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

“I loathe my own life; I will express my complaint and speak in the bitterness of my soul.

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

I will say to God: Do not condemn me! Let me know why You prosecute me.

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?

Does it please You to oppress me, to reject the work of Your hands and favor the schemes of the wicked?

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

Do You have eyes of flesh? Do You see as man sees?

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

Are Your days like those of a mortal, or Your years like those of a man,

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

that You should seek my iniquity and search out my sin—

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

though You know that I am not guilty, and there is no deliverance from Your hand?

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

Your hands shaped me and altogether formed me. Would You now turn and destroy me?

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

Please remember that You molded me like clay. Would You now return me to dust?

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

Did You not pour me out like milk, and curdle me like cheese?

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

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

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

You have granted me life and loving devotion, and Your care has preserved my spirit.

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

Yet You concealed these things in Your heart, and I know that this was in Your mind:

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

If I sinned, You would take note, and would not acquit me of my iniquity.

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 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.

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

Should I hold my head high, You would hunt me like a lion, and again display Your power against me.

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

You produce new witnesses against me and multiply Your anger toward me. Hardships assault me in wave after wave.

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!

Why then did You bring me from the womb? Oh, that I had died, and no eye had seen me!

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

If only I had never come to be, but had been carried from the womb to the grave.

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

Are my days not few? Withdraw from me, that I may have a little comfort,

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

before I go—never to return— to a land of darkness and gloom,

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

to a land of utter darkness, of deep shadow and disorder, where even the light is like darkness.”