穷困不堪 meaning in English

be pinched with poverty

" you see , i , who never did a bad action but that i have told you of - am in destitution , with my poor wife dying of fever before my very eyes , and i unable to do anything in the world for her ; i shall die of hunger , as old dant s did , while fernand and danglars are rolling in wealth .
“您瞧我，我除了刚才告诉您的那件事以外，从没做过一件坏事，可是我却穷困不堪，非但眼看着我那可怜的老婆终日发高烧奄奄一息，毫无办法可以救她，就是我自己也会象老唐太斯那样饿死的，而弗尔南多和腾格拉尔却都在钱堆里打滚。 ”