18With great strength he grabs my clothes. He seizes me by the collar of my robe. 19He throws me into the dirt so that I become like dust and ashes. 20"I call to you for help, but you don't answer me. I stand up, but you just look at me. 21You have begun to treat me cruelly. With your mighty hand you assault me. 22You pick me up and let the wind carry me away. You toss me around with a storm. 23I know you will lead me to death, to the dwelling place appointed for all living beings. 24"But God doesn't stretch out his hand against one who is ruined when that person calls for help in his disaster. 25Didn't I cry for the person whose days were difficult? Didn't my soul grieve for the poor? 26When I waited for good, evil came. When I looked for light, darkness came. 27My insides are churning and won't calm down. Days of misery are ahead of me. 28I walk in the dark without the sun. I stand up in public and call for help. 29I'm a brother to jackals and a companion of ostriches. 30My skin turns dark and peels. My body burns with fever. 31So my lyre is used for mourning and my flute for loud weeping.
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