¹Mweya wangu wapera, mazuva angu adzima, Hwiro hunondimirira.

¹My spirit hath been destroyed, My days extinguished — graves [are] for me.

²Zvirokwazvo, vanondiseka vaneni; Ziso rangu rinoramba richiona kutsamwa kwavo.

²If not — mockeries [are] with me. And in their provocations mine eye lodgeth.

³Zvino ndipikirei, muve rubatso rwangu kwamuri; Ndianiko achabatana maoko neni?

³Place, I pray Thee, my pledge with Thee; Who is he that striketh hand with me?

⁴nekuti makavanzira moyo yavo kunzwisisa; Naizvozvo hamungavakudzi.

⁴For their heart Thou hast hidden From understanding, Therefore Thou dost not exalt them.

⁵Iye, anokwirira shamwari dzake kuti dzitapwe, Meso avana vake achapera.

⁵For a portion he sheweth friendship, And the eyes of his sons are consumed.

⁶Iye akandiita shumo pakati pavanhu; Ndinosemwa pachena.

⁶And he set me up for a proverb of the peoples, And a wonder before them I am.

⁷Ziso rangu harichaoni nemhaka yokuchema, Mitezo yangu yose yafanana nomumvuri.

⁷And dim from sorrow is mine eye, And my members as a shadow all of them.

⁸Vanhu vakarurama vachakanuka nazvo, Asine mhaka achamukira vasingadi Mwari.

⁸Astonished are the upright at this, And the innocent against the profane Stirreth himself up.

⁹Kunyange zvakadaro wakarurama acharambira panzira yake, Uye ana maoko akanaka acharamba achisimba.

⁹And the righteous layeth hold [on] his way, And the clean of hands addeth strength, And — dumb are they all.

¹⁰Asi imwi mose dzokai, muuye zvino; nekuti handingawani munhu akangwara pakati penyu.

¹⁰Return, and come in, I pray you, And I find not among you a wise man.

¹¹Mazuva angu apfuura, zvandaivavarira zvakona, Iyo mifungo yomoyo wangu.

¹¹My days have passed by, My devices have been broken off, The possessions of my heart!

¹²Vanoisa rima pachinambo chechiedza; chiedza chiri pedo pamberi perima.

¹²Night for day they appoint, Light [is] near because of darkness.

¹³Kana ndine tariro, Sheori ndiyo imba yangu; Ndakawadza nhovo yangu murima;

¹³If I wait — Sheol [is] my house, In darkness I have spread out my couch.

¹⁴Ndakati kuhwiro, Ndiwe baba vangu; Nokuhonye, Ndiwe mai vangu nehanzvadzi yangu;

¹⁴To corruption I have called: — `Thou [art] my father.` `My mother` and `my sister` — to the worm.

¹⁵Zvino tariro yangu iripiko? Kana iri tariro yangu, ndianiko angaiona?

¹⁵And where [is] now my hope? Yea, my hope, who doth behold it?

¹⁶Ichaburukira kumazariro eSheori, Kana zororo yavapo paguruva.

¹⁶[To] the parts of Sheol ye go down, If together on the dust we may rest.