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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.