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 hath been weary of my life, I leave off my talking to myself, I 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 say unto God, `Do not condemn me, Let me know why Thou dost strive 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?

Is it good for Thee that Thou dost oppress? That Thou despisest the labour of Thy hands, And on the counsel of the wicked hast shone?

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

Eyes of flesh hast Thou? As man seeth -- seest Thou?

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

As the days of man Thy days? Thy years as the days of a man?

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

That Thou inquirest for mine iniquity, And for my sin seekest?

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

For Thou knowest that I am not wicked, And there is no deliverer from Thy hand.

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

Thy hands have taken pains about me, And they make me together round about, And Thou swallowest me up!

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

Remember, I pray Thee, That as clay Thou hast made me, And unto dust Thou dost bring me back.

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

Dost Thou not as milk pour me out? And as cheese curdle me?

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

Skin and flesh Thou dost put on me, And with bones and sinews dost fence me.

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

Life and kindness Thou hast done with me. And Thy inspection hath preserved my spirit.

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

And these Thou hast laid up in Thy heart, I have known that this with Thee.

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

If I sinned, then Thou hast observed me, And from mine iniquity dost not acquit me,

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 have done wickedly -- wo to me, And righteously -- I lift not up my head, Full of shame -- then see my affliction,

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

And it riseth -- as a lion Thou huntest me. And Thou turnest back -- Thou shewest Thyself wonderful in me.

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

Thou renewest Thy witnesses against me, And dost multiply Thine anger with me, Changes and warfare with me.

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

And why from the womb Hast Thou brought me forth? I expire, and the eye doth not see me.

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

As I had not been, I am, From the belly to the grave I am brought,

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 then, and put from me, And I brighten up a little,

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

Before I go, and return not, Unto a land of darkness and death-shade,

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

A land of obscurity as thick darkness, Death-shade -- and no order, And the shining as thick darkness.'