For my sighing comes before I eat. My groanings are poured out like water.
*Now my soul is poured out within me. Days of affliction have taken hold on me.
So that his life abhors bread, and his soul dainty food.
My soul refuses to touch them. They are as loathsome food to me.
How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?
For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mixed my drink with tears,
When I kept silence, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
I am faint and severely bruised. I have groaned by reason of the anguish of my heart.
You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in large measure.
We roar all like bears, and moan sore like doves: we look for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.
Yes, when I cry, and call for help, he shuts out my prayer.
They gathered together to Mitzpah, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, *We have sinned against the LORD.* Shemu'el judged the children of Yisra'el in Mitzpah.