1 I am weary of my life and loathe it! I will give free expression to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

My soul is weary of my life: I will give free course to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

2 I will say to God, Do not condemn me! Show me why You contend with me.

I will say unto +God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou strivest with me.

3 D oes it seem good to You that You should oppress, that You should despise and reject the work of Your hands, and favor the schemes of the wicked?

Doth it please thee to oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thy hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

4 H ave You eyes of flesh? Do You see as man sees?

Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?

5 A re Your days as the days of man, are Your years as man’s,

Are thy days as the days of a mortal? are thy years as a man's days,

6 T hat You inquire after my iniquity and search for my sin—

That thou searchest after mine iniquity, and inquirest into my sin;

7 A lthough You know that I am not wicked or guilty and that there is none who can deliver me out of Your hand?

Since thou knowest that I am not wicked, and that there is none that delivereth out of thy hand?

8 Y our hands have formed me and made me. Would You turn around and destroy me?

Thy hands have bound me together and made me as one, round about; yet dost thou swallow me up!

9 R emember, I beseech You, that You have fashioned me as clay. And will You bring me into dust again?

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as clay, and wilt bring me into dust again.

10 H ave You not poured me out like milk and curdled me like cheese?

Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?

11 Y ou have clothed me with skin and flesh and have knit me together with bones and sinews.

Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews;

12 Y ou have granted me life and favor, and Your providence has preserved my spirit.

Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy care hath preserved my spirit;

13 Y et these have You hid in Your heart; I know that this was with You.

And these things didst thou hide in thy heart; I know that this was with thee.

14 I f I sin, then You observe me, and You will not acquit me from my iniquity and guilt.

If I sinned, thou wouldest mark me, and thou wouldest not acquit me of mine iniquity.

15 I f I am wicked, woe unto me! And if I am righteous, yet must I not lift up my head, for I am filled with disgrace and the sight of my affliction.

If I were wicked, woe unto me! and righteous, I will not lift up my head, being full of shame, and beholding mine affliction;—

16 I f I lift myself up, You hunt me like a lion and again show Yourself marvelous upon me.

And it increaseth: thou huntest me as a fierce lion; and ever again thou shewest thy marvellous power upon me.

17 Y ou renew Your witnesses against me and increase Your indignation toward me; I am as if attacked by a troop time after time.

Thou renewest thy witnesses before me and increasest thy displeasure against me; successions and a time of toil are with me.

18 W hy then did You bring me forth out of the womb? Would that I had perished and no eye had seen me!

And wherefore didst thou bring me forth out of the womb? I had expired, and no eye had seen me.

19 I should have been as though I had not existed; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

I should be as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

20 A re not my days few? Cease then and let me alone, that I may take a little comfort and cheer up

Are not my days few? cease then and let me alone, that I may revive a little,

21 B efore I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death,

Before I go, and never to return,—to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;

22 T he land of sunless gloom as intense darkness, of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as thick darkness.

A land of gloom, as darkness itself; of the shadow of death, without any order, where the light is as thick darkness.