1 “ I hate my life. I will be free in my complaining. I will show how bitter I am in my soul when I speak.

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 to God, ‘Do not say that I am guilty and punish me. Let me know why You work against me.

I will say unto +God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou strivest with me.

3 D o You think it is right for You to make it hard for me, to turn away from the work of Your hands and favor the plans of the sinful?

Doth it please thee to oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thy hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

4 D o You have eyes of flesh? Do You see as a man sees?

Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?

5 A re Your days as the days of man, or Your years as man’s years,

Are thy days as the days of a mortal? are thy years as a man's days,

6 t hat You should look for my wrong-doing and my sin?

That thou searchest after mine iniquity, and inquirest into my sin;

7 Y ou know that I am not guilty, yet there is no one who can take me away from Your hand.

Since thou knowest that I am not wicked, and that there is none that delivereth out of thy hand?

8 ‘ Your hands put me together and made me, and now would You destroy me?

Thy hands have bound me together and made me as one, round about; yet dost thou swallow me up!

9 R emember that You have made me as clay. Would You turn me into dust again?

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as clay, and wilt bring me into dust again.

10 D id You not pour me out like milk and make me become hard like cheese?

Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?

11 Y ou have given me clothing of skin and flesh, and have tied me together with bones and cord.

Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews;

12 Y ou have given me life and loving-kindness. Your care has kept my spirit alive.

Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy care hath preserved my spirit;

13 Y et You have hidden these things in Your heart. I know that this is in Your thoughts.

And these things didst thou hide in thy heart; I know that this was with thee.

14 I f I sin, You would see me, and would not free me from my guilt.

If I sinned, thou wouldest mark me, and thou wouldest not acquit me of mine iniquity.

15 I f I am sinful, it would be bad for me! If I am right and good, I cannot lift my head for I am filled with shame and see all my trouble.

If I were wicked, woe unto me! and righteous, I will not lift up my head, being full of shame, and beholding mine affliction;—

16 I f I would lift up my head, You would hunt me like a lion. Again You would show Your power against me.

And it increaseth: thou huntest me as a fierce lion; and ever again thou shewest thy marvellous power upon me.

17 Y ou would send new ones who would speak against me, and become more angry with me. You would send me more and more trouble.

Thou renewest thy witnesses before me and increasest thy displeasure against me; successions and a time of toil are with me.

18 ‘ Why then did You let me be born? If only I had died and no one had seen me!

And wherefore didst thou bring me forth out of the womb? I had expired, and no eye had seen me.

19 I should have been as if I had never lived, carried from my mother to the grave.’

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

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

Are not my days few? cease then and let me alone, that I may revive a little,

21 b efore I go to a place from which I will not return. I will go to the land of darkness and shadow.

Before I go, and never to return,—to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;

22 I t is the land of complete darkness and shadow and trouble, where the light is darkness.”

A land of gloom, as darkness itself; of the shadow of death, without any order, where the light is as thick darkness.