Job 10
1 “I loathe my own life; I will express my complaint and speak in the bitterness of my soul.
My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint on myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say to God: Do not condemn me! Let me know why You prosecute me.
I will say to God, Do not condemn me; show me why you contend with me.
3 Does it please You to oppress me, to reject the work of Your hands and favor the schemes of the wicked?
Is it good to you that you should oppress, that you should despise the work of your hands, and shine on the counsel of the wicked?
4 Do You have eyes of flesh? Do You see as man sees?
Have you eyes of flesh? or see you as man sees?
5 Are Your days like those of a mortal, or Your years like those of a man,
Are your days as the days of man? are your years as man’s days,
6 that You should seek my iniquity and search out my sin—
That you enquire after my iniquity, and search after my sin?
7 though You know that I am not guilty, and there is no deliverance from Your hand?
You know that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of your hand.
8 Your hands shaped me and altogether formed me. Would You now turn and destroy me?
Your hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet you do destroy me.
9 Please remember that You molded me like clay. Would You now return me to dust?
Remember, I beseech you, that you have made me as the clay; and will you bring me into dust again?
10 Did You not pour me out like milk, and curdle me like cheese?
Have you not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?
11 You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews.
You have clothed me with skin and flesh, and have fenced me with bones and sinews.
12 You have granted me life and loving devotion, and Your care has preserved my spirit.
You have granted me life and favor, and your visitation has preserved my spirit.
13 Yet You concealed these things in Your heart, and I know that this was in Your mind:
And these things have you hid in your heart: I know that this is with you.
14 If I sinned, You would take note, and would not acquit me of my iniquity.
If I sin, then you mark me, and you will not acquit me from my iniquity.
15 If I am guilty, woe to me! And even if I am righteous, I cannot lift my head. I am full of shame and aware of my affliction.
If I be wicked, woe to me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see you my affliction;
16 Should I hold my head high, You would hunt me like a lion, and again display Your power against me.
For it increases. You hunt me as a fierce lion: and again you show yourself marvelous on me.
17 You produce new witnesses against me and multiply Your anger toward me. Hardships assault me in wave after wave.
You renew your witnesses against me, and increase your indignation on me; changes and war are against me.
18 Why then did You bring me from the womb? Oh, that I had died, and no eye had seen me!
Why then have you brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!
19 If only I had never come to be, but had 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 Are my days not few? Withdraw from me, that I may have a little comfort,
Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,
21 before I go—never to return— to a land of darkness and gloom,
Before I go from where I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;
22 to a land of utter darkness, of deep shadow and disorder, where even the light is like darkness.”
A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.
