…un tagadējo pazemojumu
1 Bet nu par mani smej
gados jaunāki,
kuru tēvus es nelaistu
pat pie saviem ganu suņiem!
2 Kam man viņu roku spēks –
dūša tos pametusi!
3 Badā un postā izdiluši
pa smilgainēm klaiņā,
vakara tumsā pa kaltušu zemi un smilšņām.
4 Gar krūmiem sālszāli plūc,
irbuleņu saknes tiem maize,
5 no visiem tie padzīti,
kā zagļiem tiem nopakaļ pakliedz,
6 gravās tiem jādzīvo,
klintīs un zemes dobuļos,
7 pa krūmiem tie brēkā,
zem dadžu lapām barā spiežas,
8 nejēgu dēli, bezgožu dēli,
notramdīti no zemes!
9 Nu par mani tie trallina,
ap mani tie mēles trin! –
10 niecina mani un turas nost,
manā priekšā nekaunas spļaudīt!
11 Grožus izrāvuši,
laužņus izspļāvuši man priekšā!
12 Pa labo roku plukatas stāj,
kāju man priekšā liek,
sataisa postam pie manis ceļu!
13 Tie izposta manu taku,
nelaimē iegrūž,
neviens tos neaptur!
14 Pa platu plaisu tie uzbrūk,
pār drupām virsū veļas –
15 šaušalas mani lenc,
kā ar vēju mana godība aizrauta,
kā mākonis mans glābiņš aizpeld.
16 Nu mana dvēsele iztek,
posta dienas ap mani nāk,
17 nakts man kaulus plēš,
tie nemaz neguļ, kas mani grauž!
18 Ar lielu spēku mans ģērbs ir savilkts,
kā apkakle kaklu sažņaudz,
19 viņš met mani mālos,
topu līdzīgs pīšļiem un pelniem.
20 Es brēcu uz tevi, tu neatbildi,
stāvu, bet tu tik noraugies!
21 Par varmāku tu esi man kļuvis,
ar stipru roku tu vajā mani.
22 Tu pacel mani un vējā nes,
purini mani vētrā.
23 Zinu, nāvē tu sūtīsi mani –
namā, kur nonāk ik dzīvais.
24 Vai gruvešos nosviestais nestieps rokas,
vai postā pamestais nebrēks?
25 Vai es par grūtdieņiem neraudāju,
vai neskumu dvēselē nabagu dēļ?
26 Es meklēju labu, bet nāca ļauns,
es gaidīju gaismu, bet uznāca tumsa.
27 Iekšas man kūsā un nerimst,
klāt man posta dienas!
28 Melni man vaigi, bet ne dēļ saules;
sapulcē pieceļos un brēcu!
29 Tagad esmu šakāļiem brālis
un draugs tuksneša putniem.
30 Āda man metas melna,
kauli man karstumā plēn.
31 No manas cītaras žēlabas skan,
no stabules – raudu balss!
1 But men younger than I am make fun of me now!
Their fathers have always been so worthless
that I wouldn't let them help my dogs guard sheep.
2 They were a bunch of worn-out men,
too weak to do any work for me.
3 They were so poor and hungry
that they would gnaw dry roots—
at night, in wild, desolate places.
4 They pulled up the plants of the desert and ate them,
even the tasteless roots of the broom tree!
5 Everyone drove them away with shouts,
as if they were shouting at thieves.
6 They had to live in caves,
in holes dug in the sides of cliffs.
7 Out in the wilds they howled like animals
and huddled together under the bushes.
8 A worthless bunch of nameless nobodies!
They were driven out of the land.
9 Now they come and laugh at me;
I am nothing but a joke to them.
10 They treat me with disgust;
they think they are too good for me,
and even come and spit in my face.
11 Because God has made me weak and helpless,
they turn against me with all their fury.
12 This mob attacks me head-on;
they send me running; they prepare their final assault.
13 They cut off my escape and try to destroy me;
and there is no one to stop them.
14 They pour through the holes in my defenses
and come crashing down on top of me;
15 I am overcome with terror;
my dignity is gone like a puff of wind,
and my prosperity like a cloud.
16 Now I am about to die;
there is no relief for my suffering.
17 At night my bones all ache;
the pain that gnaws me never stops.
18 God seizes me by my collar
and twists my clothes out of shape.
19 He throws me down in the mud;
I am no better than dirt.
20 I call to you, O God, but you never answer;
and when I pray, you pay no attention.
21 You are treating me cruelly;
you persecute me with all your power.
22 You let the wind blow me away;
you toss me about in a raging storm.
23 I know you are taking me off to my death,
to the fate in store for everyone.
24 Why do you attack a ruined man,
one who can do nothing but beg for pity?
25 Didn't I weep with people in trouble
and feel sorry for those in need?
26 I hoped for happiness and light,
but trouble and darkness came instead.
27 I am torn apart by worry and pain;
I have had day after day of suffering.
28 I go about in gloom, without any sunshine;
I stand up in public and plead for help.
29 My voice is as sad and lonely
as the cries of a jackal or an ostrich.
30 My skin has turned dark; I am burning with fever.
31 Where once I heard joyful music,
now I hear only mourning and weeping.
