Job 10
1 My soul doth loathe my life, —I let loose my complaint, I speak, in the bitterness of my soul.
“I loathe my own life; I will express my complaint and speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I say unto GOD, Do not hold me guilty, Let me know, on what account thou contendest with me!
I will say to God: Do not condemn me! Let me know why You prosecute me.
3 Is it seemly in thee, that thou shouldst oppress? that thou shouldst despise the labour of thine own hand, when, upon the counsel of the lawless, thou hast shone?
Does it please You to oppress me, to reject the work of Your hands and favor the schemes of the wicked?
4 Eyes of flesh, hast thou? or, as a mortal seeth, seest thou?
Do You have eyes of flesh? Do You see as man sees?
5 As the days of a mortal, are thy days? or, thy years, as the days of a man?
Are Your days like those of a mortal, or Your years like those of a man,
6 That thou shouldst seek for mine iniquity, and, for my sin, shouldst make search:
that You should seek my iniquity and search out my sin—
7 Though it is, within thine own knowledge, that I would not be lawless, and, none, out of thy hand, can deliver?
though You know that I am not guilty, and there is no deliverance from Your hand?
8 Thine own hands, shaped me, and made me, all in unison round about, and yet thou hast confounded me.
Your hands shaped me and altogether formed me. Would You now turn and destroy me?
9 Remember, I pray thee, that, as clay, thou didst make me, and, unto dust, thou wilt cause me to return.
Please remember that You molded me like clay. Would You now return me to dust?
10 Didst thou not, like milk, pour me forth? and, as cheese, curdle me?
Did You not pour me out like milk, and curdle me like cheese?
11 With skin and flesh, clothe me? and, with bones and sinews, interweave me?
You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews.
12 Life and lovingkindness, thou didst bestow upon me, —and, thy watchful care, preserved my breath.
You have granted me life and loving devotion, and Your care has preserved my spirit.
13 Yet, these things, thou didst hide in thy heart, I know that, this, hath been with thee!
Yet You concealed these things in Your heart, and I know that this was in Your mind:
14 If I have sinned, then couldst thou watch me, and, from mine iniquity, thou wouldst not acquit me:
If I sinned, You would take note, and would not acquit me of my iniquity.
15 If I have been lawless, alas for me! Or, if I am righteous, I will not lift up my head, Surfeited with shame, look thou then on my humiliation.
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.
16 When it is lifted up, like a howling lion, thou dost hunt me, Then again thou dost shew thyself marvellous against me.
Should I hold my head high, You would hunt me like a lion, and again display Your power against me.
17 Thou renewest thy witnesses before me, and dost increase thy vexation with me, Relays—yea an army, is with me.
You produce new witnesses against me and multiply Your anger toward me. Hardships assault me in wave after wave.
18 Wherefore then, from the womb, didst thou bring me forth? I might have breathed my last, and, no eye, have seen me.
Why then did You bring me from the womb? Oh, that I had died, and no eye had seen me!
19 As though I had not been, should I have become, —from the womb to the grave, might I have been borne.
If only I had never come to be, but had been carried from the womb to the grave.
20 Are not my days, few?—then forbear, and set me aside, that I may brighten up for a little;
Are my days not few? Withdraw from me, that I may have a little comfort,
21 Before I go, and not return, unto a land of darkness and death-shade:
before I go—never to return— to a land of darkness and gloom,
22 A land of obscurity, like thick darkness, of death-shade and disorder, and which shineth like thick darkness.
to a land of utter darkness, of deep shadow and disorder, where even the light is like darkness.”
