17
1 My ruach is broken,
my yamim are extinct,
the kevarim are ready for me.
2 Does not hatulim (mockery) surround me?
And doth not mine eye continue in their provocation?
3 Lay down an eravon (pledge) with Thee;
who is he that will put up security for me?
4 For Thou hast hid their lev from seichel;
therefore shalt Thou not exalt them.
5 He that informs on re'im for chelek,
even the eyes of his banim shall fail.
6 He hath made me also a mashal (byword) of the peoples;
and I am one in whose face they spit.
7 Mine eye also is dim by reason of ka'as,
and all my members are like a tzel (shadow).
8 Yesharim shall be appalled at this
and the naki (pure, innocent) shall stir up himself against the chanef (profane, irreligious).
9 The tzaddik also shall hold to his derech,
and he whose yadayim are tahor shall grow stronger and stronger.
10 But as for all you, do ye return, and come back now;
for I cannot find one chacham among you.
11 My yamim are past,
my plans are broken,
even the morashot (possessions, desires) of my lev.
12 They change the lailah into yom;
the ohr is near to choshech, say they.
13 If I wait, Sheol is mine bais;
I have made my bed in the choshech.
14 I have said to Shachat, thou art avi;
to the worm, thou art immi, and achoti.
15 And where is now my tikveh?
As for my tikveh, who regards it?
16 Will it go down to the gates of Sheol?
Shall we go down together into the dust?