⁸ My way is walled up by him so that I may not go by: he has made my roads dark. ⁹ He has put off my glory from me, and taken the crown from my head. ¹⁰ I am broken down by him on every side, and I am gone; my hope is uprooted like a tree. ¹¹ His wrath is burning against me, and I am to him as one of his haters. ¹² His armies come on together, they make their road high against me, and put up their tents round mine.

¹³ He has taken my brothers far away from me; they have seen my fate and have become strange to me. ¹⁴ My relations and my near friends have given me up, and those living in my house have put me out of their minds. ¹⁵ I am strange to my women-servants, and seem to them as one from another country. ¹⁶ At my cry my servant gives me no answer, and I have to make a prayer to him. ¹⁷ My breath is strange to my wife, and I am disgusting to the offspring of my mother's body. ¹⁸ Even young children have no respect for me; when I get up their backs are turned on me. ¹⁹ All the men of my circle keep away from me; and those dear to me are turned against me. ²⁰ My bones are joined to my skin, and I have got away with my flesh in my teeth.

²¹ Have pity on me, have pity on me, O my friends! for the hand of God is on me. ²² Why are you cruel to me, like God, for ever saying evil against me?