<p class="poetry">It scorns the tumult in the town;p> <p class="poetry">it does not hear the shouts of a driver.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">She is harsh<n id="1" /> with her young,p> <p class="poetry">as if they were not hers;p> <p class="poetry">she is unconcernedp> <p class="poetry">about the uselessness of her labor.p>

<p class="poetry">For God deprived her of wisdom,p> <p class="poetry">and did not impart understanding to her.p>

<p class="poetry">each one is so close to the next<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">that no air can come between them.p>

<p class="poetry">They lock tightly together, one to the next;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">they cling together and cannot be separated.p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;I know that you can do all things;p> <p class="poetry">no purpose of yours can be thwarted;p>

<p class="poetry">It stands still,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">but I cannot recognize<n id="2" /> its appearance;p> <p class="poetry">an image is before my eyes,p> <p class="poetry">and I hear a murmuring voice:<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Remember<n id="1" /> that my life is but a breath,p> <p class="poetry">that<n id="2" /> my eyes will never again<n id="3" /> see happiness.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;Therefore,<n id="1" /> I will not refrain my mouth;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;p> <p class="poetry">I will complain<n id="3" /> in the bitterness of my soul.p>

<p class="poetry">I loathe<n id="1" /> it;<n id="2" /> I do not want to live forever;p> <p class="poetry">leave me alone,<n id="3" /> for my days are a vapor!<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">For we were born yesterday<n id="1" /> and do not have knowledge,p> <p class="poetry">since our days on earth are but a shadow.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">If someone wishes<n id="1" /> to contend<n id="2" /> with him,p> <p class="poetry">he cannot answer<n id="3" /> him one time in a thousand.p>

<p class="poetry">If a land<n id="1" /> has been givenp> <p class="poetry">into the hand of a wicked man,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">he covers<n id="3" /> the faces of its judges;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">if it is not he, then who is it?<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">If I am guilty,<n id="1" /> woe<n id="2" /> to me,p> <p class="poetry">and if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">I am full of shame,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and satiated with my affliction.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">Are not my days few?<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Cease,<n id="2" /> then, and leave<n id="3" /> me alone,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">that I may find a little comfort,<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">to the land of utter darkness,p> <p class="poetry">like the deepest darkness,p> <p class="poetry">and the deepest shadow and disorder,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">where even the light<n id="2" /> is like darkness.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">For he<n id="1" /> knows deceitful<n id="2" /> men;p> <p class="poetry">when he sees evil, will he not<n id="3" /> consider it?<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">For<n id="1" /> then you will lift up your facep> <p class="poetry">without<n id="2" /> blemish;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">you will be securely established<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and will not fear.p>

<p class="poetry">Which of all these<n id="1" /> does not knowp> <p class="poetry">that the hand of the <sc>Lordsc><n id="2" /> has done<n id="3" /> this,p>

<p class="poetry">He deprives the leaders of the earth<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">of their understanding;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">he makes them wanderp> <p class="poetry">in a trackless desert waste.<n id="3" />p>