For I eat ashes like bread
    and (A)mingle tears with my drink,
10 because of your indignation and anger;
    for you have (B)taken me up and (C)thrown me down.
11 My days are like (D)an evening shadow;
    I (E)wither away like grass.

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For I eat ashes as if they were bread,[a]
and mix my drink with my tears,[b]
10 because of your anger and raging fury.
Indeed,[c] you pick me up and throw me away.
11 My days are coming to an end,[d]
and I am withered like grass.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 102:9 sn Mourners would sometimes put ashes on their head or roll in ashes as a sign of mourning (see 2 Sam 13:19; Job 2:8; Isa 58:5).
  2. Psalm 102:9 tn Heb “weeping.”
  3. Psalm 102:10 tn Or “for.”
  4. Psalm 102:11 tn Heb “my days [are] like an extended [or “lengthening”] shadow,” that is, like a late afternoon shadow made by the descending sun that will soon be swallowed up by complete darkness.

For I eat ashes(A) as my food
    and mingle my drink with tears(B)
10 because of your great wrath,(C)
    for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.
11 My days are like the evening shadow;(D)
    I wither(E) away like grass.

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