Job 10

1 My soul doth loathe my life, —I let loose my complaint, I 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 say unto GOD, Do not hold me guilty, Let me know, on what account thou contendest with me!

I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with 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?

Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

4 Eyes of flesh, hast thou? or, as a mortal seeth, seest thou?

Hast thou eyes of flesh, or seest thou as man seeth?

5 As the days of a mortal, are thy days? or, thy years, as the days of a man?

Are thy days as the days of man, or thy years as man’s days,

6 That thou shouldst seek for mine iniquity, and, for my sin, shouldst make search:

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

7 Though it is, within thine own knowledge, that I would not be lawless, and, none, out of thy hand, can deliver?

Although thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand?

8 Thine own hands, shaped me, and made me, all in unison round about, and yet thou hast confounded me.

Thine hands have framed me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.

9 Remember, I pray thee, that, as clay, thou didst make me, and, unto dust, thou wilt cause me to return.

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

10 Didst thou not, like milk, pour me forth? and, as cheese, curdle me?

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

11 With skin and flesh, clothe me? and, with bones and sinews, interweave me?

Thou hast 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.

Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

13 Yet, these things, thou didst hide in thy heart, I know that, this, hath been with thee!

Yet these things thou didst hide in thine heart; I know that this is with thee:

14 If I have sinned, then couldst thou watch me, and, from mine iniquity, thou wouldst not acquit me:

If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine 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 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 When it is lifted up, like a howling lion, thou dost hunt me, Then again thou dost shew thyself marvellous against me.

And if [my head] exalt itself, thou huntest me as a lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvelous upon me.

17 Thou renewest thy witnesses before me, and dost increase thy vexation with me, Relays—yea an army, is with me.

Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and warfare are with me.

18 Wherefore then, from the womb, didst thou bring me forth? I might have breathed my last, and, no eye, have seen me.

Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? I had given up the ghost, 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.

I should have been as though I had not been; I should have 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 not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,

21 Before I go, and not return, unto a land of darkness and death-shade:

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

22 A land of obscurity, like thick darkness, of death-shade and disorder, and which shineth like thick darkness.

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.