1“I loathe my own life; I will express my complaint and 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.My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon 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.2I will say to God: Do not condemn me! Let me know why You prosecute me.I will tell God, ‘Do not condemn me. Show me why you contend with me.I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; Show me wherefore thou contendest with me.3Does it please You to oppress me, to reject the work of Your hands and favor the schemes 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?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?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?4Do You have eyes of flesh? Do You see as man sees?Do you have eyes of flesh? Or do you see as man sees?Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?Hast thou eyes of flesh? Or seest thou as man seeth?5Are Your days like those of a mortal, or Your years like those of a man,Are your days as the days of mortals, or your years as man’s years,Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man’s days,Are thy days as the days of man, Or thy years as man’s days,6that You should seek my iniquity and search out my sin—that you inquire after my iniquity, and search after my sin?That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin?That thou inquirest after mine iniquity, And searchest after my sin,7though You know that I am not guilty, and there is no deliverance from Your hand?Although you know that I am not wicked, there is no one who can deliver out of your hand.Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.Although thou knowest that I am not wicked, And there is none that can deliver out of thy hand?8Your hands shaped me and altogether formed me. Would You now turn and destroy me?“‘Your hands have framed me and fashioned me altogether, yet you destroy me.Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.Thy hands have framed me and fashioned me Together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.9Please remember that You molded me like clay. Would You now return me to dust?Remember, I beg you, that you have fashioned me as clay. Will you bring me into dust again?Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast fashioned me as clay; And wilt thou bring me into dust again?10Did You not pour me out like milk, and curdle me like cheese?Haven’t you poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese?Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?Hast thou not poured me out as milk, And curdled me like cheese?11You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews.You have clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews.Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews.Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, And knit me together with bones and sinews.12You have granted me life and loving devotion, and Your care has preserved my spirit.You have granted me life and loving kindness. Your visitation has preserved my spirit.Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.Thou hast granted me life and lovingkindness; And thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.13Yet You concealed these things in Your heart, and I know that this was in Your mind:Yet you hid these things in your heart. I know that this is with you:And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee.Yet these things thou didst hide in thy heart; I know that this is with thee:14If I sinned, You would take note, and would not acquit me of my iniquity.if I sin, then you mark me. You will not acquit me from my iniquity.If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.If I sin, then thou markest me, And thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.15If 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.If I am wicked, woe to me. If I am righteous, I still will not lift up my head, being filled with disgrace, and conscious of my affliction.If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction;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.16Should I hold my head high, You would hunt me like a lion, and again display Your power against me.If my head is held high, you hunt me like a lion. Again you show yourself powerful to me.For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.And if my head exalt itself, thou huntest me as a lion; And again thou showest thyself marvellous upon me.17You produce new witnesses against me and multiply Your anger toward me. Hardships assault me in wave after wave.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 increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me.Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, And increasest thine indignation upon me: Changes and warfare are with me.18Why then did You bring me from the womb? Oh, that I had died, and no eye had seen me!“‘Why, then, have you brought me out of the womb? I wish I had given up the spirit, and no eye had seen me.Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had 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.19If only I had never come to be, but had been 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.I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been 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.20Are my days not few? Withdraw from me, that I may have a little comfort,Aren’t my days few? Stop! Leave me alone, that I may find a little comfort,Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,Are not my days few? cease then, And let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,21before I go—never to return—to a land of darkness and gloom,before I go where I will not return from, to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;Before I go whence I shall not return, Even to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;22to a land of utter darkness, of deep shadow and disorder, where even the light is like darkness.”the land dark as midnight, of the shadow of death, without any order, where the light is as midnight.’”A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.The land dark as midnight, The land of the shadow of death, without any order, And where the light is as midnight.
Berean Standard Bible (public domain).World English Bible (public domain).King James Version (public domain in the US).American Standard Version, 1901 (public domain).