1 ¶ 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.

“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 unto God, Do not condemn me; cause me to understand why thou dost contend with me.

I will tell God, ‘Do not condemn me. Show me why you contend with me.

3 I s 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?

Is it good to you that you should oppress, that you should despise the work of your hands, and smile on the counsel of the wicked?

4 H ast thou eyes of flesh? Dost thou see as man sees?

Do you have eyes of flesh? Or do you see as man sees?

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

Are your days as the days of mortals, or your years as man’s years,

6 t hat thou dost enquire after my iniquity and search after my sin?

that you inquire after my iniquity, and search after my sin?

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

Although you know that I am not wicked, there is no one who can deliver out of your hand.

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

“‘Your hands have framed me and fashioned me altogether, yet you destroy me.

9 R emember now that thou hast formed me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?

Remember, I beg you, that you have fashioned me as clay. Will you bring me into dust again?

10 H ast thou not poured me out as milk and curdled me like cheese?

Haven’t you poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese?

11 T hou hast clothed me with skin and flesh and hast hedged me with bones and sinews.

You have clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews.

12 T hou hast granted me life and mercy, and thy visitation has kept my spirit.

You have granted me life and loving kindness. Your visitation has preserved my spirit.

13 A nd these things thou hast hid in thine heart; I know that this is with thee.

Yet you hid these things in your heart. I know that this is with you:

14 ¶ If I sinned, wilt thou mark me and not cleanse me from my iniquity?

if I sin, then you mark me. You will not acquit me from my iniquity.

15 I f 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.

If I am wicked, woe to me. If I am righteous, I still shall not lift up my head, being filled with disgrace, and conscious of my affliction.

16 A nd thou dost increase. Thou dost hunt me as a fierce lion; turning and doing marvels in me.

If my head is held high, you hunt me like a lion. Again you show yourself powerful to me.

17 T hou dost renew thy plagues against me and increase thine indignation upon me, bringing up armies against me.

You renew your witnesses against me, and increase your indignation on me. Changes and warfare are with me.

18 W hy then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the spirit and no eye had seen me!

“‘Why, then, have you brought me out of the womb? I wish I had given up the spirit, and no eye had seen me.

19 I should have been as though I had not been; 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 comfort a little,

Aren’t my days few? Cease then. Leave me alone, that I may find a little comfort,

21 b efore I go, to not return, to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;

before I go where I shall not return from, to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;

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

the land dark as midnight, of the shadow of death, without any order, where the light is as midnight.’”