< Job 10 >
1 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.
"My soul is weary of my life. I will give free course to my complaint. I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; let me know for what cause thou contendest against me.
I will tell God, 'Do not condemn me. Show me why you contend with me.
3 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?
Is 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?
4 Hast thou eyes of flesh? or wilt thou see as a mortal seeth?
Do you have eyes of flesh? Or do you see as man sees?
5 Are thy days as the days of a mortal, or are thy years as the days of a man,
Are your days as the days of mortals, or your years as man's years,
6 That thou inquirest after my iniquity, and searchest after my sin?
that you inquire after my iniquity, and search after my sin?
7 Still it is within thy knowledge that I am not wicked, and there is none that can deliver me out of thy hand.
Although you know that I am not wicked, there is no one who can deliver out of your hand.
8 Thy hands have carefully fashioned me and made me; every thing is in harmony all round about; and yet thou dost destroy me!
"'Your hands have framed me and fashioned me altogether, yet you destroy me.
9 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?
Remember, I beg you, that you have fashioned me as clay. Will you bring me into dust again?
10 Behold, like milk didst thou pour me out, and like cheese didst thou curdle me.
Haven't you poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese?
11 With skin and flesh didst thou clothe me, and with bones and sinews didst thou cover me.
You have clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews.
12 Life and kindness didst thou grant me, and thy providence watched over my spirit.
You have granted me life and loving kindness. Your visitation has preserved my spirit.
13 And yet these things hadst thou treasured up in thy heart: I know that this was [resolved] within thee.
Yet you hid these things in your heart. I know that this is with you:
14 If I have sinned, then dost thou watch me, and from my iniquity thou wilt not declare me guiltless.
if I sin, then you mark me. You will not acquit me from my iniquity.
15 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;
If 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.
16 And it constantly increaseth; like a fierce lion dost thou hunt for me; and again thou showest thyself continually wonderful on me;
And if I lift myself up, you hunt me like a lion. Again you show yourself powerful to me.
17 Thou ever renewest thy witnesses against me, and causest thy indignation to grow strong against me; changes and multitudes [of sufferings] are around me.
You renew your witnesses against me, and increase your indignation on me. Changes and warfare are with me.
18 Wherefore then didst thou bring me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had perished, and that no eye had seen me!
"'Why, then, have you brought me forth out of the womb? I wish I had given up the spirit, and no eye had seen me.
19 That I were as though I had not been, —had been borne 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 Lo! my days are but few: cease, then, withdraw from me [thy hand], that I may recover my cheerfulness a little.
Aren't my days few? Cease then. Leave me alone, that I may find a little comfort,
21 Before I go, and return not, to the land of darkness and the shadow of death,
before I go where I shall not return from, to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;
22 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.
the land dark as midnight, of the shadow of death, without any order, where the light is as midnight.'"