<p class="poetry">Even if he slays me, I will hope in him;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I will surely<n id="2" /> defend<n id="3" /> my ways to his face!p>

<p class="poetry">Moreover, this will become my deliverance,p> <p class="poetry">for no godless person would come before him.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">Only in two things spare me,<n id="1" /> O God,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and then I will not hide from your face:p>

<p class="poetry">Since man&#8217;s days<n id="1" /> are determined,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">the number of his months is under your control;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">you have set his limit<n id="4" /> and he cannot pass it.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;But there is hope for<n id="1" /> a tree:<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">If it is cut down, it will sprout again,p> <p class="poetry">and its new shoots will not fail.p>

<p class="poetry">He does not expect<n id="1" /> to escape from darkness;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">he is marked for the sword;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">he lived in ruined towns<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and in houses where<n id="2" /> no one lives,p> <p class="poetry">where they are ready to crumble into heaps.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">He will not escape the darkness;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">a flame will wither his shootsp> <p class="poetry">and he will departp> <p class="poetry">by the breath of God&#8217;s mouth.<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;But<n id="1" /> if I speak, my pain is not relieved,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and if I refrain from speakingp> <p class="poetry">&#8211; how<n id="3" /> much of it goes away?p>

<p class="poetry">his archers<n id="1" /> surround me.p> <p class="poetry">Without pity<n id="2" /> he pierces<n id="3" /> my kidneysp> <p class="poetry">and pours out my gall<n id="4" /> on the ground.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;But turn, all of you,<n id="1" /> and come<n id="2" /> now!<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">I will not find a wise man among you.p>

<p class="poetry">His memory perishes from the earth,p> <p class="poetry">he has no name in the land.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8216;Surely such is the residence<n id="1" /> of an evil man;p> <p class="poetry">and this is the place of one who has not known God.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">whom I will see for myself,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and whom my own eyes will behold,p> <p class="poetry">and not another.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">My heart<n id="3" /> grows faint within me.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Total darkness waits to receive his treasures;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">a fire which has not been kindled<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">will consume himp> <p class="poetry">and devour what is left in his tent.p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;Is not God on high in heaven?<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">And see<n id="2" /> the lofty stars,<n id="3" /> how high they are!p>

<p class="poetry">Would he contend<n id="1" /> with me with great power?p> <p class="poetry">No, he would only pay attention to me.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">From the city the dying<n id="1" /> groan,p> <p class="poetry">and the wounded<n id="2" /> cry out for help,p> <p class="poetry">but God charges no one with wrongdoing.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">And the eye of the adulterer watches for the twilight,p> <p class="poetry">thinking,<n id="1" /> &#8216;No eye can see me,&#8217;p> <p class="poetry">and covers his face with a mask.p>

<p class="poetry">In the dark the robber<n id="1" /> breaks into houses,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">but by day they shut themselves in;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">they do not know the light.<n id="4" />p>