers for them weren’t always answered.

14 So I went around crying

as if I were crying over my friend or relative.

I bowed my head in sadness

as if I were sobbing over my mother.

11 Malicious witnesses rise up;

They ask me of things that I do not know.

12 They repay me evil for good,

To the bereavement of my soul.

13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth;

I humbled my soul with fasting,

And my prayer kept returning to my bosom.

14 I went about as though it were my friend or brother;

I bowed down mourning, as one who sorrows for a mother.