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 loathes my life; I will give free course to my complaint, 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 to God, ‘Do not condemn me; Show me why You contend 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?

Does 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?

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

Do You have eyes of flesh? Or do You see as man sees?

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

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

6 t hat you inquire after my iniquity, and search after my sin?

That You should seek for my iniquity And search out my sin,

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

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

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

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

9 R emember, I beg you, that you have fashioned me as clay. Will you bring me into dust again?

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

10 H aven’t you poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese?

Did You not pour me out like milk, And curdle me like cheese,

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

Clothe me with skin and flesh, And knit me together with bones and sinews?

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

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

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

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

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

If I sin, then You mark me, And will not acquit me of my 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 am wicked, woe to me; Even if I am righteous, I cannot lift up my head. I am full of disgrace; See my misery!

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

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

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

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

‘Why then have You brought me out of the womb? Oh, that I had perished 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 would have been as though I had not been. I would 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! Leave me alone, that I may take a little comfort,

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 to the place from which I shall not return, 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 as dark as darkness itself, As the shadow of death, without any order, Where even the light is like darkness.’”