- 1
- But nowe they that are younger then I haue me in derision: yea euen they whose fathers I would haue thought scorne to haue set with the dogges of my cattell.
- 2
- For wherto might the strength of their handes haue serued me?
for the time was but lost among them.
- 3
- For very miserie and hunger they fled into the wildernesse, a darke place, horrible and waste,
- 4
- Plucking vp nettles among the busshes, and the iuniper rootes for their meate.
- 5
- And when they were dryuen foorth, men cryed after them as it had ben afafter a thiefe.
- 6
- Their dwelling was in the cleftes of brookes, yea in the caues and dennes of the earth.
- 7
- Among the busshes went they about crying, and vnder the thornes they gathered them selues together.
- 8
- They were the children of fooles and vyllaynes, which are more vile then the earth.
- 9
- Now am I their song, & am become their yesting stocke.
- 10
- They abhorre me and flee farre from me, and stayne my face with spittle.
- 11
- Because God hath loosed my corde and humbled me, they haue loosed the bridle before me.
- 12
- Upon my right hande ryse the young men against me, they haue hurt my feete, treading vpon me as vpon the wayes of their destruction.
- 13
- My pathes haue they cleane marred, it was so easye for them to do me harme, that they needed no man to help them.
- 14
- They fell vpon me, as it had ben the breaking in of waters, and came in by heapes to destroy me.
- 15
- Feare is turned vpon me, and they pursue my soule as the wind, and my health passeth away as a cloude.
- 16
- Therfore is my soule now powred out vpon me, and the dayes of my trouble haue taken hold vpon me.
- 17
- My bones are pearsed through in the night season, and my sinewes take no rest.
- 18
- For the vehemencie of sorowe is my garment chaunged, whiche compasseth me about as the coller of my coote.
- 19
- He hath cast me into the myre, and I am become like asshes and dust.
- 20
- When I crie vnto thee, thou doest not heare me: and though I stande before thee, yet thou regardest me not.
- 21
- Thou art become myne enemie, and with thy violent hande thou takest part against me.
- 22
- [In times past] thou diddest set me vp on hye, to be caried as it were aboue the wynde, [but nowe] hast thou geuen me a very sore fall.
- 23
- Sure I am that thou wilt bryng me vnto death, euen to the lodging that is due vnto all men liuing.
- 24
- Notwithstanding, thou wilt not stretch out thyne hand against him that is in the graue: shal men crie out against him that is in destruction?
- 25
- Dyd not I weepe with hym that was in trouble?
Had not my soule compassion vpon the poore?
- 26
- Yet neuerthelesse, where as I loked for good, euyll came vnto me: & where I wayted for light, there came darkenesse.
- 27
- My bowels seethe in me without rest, for the dayes of my trouble are come vpon me.
- 28
- I went mourning without heate, I stoode vp in the congregation, & communed with them.
- 29
- But nowe I am a brother of dragons, and a felowe of Estriches.
- 30
- My skinne vpon me is [turned] to blacke, and my bones are brent with heate.
- 31
- My harpe is turned to mourning, and my organs into the voyce of them that weepe.
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