1 “ I loathe my own life; I will give full vent to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

2 “ I will say to God, ‘ Do not condemn me; Let me know why You contend with me.

3 ‘ Is it right for You indeed to oppress, To reject the labor of Your hands, And to look favorably on the schemes of the wicked?

4 ‘ Have You eyes of flesh? Or do You see as a man sees?

5 ‘ Are Your days as the days of a mortal, Or Your years as man’s years,

6 T hat You should seek for my guilt And search after my sin?

7 ‘ According to Your knowledge I am indeed not guilty, Yet there is no deliverance from Your hand.

8 ‘ Your hands fashioned and made me altogether, And would You destroy me?

9 ‘ Remember now, that You have made me as clay; And would You turn me into dust again?

10 ‘ Did You not pour me out like milk And curdle me like cheese;

11 C lothe me with skin and flesh, And knit me together with bones and sinews?

12 ‘ You have granted me life and lovingkindness; And Your care has preserved my spirit.

13 ‘ Yet these things You have concealed in Your heart; I know that this is within You:

14 I f I sin, then You would take note of me, And would not acquit me of my guilt.

15 ‘ If I am wicked, woe to me! And if I am righteous, I dare not lift up my head. I am sated with disgrace and conscious of my misery.

16 ‘ Should my head be lifted up, You would hunt me like a lion; And again You would show Your power against me.

17 ‘ You renew Your witnesses against me And increase Your anger toward me; Hardship after hardship is with me.

18 ‘ Why then have You brought me out of the womb? Would that I had died and no eye had seen me!

19 ‘ I should have been as though I had not been, Carried from womb to tomb.’

20 “ Would He not let my few days alone? Withdraw from me that I may have a little cheer

21 B efore I go— and I shall not return— To the land of darkness and deep shadow,

22 T he land of utter gloom as darkness itself, Of deep shadow without order, And which shines as the darkness.”