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

“My soul loathes 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; Let me know why You contend with me.

I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me; Show me 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?

Does it seem 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 ‘ Have You eyes of flesh? Or do You see as a man sees?

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

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

Are Your days like the days of a mortal man? Are Your years like the days of a mighty man,

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

That You should seek for my iniquity And search out my sin,

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

Although You know that I am not wicked, And there is no one who can deliver from Your hand?

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

‘Your hands have made me and fashioned me, An intricate unity; Yet You would destroy me.

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

Remember, I pray, that You have made me like clay. And will You turn me into dust again?

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

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?

Clothe 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.

You have granted me life and favor, And Your care has preserved my spirit.

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

‘And these things You have hidden in Your heart; I know that this was with You:

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

If I sin, then You mark me, And will not acquit me of my iniquity.

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.

If I am wicked, woe to me; Even if I am righteous, I cannot lift up my head. I am full of disgrace; See 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.

If my head is exalted, You hunt me like a fierce lion, And again You show Yourself awesome against me.

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

You renew Your witnesses against me, And increase Your indignation toward me; Changes and war are ever with me.

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

‘Why then have You brought me out of the womb? Oh, that I had perished and no eye had seen me!

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

I would have been as though I had not been. I would have been carried from the womb to the grave.

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

Are not my days few? Cease! Leave me alone, that I may take a little comfort,

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

Before I go to the place from which I shall not return, To the land of darkness and the shadow of death,

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

A land as dark as darkness itself, As the shadow of death, without any order, Where even the light is like darkness.’”