< 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 hath been weary of my life, I leave off my talking to myself, I speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will tell God, 'Do not condemn me. Show me why you contend with me.
I say unto God, 'Do not condemn me, Let me know why Thou dost strive [with] me.
3 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?
Is it good for Thee that Thou dost oppress? That Thou despisest the labour of Thy hands, And on the counsel of the wicked hast shone?
4 Do you have eyes of flesh? Or do you see as man sees?
Eyes of flesh hast Thou? As man seeth — seest Thou?
5 Are your days as the days of mortals, or your years as man's years,
As the days of man [are] Thy days? Thy years as the days of a man?
6 that you inquire after my iniquity, and search after my sin?
That Thou inquirest for mine iniquity, And for my sin seekest?
7 Although you know that I am not wicked, there is no one who can deliver out of your hand.
For Thou knowest that I am not wicked, And there is no deliverer from Thy hand.
8 "'Your hands have framed me and fashioned me altogether, yet you destroy me.
Thy hands have taken pains about me, And they make me together round about, And Thou swallowest me up!
9 Remember, I beg you, that you have fashioned me as clay. Will you bring me into dust again?
Remember, I pray Thee, That as clay Thou hast made me, And unto dust Thou dost bring me back.
10 Haven't you poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese?
Dost Thou not as milk pour me out? And as cheese curdle me?
11 You have clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews.
Skin and flesh Thou dost put on me, And with bones and sinews dost fence me.
12 You have granted me life and loving kindness. Your visitation has preserved my spirit.
Life and kindness Thou hast done with me. And Thy inspection hath preserved my spirit.
13 Yet you hid these things in your heart. I know that this is with you:
And these Thou hast laid up in Thy heart, I have known that this [is] with Thee.
14 if I sin, then you mark me. You will not acquit me from my iniquity.
If I sinned, then Thou hast observed me, And from mine iniquity dost not acquit me,
15 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.
If I have done wickedly — woe to me, And righteously — I lift not up my head, Full of shame — then see my affliction,
16 And if I lift myself up, you hunt me like a lion. Again you show yourself powerful to me.
And it riseth — as a lion Thou huntest me. And Thou turnest back — Thou shewest Thyself wonderful in me.
17 You renew your witnesses against me, and increase your indignation on me. Changes and warfare are with me.
Thou renewest Thy witnesses against me, And dost multiply Thine anger with me, Changes and warfare [are] with me.
18 "'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.
And why from the womb Hast Thou brought me forth? I expire, and the eye doth not see me.
19 I should have been as though I had not been. I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.
As I had not been, I am, From the belly to the grave I am brought,
20 Aren't my days few? Cease then. Leave me alone, that I may find a little comfort,
Are not my days few? Cease then, and put from me, And I brighten up a little,
21 before I go where I shall not return from, to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;
Before I go, and return not, Unto a land of darkness and death-shade,
22 the land dark as midnight, of the shadow of death, without any order, where the light is as midnight.'"
A land of obscurity as thick darkness, Death-shade — and no order, And the shining [is] as thick darkness.'