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 cut off in my life; therefore, I will leave my complaint upon myself; 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; cause me to understand why thou dost contend 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?

Is it good unto thee that thou should oppress, that thou should reject the work of thine 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? Dost thou see as man sees?

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

Are thy days as the days of man? Are thy years as man’s days,

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

that thou dost enquire after my iniquity and search after 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?

Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is no one that can deliver out of thy hand.

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

¶ Thine hands have formed me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.

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

Remember now that thou hast formed me as the clay; and wilt thou 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 hast hedged me 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 mercy, and thy visitation has kept my spirit.

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

And these things thou hast hid in thine heart; I know that this is 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, wilt thou mark me and not cleanse me from my 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 am wicked, woe unto me; and if I am righteous, I will not lift up my head, being full of dishonour and of seeing my affliction.

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

And thou dost increase. Thou dost hunt me as a fierce lion; turning and doing marvels in 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 dost renew thy plagues against me and increase thine indignation upon me, bringing up armies against 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!

Why then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the spirit 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 have been 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 take comfort 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, to not return, to the land of darkness and of 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.

land of darkness, as darkness itself, and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.