1»¡Y ahora resulta que de mí se burlan
jovencitos a cuyos padres no habría puesto
ni con mis perros ovejeros!
2¿De qué me habría servido la fuerza de sus manos,
si no tenían ya fuerza para nada?
3Retorciéndose de hambre y de necesidad,
rondaban30:3 rondaban. Alt. roían. en la noche por tierras desoladas,
por páramos deshabitados.
4En los matorrales arrancaban hierbas amargas
y comían30:4 comían. Alt. se calentaban con. raíces de retama.
5Habían sido excluidos de la comunidad,
acusados a gritos como ladrones.
6Se vieron obligados a vivir
en el lecho de los arroyos secos,
entre las grietas y en las cuevas.
7Bramaban entre los matorrales,
se amontonaban entre la maleza.
8Gente vil, generación infame,
fueron expulsados de la tierra.
9»¡Y ahora resulta que soy tema de sus parodias!
¡Me he vuelto su hazmerreír!
10Les doy asco y se alejan de mí;
no vacilan en escupirme en la cara.
11Ahora que Dios me ha humillado por completo,
no se refrenan en mi presencia.
12A mi derecha, me ataca el populacho;30:12 populacho. Palabra de difícil traducción.
tienden trampas a mis pies
y levantan rampas de asalto para atacarme.
13Han irrumpido en mi camino;
sin ayuda de nadie han logrado destruirme.30:13 sin ayuda … destruirme. Alt. han logrado destruirme, y dicen: “Nadie puede ayudarlo”.
14Avanzan como a través de una ancha brecha;
irrumpen entre las ruinas.
15El terror me ha sobrecogido;
mi dignidad se esfuma como el viento,
¡mi salvación se desvanece como las nubes!
16»Y ahora la vida se me escapa;
me oprimen los días de sufrimiento.
17La noche me taladra los huesos;
el dolor que me corroe no tiene fin.
18Como con un manto, Dios me envuelve con su poder;
me ahoga como el cuello de mi ropa.
19Me arroja con fuerza en el fango
y me reduce a polvo y ceniza.
20»A ti clamo, Dios, pero no me respondes;
me hago presente, pero tú apenas me miras.
21Implacable, te vuelves contra mí;
con el poder de tu brazo me atacas.
22Me arrebatas, me lanzas al30:22 me lanzas al. Lit. me haces cabalgar sobre el. viento;
me arrojas al ojo de la tormenta.
23Sé muy bien que me llevas a la muerte,
a la morada final de todos los vivientes.
24»Pero nadie golpea al que está derrotado,
al que en su angustia reclama auxilio.
25¿Acaso no he llorado por los que sufren?
¿No me he condolido por los pobres?
26Cuando esperaba lo bueno, vino lo malo;
cuando buscaba la luz, vinieron las sombras.
27No cesa la agitación que me invade;
me enfrento a días de sufrimiento.
28Ando apesadumbrado, pero no a causa del sol;
me presento en la asamblea y pido ayuda.
29He llegado a ser hermano de los chacales,
compañero de los avestruces.
30La piel se me ha requemado y se me cae;
el cuerpo me arde por la fiebre.
31El tono de mi arpa es de lamento;
el son de mi flauta es de tristeza.
1“But now those who are younger than I am make fun of me.
I wouldn’t even put their parents with my sheep dogs!
2Their strong hands couldn’t give me any help.
That’s because their strength was gone.
3They were weak because they were needy and hungry.
They wandered through dry and empty deserts at night.
4Among the bushes they gathered salty plants.
They ate the roots of desert bushes.
5They were driven away from human society.
They were shouted at as if they were robbers.
6They were forced to live in dry stream beds.
They had to stay among rocks
and in holes in the ground.
7Like donkeys they cried out among the bushes.
There they crowded together and hid.
8They were so foolish that no one respected them.
They were driven out of the land.
9“Now their children laugh at me.
They make fun of me with their songs.
10They hate me. They stay away from me.
They even dare to spit in my face.
11God has made my body weak.
It’s like a tent that has fallen down.
So those children do what they want to in front of me.
12Many people attack me on my right side.
They lay traps for my feet.
They come at me from every direction.
13They tear up the road I walk on.
They succeed in destroying me.
They say, ‘No one can help him.’
14They attack me like troops smashing through a wall.
Among the destroyed buildings they come rolling in.
15Terrors sweep over me.
My honor is driven away as if by the wind.
My safety vanishes like a cloud.
16“Now my life is slipping away.
Days of suffering grab hold of me.
17At night my bones hurt.
My aches and pains never stop.
18God’s great power becomes like clothes to me.
He chokes me like the neck of my shirt.
19He throws me down into the mud.
I’m nothing but dust and ashes.
20“God, I cry out to you. But you don’t answer me.
I stand up. But all you do is look at me.
21You do mean things to me.
You attack me with your mighty power.
22You pick me up and blow me away with the wind.
You toss me around in the storm.
23I know that you will bring me down to death.
That’s what you have appointed for everyone.
24“No one would crush people
when they cry out for help in their trouble.
25Haven’t I wept for those who are in trouble?
Haven’t I felt sorry for poor people?
26I hoped good things would happen, but something evil came.
I looked for light, but all I saw was darkness.
27My insides are always churning.
Nothing but days of suffering are ahead of me.
28My skin has become dark, but the sun didn’t do it.
I stand up in the community and cry out for help.
29I’ve become a brother to wild dogs.
Owls are my companions.
30My skin grows black and peels.
My body burns with fever.
31My lyre is tuned to sadness.
My flute makes a sound like weeping.
