1 “ My soul loathes my life; I will give free course to my complaint, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

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.

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

I will say to God, Do not condemn me! Show me why You contend with me.

3 D oes 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?

Does 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?

4 D o You have eyes of flesh? Or do You see as man sees?

Have You eyes of flesh? Do You see as man sees?

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

Are Your days as the days of man, are Your years as man’s,

6 T hat You should seek for my iniquity And search out my sin,

That You inquire after my iniquity and search for my sin—

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

Although You know that I am not wicked or guilty and that there is none who can deliver me out of Your hand?

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

Your hands have formed me and made me. Would You turn around and destroy me?

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

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

10 D id You not pour me out like milk, And curdle me like cheese,

Have You not poured me out like milk and curdled me like cheese?

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

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

12 Y ou have granted me life and favor, And Your care has preserved my spirit.

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

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

Yet these have You hid in Your heart; I know that this was with You.

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

If I sin, then You observe me, and You will not acquit me from my iniquity and guilt.

15 I f 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!

If 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.

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

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

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

You renew Your witnesses against me and increase Your indignation toward me; I am as if attacked by a troop time after time.

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

Why then did You bring me forth out of the womb? Would that I had perished and no eye had seen me!

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

I should have been as though I had not existed; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

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

Are not my days few? Cease then and let me alone, that I may take a little comfort and cheer up

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

Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death,

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

The land of sunless gloom as intense darkness, of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as thick darkness.