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 leave my complaint upon myself; 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 contendest 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?

Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine 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 man? are thy years as man's days,

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

That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin?

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

Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.

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

Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.

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 the clay; and wilt thou 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 hast fenced me 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 visitation 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 hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee.

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

If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from 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 be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou 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.

For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous 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 against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me.

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

Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, 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 have been 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 take comfort 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 whence I shall not return, even 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 darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.