1 “ My soul is weary of my life. I will give free course to my complaint. I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

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 tell God, ‘Do not condemn me. Show me why you contend with me.

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

3 I s it good to you that you should oppress, that you should despise the work of your hands, and smile on the counsel of the wicked?

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? Or do you see as man sees?

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

5 A re your days as the days of mortals, 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 inquire after my iniquity, and search after my sin?

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

7 A lthough you know that I am not wicked, there is no one who can deliver out of your hand.

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

8 “ ‘Your hands have framed me and fashioned me altogether, yet you destroy me.

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

9 R emember, I beg you, that you have fashioned me as clay. Will you bring 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 H aven’t you poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese?

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

11 Y ou have clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews.

Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews.

12 Y ou have granted me life and loving kindness. Your visitation has preserved my spirit.

Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

13 Y et you hid these things in your heart. I know that this is with you:

And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee.

14 i f I sin, then you mark me. You will not acquit me from my iniquity.

If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.

15 I f I am wicked, woe to me. If I am righteous, I still shall not lift up my head, being filled with disgrace, and conscious of my affliction.

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 my head is held high, you hunt me like a lion. Again you show yourself powerful to me.

for it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.

17 Y ou renew your witnesses against me, and increase your indignation on me. Changes and warfare are with me.

Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me.

18 “ ‘Why, then, have you brought me out of the womb? I wish I had given up the spirit, and no eye 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 though I had not been. I should have been carried from the womb 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 ren’t my days few? Cease then. 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 where I shall not return from, to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;

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

22 t he land dark as midnight, of the shadow of death, without any order, where the light is as midnight.’”

a land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.