< Job 10 >
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 disgusted with my life; I will give free vent to my complaint over myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say unto God: Do not condemn me; make me know wherefore Thou contendest with me.
I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; let me know for what cause thou contendest against me.
3 Is it good unto Thee that Thou shouldest oppress, that Thou shouldest despise the work of Thy hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?
Is it well for thee that thou shouldst oppress, that thou shouldst reject the labor of thy hands, and shed light upon the counsel of the wicked?
4 Hast Thou eyes of flesh? or seest Thou as man seeth?
Hast thou eyes of flesh? or wilt thou see as a mortal seeth?
5 Are Thy days as the days of man, or Thy years as a man's days,
Are thy days as the days of a mortal, or are thy years as the days of a man,
6 That Thou inquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin,
That thou inquirest after my iniquity, and searchest after my sin?
7 Although Thou knowest that I shall not be condemned; and there is none that can deliver out of Thy hand?
Still it is within thy knowledge that I am not wicked, and there is none that can deliver me out of thy hand.
8 Thy hands have framed me and fashioned me together round about; yet Thou dost destroy me!
Thy hands have carefully fashioned me and made me; every thing is in harmony all round about; and yet thou dost destroy me!
9 Remember, I beseech Thee, that Thou hast fashioned me as clay; and wilt Thou bring me into dust again?
Remember, I beseech thee, that as though I were clay hast thou made me; and wilt thou cause me to return again unto the dust?
10 Hast Thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?
Behold, like milk didst thou pour me out, and like cheese didst thou curdle me.
11 Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews.
With skin and flesh didst thou clothe me, and with bones and sinews didst thou cover me.
12 Thou hast granted me life and favour, and Thy providence hath preserved my spirit.
Life and kindness didst thou grant me, and thy providence watched over my spirit.
13 Yet these things Thou didst hide in Thy heart; I know that this is with Thee;
And yet these things hadst thou treasured up in thy heart: I know that this was [resolved] within thee.
14 If I sin, then Thou markest me, and Thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.
If I have sinned, then dost thou watch me, and from my iniquity thou wilt not declare me guiltless.
15 If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet shall I not lift up my head — being filled with ignominy and looking upon mine affliction.
If I be wicked, woe unto me: and if I be righteous, I can still not lift up my head; I am sated with disgrace, and ever seeing my affliction;
16 And if it exalt itself, Thou huntest me as a lion; and again Thou showest Thyself marvellous upon me.
And it constantly increaseth; like a fierce lion dost thou hunt for me; and again thou showest thyself continually wonderful on me;
17 Thou renewest Thy witnesses against me, and increasest Thine indignation upon me; host succeeding host against me.
Thou ever renewest thy witnesses against me, and causest thy indignation to grow strong against me; changes and multitudes [of sufferings] are around me.
18 Wherefore then hast Thou brought me forth out of the womb? Would that I had perished, and no eye had seen me!
Wherefore then didst thou bring me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had perished, and that 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.
That I were as though I had not been, —had been borne from the womb to the grave.
20 Are not my days few? Cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,
Lo! my days are but few: cease, then, withdraw from me [thy hand], that I may recover my cheerfulness a little.
21 Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;
Before I go, and return not, to the land of darkness and the shadow of death,
22 A land of thick darkness, as darkness itself; a land of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.
A land of utter gloom, as of the darkness of the shadow of death, without any order, and the light of which is like utter gloom.