Psalms 88
1 The song of salm, to the sones of Chore, to victorie on Mahalat, for to answere, the lernyng of Heman Ezraite. Lord God of myn helthe; Y criede in dai and nyyt bifore thee.
A canticle of a psalm for the sons of Core: unto the end, for Maheleth, to answer understanding of Eman the Ezrahite. O Lord, the God of my salvation: I have cried in the day, and in the night before thee.
2 Mi preier entre bifore thi siyt; bowe doun thin eere to my preier.
Let my prayer come in before thee: incline thy ear to my petition.
For my soul is filled with evils: and my life hath drawn nigh to hell. (Sheol h7585)
4 I am gessid with hem that goon doun in to the lake; Y am maad as a man with outen help,
I am counted among them that go down to the pit: I am become as a man without help,
5 and fre among deed men. As men woundid slepinge in sepulcris, of whiche men noon is myndeful aftir; and thei ben put awei fro thin hond.
Free among the dead. Like the slain sleeping in the sepulchres, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cast off from thy hand.
6 Thei han put me in the lower lake; in derke places, and in the schadewe of deth.
They have laid me in the lower pit: in the dark places, and in the shadow of death.
7 Thi strong veniaunce is confermed on me; and thou hast brouyt in alle thi wawis on me.
Thy wrath is strong over me: and all thy waves thou hast brought in upon me.
8 Thou hast maad fer fro me my knowun; thei han set me abhomynacioun to hem silf. I am takun, and Y yede not out;
Thou hast put away my acquaintance far from me: they have set me an abomination to themselves. I was delivered up, and came not forth:
9 myn iyen weren sijk for pouert. Lord, Y criede to thee; al dai Y spredde abrood myn hondis to thee.
My eyes languished through poverty. All the day I cried to thee, O Lord: I stretched out my hands to thee.
10 Whethir thou schalt do merueils to deed men; ether leechis schulen reise, and thei schulen knouleche to thee?
Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? or shall physicians raise to life, and give praise to thee?
11 Whether ony man in sepulcre schal telle thi merci; and thi treuthe in perdicioun?
Shall any one in the sepulchre declare thy mercy: and thy truth in destruction?
12 Whether thi merueilis schulen be knowun in derknessis; and thi riytfulnesse in the lond of foryetyng?
Shall thy wonders be known in the dark; and thy justice in the land of forgetfulness?
13 And, Lord, Y criede to thee; and erli my preier schal bifor come to thee.
But I, O Lord, have cried to thee: and in the morning my prayer shall prevent thee.
14 Lord, whi puttist thou awei my preier; turnest awei thi face fro me?
Lord, why castest thou off my prayer: why turnest thou away thy face from me?
15 I am pore, and in traueils fro my yongthe; sotheli Y am enhaunsid, and Y am maad low, and disturblid.
I am poor, and in labours from my youth: and being exalted have been humbled and troubled.
16 Thi wraththis passiden on me; and thi dredis disturbliden me.
Thy wrath hath come upon me: and thy terrors have troubled me.
17 Thei cumpassiden me as watir al dai; thei cumpassiden me togidere.
They have come round about me like water all the day: they have compassed me about together.
18 Thou madist fer fro me a frend and neiybore; and my knowun fro wretchidnesse.
Friend and neighbour thou hast put far from me: and my acquaintance, because of misery.
