Job 10

1My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.footnote a

2I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.

3Is 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?footnote b

4Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?

5Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man’s days,

6That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin?

7Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.footnote c

8Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.footnote d

9Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?

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

11Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews.footnote e

12Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

13And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee.

14If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.

15If 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;

16For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.

17Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me.footnote f

18Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!

19I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

20Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,

21Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;

22A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.

Job’s Plea to God

1“I loathe my own life;I will express my complaintand speak in the bitterness of my soul. 2I will say to God:Do not condemn me!Let me know why You prosecute me. 3Does it please You to oppress me,to reject the work of Your handsand favor the schemes of the wicked? 4Do You have eyes of flesh?Do You see as man sees? 5Are Your days like those of a mortal,or Your years like those of a man, 6that You should seek my iniquityand search out my sin— 7though You know that I am not guilty,and there is no deliverance from Your hand?

8Your hands shaped me and altogether formed me.Would You now turn and destroy me? 9Please remember that You molded me like clay.Would You now return me to dust? 10Did You not pour me out like milk,and curdle me like cheese? 11You clothed me with skin and flesh,and knit me together with bones and sinews. 12You have granted me life and loving devotion,footnote aand Your care has preserved my spirit.

13Yet You concealed these things in Your heart,and I know that this was in Your mind: 14If I sinned, You would take note,and would not acquit me of my iniquity. 15If I am guilty, woe to me!And even if I am righteous, I cannot lift my head.I am full of shameand aware of my affliction. 16Should I hold my head high,You would hunt me like a lion,and again display Your power against me. 17You produce new witnesses against meand multiply Your anger toward me.Hardships assault mein wave after wave.

18Why then did You bring me from the womb?Oh, that I had died, and no eye had seen me! 19If only I had never come to be,but had been carried from the womb to the grave. 20Are my days not few?Withdraw from me, that I may have a little comfort, 21before I go—never to return—to a land of darkness and gloom, 22to a land of utter darkness,of deep shadow and disorder,where even the light is like darkness.”