1"I loathemy own life;I will givefullventto my complaint;I will speakin the bitternessof my soul.
2"I will sayto God,Do not condemnme; Let me knowwhyYou contendwith me.
3Is it rightfor You indeedto oppress,To rejectthe laborof Your hands,And to lookfavorablyon the schemesof the wicked?
4Have You eyesof flesh?Ordo You seeas a mansees?
5Are Your daysas the daysof a mortal,OrYour yearsas man'syears,
6That You should seekfor my guiltAnd searchafter my sin?
7Accordingto Your knowledgeI am indeednot guilty,Yet thereis nodeliverancefrom Your hand.
8Your handsfashionedand mademe altogether,And would You destroyme?
9Remembernow,that You have mademe as clay;And would You turnme into dustagain?
10Did You not pourme out like milkAnd curdleme like cheese;
11Clotheme with skinand flesh,And knitme togetherwith bonesand sinews?
12You have grantedme lifeand lovingkindness;And Your carehas preservedmy spirit.
13Yet thesethingsYou have concealedin Your heart;I knowthat thisis withinYou:
14IfI sin,then You would takenoteof me, And would not acquitme of my guilt.
15IfI am wicked,woeto me! And if I am righteous,I dare not liftup my head.[I am] satedwith disgraceand consciousof my misery.
16Should [my head] be liftedup, You would huntme like a lion;And againYou would showYour poweragainst me.
17You renewYour witnessesagainstme And increaseYour angertowardme; Hardshipafter hardshipis with me.
18Whythen have You broughtme out of the womb?Would that I had diedand noeyehad seenme!
19I should have beenas thoughI had not been,Carriedfrom wombto tomb.'
20"Would He not letmy fewdaysalone?Withdrawfrom me that I may havea littlecheer
21BeforeI go--and I shall not return--To the landof darknessand deepshadow,
22The landof uttergloomas darkness[itself], Of deepshadowwithoutorder,And which shinesas the darkness."
