Job 10

1 Weary in my soul, I will pour my words with groans upon him: I will speak being straitened 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 And I will say to the Lord, Do not teach me to be impious; and therefore have you thus judged me?

I will say unto God: Do not condemn me; make me know wherefore Thou contendest with me.

3 Is it good before you if I be unrighteous? for you have disowned the work of your hands, and attended to the counsel of the ungodly.

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?

4 Or do you see as a mortal sees? or will you look as a man sees?

Hast Thou eyes of flesh? or seest Thou as man seeth?

5 Or is your life human, or your years [the years] of a man,

Are Thy days as the days of man, or Thy years as a man's days,

6 that you have enquired into mine iniquity, and searched out my sins?

That Thou inquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin,

7 For you know that I have not committed iniquity: but who is he that can deliver out of your hands?

Although Thou knowest that I shall not be condemned; and there is none that can deliver out of Thy hand?

8 Your hands have formed me and made me; afterwards you did change [your mind], and strike me.

Thy hands have framed me and fashioned me together round about; yet Thou dost destroy me!

9 Remember that you have made me [as] clay, and you do turn me again to earth.

Remember, I beseech Thee, that Thou hast fashioned me as clay; and wilt Thou bring me into dust again?

10 Hast you not poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese?

Hast Thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?

11 And you did clothe me with skin and flesh, and frame me with bones and sinews.

Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews.

12 And you did bestow upon me life and mercy, and your oversight has preserved my spirit.

Thou hast granted me life and favour, and Thy providence hath preserved my spirit.

13 Having these things in yourself, I know that you can do all things; for nothing is impossible with you.

Yet these things Thou didst hide in Thy heart; I know that this is with Thee;

14 And if I should sin, you watch me; and you have not cleared me from iniquity.

If I sin, then Thou markest me, and Thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.

15 Or if I should be ungodly, woe is me: and if I should be righteous, I can’t lift myself up, for I am full of dishonour.

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.

16 For I am hunted like a lion for slaughter; for again you have changed and are terribly destroying me;

And if it exalt itself, Thou huntest me as a lion; and again Thou showest Thyself marvellous upon me.

17 renewing against me my torture: and you have dealt with me in great anger, and you have brought trials upon me.

Thou renewest Thy witnesses against me, and increasest Thine indignation upon me; host succeeding host against me.

18 Why then did you bring me out of the womb? and why did I not die, and no eye see me,

Wherefore then hast Thou brought me forth out of the womb? Would that I had perished, and no eye had seen me!

19 and I become as if I had not been? for why was I not 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 Is not the time of my life short? suffer me to rest a little,

Are not my days few? Cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,

21 before I go whence I shall not return, to a land of darkness and gloominess;

Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;

22 to a land of perpetual darkness, where there is no light, neither [can any one] see the life of mortals.

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.