⁹ Therefore ^(A)justice is far from us,
And righteousness does not overtake us;
We ^(B)hope for light, but behold, darkness,
For brightness, but we walk in thick darkness.
¹⁰ We ^(C)grope along the wall like blind men;
We grope like those who have no eyes;
We ^(D)stumble at midday as in the twilight,
Among those who are vigorous we are ^(E)like dead men.
¹¹ All of us growl like bears,
And ^(F)moan sadly like doves;
We hope for ^(G)justice, but there is none,
For salvation, but it is far from us.
¹² For our ^(H)transgressions are multiplied before You,
And our ^(I)sins answer against us;
For our transgressions are with us,
And ^[a]we know our iniquities:
¹³ Transgressing and ^(J)denying Yahweh,
And turning back from our God,
Speaking ^(K)oppression and revolt,
Conceiving in and ^(L)uttering from the heart lying words.
^14 (M)Justice is turned back,
And ^(N)righteousness stands far away;
For truth has stumbled in the street,
And rightness cannot enter.
¹⁵ So it is that truth is missing;
And he who turns aside from evil ^(O)makes himself plunder.
Then Yahweh saw,
And it was evil in His eyes ^(P)that there was no justice.