They all tore their clothes! Then each man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.

“Oh, ¹  if only my grief ²  could be weighed, ³  and my misfortune laid ⁴  on the scales too! ⁵ 

People ¹  have opened their mouths against me, they have struck my cheek in scorn; ²  they unite ³  together against me.

Yes, ¹  they intend to do you harm; ²  they dream up a scheme, ³  but they do not succeed. ⁴ 

Do not be angry and frustrated! ¹  Do not fret! That only leads to trouble!

before the vindictive enemy who ridicules and insults me. ¹ 

For they harass ¹  the one whom you discipline; ²  they spread the news about the suffering of those whom you punish. ³ 

Rise up, O God! Defend your honor! ¹  Remember how fools insult you all day long! ² 

They insulted God, saying, ¹  “Is God really able to give us food ²  in the wilderness?

His raging anger lashed out against them, ¹  He sent fury, rage, and trouble as messengers who bring disaster. ² 

Yet they challenged and defied ¹  the sovereign God, ²  and did not obey ³  his commands. ⁴ 

Pay back our neighbors in full! ¹  May they be insulted the same way they insulted you, O Lord! ² 

Your enemies, O Lord, hurl insults; they insult your chosen king as they dog his footsteps. ¹ 

He says, ¹  “Do not be stubborn like they were at Meribah, ²  like they were that day at Massah ³  in the wilderness, ⁴ 

So he used suffering to humble them; ¹  they stumbled and no one helped them up.

Therefore ¹  they will eat from the fruit ²  of their way, ³  and they will be stuffed full ⁴  of their own counsel.

for jealousy kindles ¹  a husband’s ²  rage, and he will not show mercy ³  when he takes revenge.

The teaching ¹  of the righteous is a fountain of life, ²  but the speech ³  of the wicked conceals ⁴  violence. ⁵ 

Severe discipline ¹  is for the one who abandons the way; the one who hates reproof ²  will die.

A person’s folly ¹  subverts ²  his way, and ³  his heart rages ⁴  against the Lord.