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.

For wherto might the strength of their handes haue serued me? for the time was but lost among them.

For very miserie and hunger they fled into the wildernesse, a darke place, horrible and waste,

Plucking vp nettles among the busshes, and the iuniper rootes for their meate.

And when they were dryuen foorth, men cryed after them as it had ben afafter a thiefe.

Their dwelling was in the cleftes of brookes, yea in the caues and dennes of the earth.

Among the busshes went they about crying, and vnder the thornes they gathered them selues together.

They were the children of fooles and vyllaynes, which are more vile then the earth.

Now am I their song, & am become their yesting stocke.

They abhorre me and flee farre from me, and stayne my face with spittle.

Because God hath loosed my corde and humbled me, they haue loosed the bridle before me.

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.

My pathes haue they cleane marred, it was so easye for them to do me harme, that they needed no man to help them.

They fell vpon me, as it had ben the breaking in of waters, and came in by heapes to destroy me.

Feare is turned vpon me, and they pursue my soule as the wind, and my health passeth away as a cloude.

Therfore is my soule now powred out vpon me, and the dayes of my trouble haue taken hold vpon me.

My bones are pearsed through in the night season, and my sinewes take no rest.

For the vehemencie of sorowe is my garment chaunged, whiche compasseth me about as the coller of my coote.

He hath cast me into the myre, and I am become like asshes and dust.

When I crie vnto thee, thou doest not heare me: and though I stande before thee, yet thou regardest me not.

Thou art become myne enemie, and with thy violent hande thou takest part against me.

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.

Sure I am that thou wilt bryng me vnto death, euen to the lodging that is due vnto all men liuing.

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?

Dyd not I weepe with hym that was in trouble? Had not my soule compassion vpon the poore?

Yet neuerthelesse, where as I loked for good, euyll came vnto me: & where I wayted for light, there came darkenesse.

My bowels seethe in me without rest, for the dayes of my trouble are come vpon me.

I went mourning without heate, I stoode vp in the congregation, & communed with them.

But nowe I am a brother of dragons, and a felowe of Estriches.

My skinne vpon me is turned to blacke, and my bones are brent with heate.

My harpe is turned to mourning, and my organs into the voyce of them that weepe.