Nunc autem derident me juniores tempore, quorum non dignabar patres ponere cum canibus gregis mei:

But now the younger in time scorn me, whose fathers I would not have set with the dogs of my flock:

And now? Now I am a laughing-stock, even to younger men; a flock of such base breed as theirs sheep-dog of mine never tended!

quorum virtus manuum mihi erat pro nihilo, et vita ipsa putabantur indigni:

The strength of whose hands was to me as nothing, and they were thought unworthy of life itself.

So profitless their puny strength, I would have let them die before ever they came to maturity.

egestate et fame steriles, qui rodebant in solitudine, squallentes calamitate et miseria.

Barren with want and hunger, who gnawed in the wilderness, disfigured with calamity and misery.

Starveling creatures, they should browse in the waste, unkempt, haggard and woe-begone,

Et mandebant herbas, et arborum cortices, et radix juniperorum erat cibus eorum:

And they ate grass, and barks of trees, and the root of junipers was their food.

cropping mallow and tree-bark and juniper-root for their diet,

qui de convallibus ista rapientes, cum singula reperissent, ad ea cum clamore currebant.

Who snatched up these things out of the valleys, and when they had found any of them, they ran to them with a cry.

and making great hue and cry after such dainties, as they pluck them from the hill-slopes!

In desertis habitabant torrentium, et in cavernis terræ, vel super glaream:

They dwelt in the desert places of torrents, and in caves of earth, or upon the gravel.

Barren ravine and cave and rock their dwelling-place,

qui inter hujuscemodi lætabantur, et esse sub sentibus delicias computabant:

They pleased themselves among these kind of things, and counted it delightful to be under the briers.

they were glad of so much shelter; a bramble thicket should be their welcome refuge.

filii stultorum et ignobilium, et in terra penitus non parentes.

The children of foolish and base men, and not appearing at all upon the earth.

A senseless and a nameless breed, earth is well rid of them.

Nunc in eorum canticum versus sum, et factus sum eis in proverbium.

Now I am turned into their song, and am become their byword.

O that I should be a song and a by-word on such lips as these!

Abominantur me, et longe fugiunt a me, et faciem meam conspuere non verentur.

They abhor me, and flee far from me, and are not afraid to spit in my face.

That they loathe and shun me, and make bold to spit in my face, being what they are!

Pharetram enim suam aperuit, et afflixit me, et frenum posuit in os meum.

For he hath opened his quiver, and hath afflicted me, and hath put a bridle into my mouth.

Now God has made me a mark for his archery, now he has put a bit in my mouth;

Ad dexteram orientis calamitates meæ illico surrexerunt: pedes meos subverterunt, et oppresserunt quasi fluctibus semitis suis.

At the right hand of my rising, my calamities forthwith arose: they have overthrown my feet, and have overwhelmed me with their paths as with waves.

when my fair spring was overcast by calamity, every passer-by might throw me down; like a flood they swept over me,

Dissipaverunt itinera mea; insidiati sunt mihi, et prævaluerunt: et non fuit qui ferret auxilium.

They have destroyed my ways, they have lain in wait against me, and they have prevailed, and there was none to help.

trampled down my path, took me unawares and overcame me, when there was none to bring rescue.

Quasi rupto muro, et aperta janua, irruerunt super me, et ad meas miserias devoluti sunt.

They have rushed in upon me, as when a wall is broken, and a gate opened, and have rolled themselves down to my miseries.

One breach made, one gate forced, they might fall upon me all at once, and add their weight to my misery.

Redactus sum in nihilum: abstulisti quasi ventus desiderium meum, et velut nubes pertransiit salus mea.

I am brought to nothing: as a wind thou hast taken away my desire: and my prosperity hath passed away like a cloud.

All that I was, is gone, the ambition, the happiness that was mine swept away like clouds before the storm;

Nunc autem in memetipso marcescit anima mea, et possident me dies afflictionis.

And now my soul fadeth within myself, and the days of affliction possess me.

my heart is dead within me, a prey to long despairs.

Nocte os meum perforatur doloribus, et qui me comedunt, non dormiunt.

In the night my bone is pierced with sorrows: and they that feed upon me, do not sleep.

By night, anguish racks my frame; sleepless the cares that consume me,

In multitudine eorum consumitur vestimentum meum, et quasi capitio tunicæ succinxerunt me.

With the multitude of them my garment is consumed, and they have girded me about, as with the collar of my coat.

their poison seems to eat away the very garments I wear, clings fast about me like the collar of my coat.

Comparatus sum luto, et assimilatus sum favillæ et cineri.

I am compared to dirt, and am likened to embers and ashes.

No better I than mud in the streets, little thought of as dust or ashes;

Clamo ad te, et non exaudis me: sto, et non respicis me.

I cry to thee, and thou hearest me not: I stand up, and thou dost not regard me.

unheard I cry to thee, unregarded I stand in thy presence;

Mutatus es mihi in crudelem, et in duritia manus tuæ adversaris mihi.

Thou art changed to be cruel toward me, and in the hardness of thy hand thou art against me.

so hardened is thy heart, so pitilessly thy blows fall upon me.

Elevasti me, et quasi super ventum ponens; elisisti me valide.

Thou hast lifted me up, and set me as it were upon the wind, and thou hast mightily dashed me.

Didst thou exalt me, lift me so high in air, only to hurl me down in ruin?

Scio quia morti trades me, ubi constituta est domus omni viventi.

I know that thou wilt deliver me to death, where a house is appointed for every one that liveth.

I know well enough that thou wilt bring me to the grave at last; it is the home thou hast appointed for all living men;

Verumtamen non ad consumptionem eorum emittis manum tuam: et si corruerint, ipse salvabis.

But yet thou stretchest not forth thy hand to their consumption: and if they shall fall down thou wilt save.

but surely thou dost not exert thy power only to destroy, surely thou hast mercy on the fallen?

Flebam quondam super eo qui afflictus erat, et compatiebatur anima mea pauperi.

I wept heretofore for him that was afflicted, and my soul had compassion on the poor.

I myself know what it is to pity the afflicted, to shed tears over human need!

Expectabam bona, et venerunt mihi mala: præstolabar lucem, et eruperunt tenebræ.

I expected good things, and evils are come upon me: I waited for light, and darkness broke out.

But no, hope I for better things, I hope in vain; ever deeper the darkness shews to eyes straining for the light.

Interiora mea efferbuerunt absque ulla requie: prævenerunt me dies afflictionis.

My inner parts have boiled without any rest, the days of affliction have prevented me.

Still my heart is in turmoil, greeted still by fresh despairs;

Mœrens incedebam sine furore; consurgens, in turba clamabam.

I went mourning without indignation; I rose up, and cried in the crowd.

I go mourning, my face blacker than ever the sun’s heat made it, rise up in public, and claim audience for my wrongs;

Frater fui draconum, et socius struthionum.

I was the brother of dragons, and companion of ostriches.

crying so dismally as if I had jackals for my brothers, ostriches for my company.

Cutis mea denigrata est super me, et ossa mea aruerunt præ caumate.

My skin is become black upon me, and my bones are dried up with heat.

And all the while, fever to discolour this flesh, to shrivel this frame!

Versa est in luctum cithara mea, et organum meum in vocem flentium.

My harp is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of those that weep.

What wonder if all, with me, is mourning and lament, if the music of harp and flute is heard no more?