^{1 Ref} 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 Ref} I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; Show me wherefore thou contendest with me.

^{3 Ref} 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?

^{4 Ref} Hast thou eyes of flesh? Or seest thou as man seeth?

^{5 Ref} Are thy days as the days of man, Or thy years as man's days,

^{6 Ref} That thou inquirest after mine iniquity, And searchest after my sin,

^{7 Ref} Although thou knowest that I am not wicked, And there is none that can deliver out of thy hand?

^{8 Ref} Thy hands have framed me and fashioned me Together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.

^{9 Ref} Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast fashioned me as clay; And wilt thou bring me into dust again?

^{10 Ref} Hast thou not poured me out as milk, And curdled me like cheese?

^{11 Ref} Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, And knit me together with bones and sinews.

^{12 Ref} Thou hast granted me life and lovingkindness; And thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

^{13 Ref} Yet these things thou didst hide in thy heart; I know that this is with thee:

^{14 Ref} If I sin, then thou markest me, And thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.

^{15 Ref} 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 Ref} And if `my head' exalt itself, thou huntest me as a lion; And again thou showest thyself marvellous upon me.

^{17 Ref} Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, And increasest thine indignation upon me: Changes and warfare are with me.

^{18 Ref} Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me.

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

^{20 Ref} Are not my days few? cease then, And let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,

^{21 Ref} Before I go whence I shall not return, `Even' to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;

^{22 Ref} The land dark as midnight, `The land' of the shadow of death, without any order, And where the light is as midnight.

^{1 Ref} My soul hath been weary of my life, I leave off my talking to myself, I speak in the bitterness of my soul.

^{2 Ref} I say unto God, `Do not condemn me, Let me know why Thou dost strive `with' me.

^{3 Ref} Is it good for Thee that Thou dost oppress? That Thou despisest the labour of Thy hands, And on the counsel of the wicked hast shone?

^{4 Ref} Eyes of flesh hast Thou? As man seeth -- seest Thou?

^{5 Ref} As the days of man `are' Thy days? Thy years as the days of a man?

^{6 Ref} That Thou inquirest for mine iniquity, And for my sin seekest?

^{7 Ref} For Thou knowest that I am not wicked, And there is no deliverer from Thy hand.

^{8 Ref} Thy hands have taken pains about me, And they make me together round about, And Thou swallowest me up!

^{9 Ref} Remember, I pray Thee, That as clay Thou hast made me, And unto dust Thou dost bring me back.

^{10 Ref} Dost Thou not as milk pour me out? And as cheese curdle me?

^{11 Ref} Skin and flesh Thou dost put on me, And with bones and sinews dost fence me.

^{12 Ref} Life and kindness Thou hast done with me. And Thy inspection hath preserved my spirit.

^{13 Ref} And these Thou hast laid up in Thy heart, I have known that this `is' with Thee.

^{14 Ref} If I sinned, then Thou hast observed me, And from mine iniquity dost not acquit me,

^{15 Ref} If I have done wickedly -- wo to me, And righteously -- I lift not up my head, Full of shame -- then see my affliction,

^{16 Ref} And it riseth -- as a lion Thou huntest me. And Thou turnest back -- Thou shewest Thyself wonderful in me.

^{17 Ref} Thou renewest Thy witnesses against me, And dost multiply Thine anger with me, Changes and warfare `are' with me.

^{18 Ref} And why from the womb Hast Thou brought me forth? I expire, and the eye doth not see me.

^{19 Ref} As I had not been, I am, From the belly to the grave I am brought,

^{20 Ref} Are not my days few? Cease then, and put from me, And I brighten up a little,

^{21 Ref} Before I go, and return not, Unto a land of darkness and death-shade,

^{22 Ref} A land of obscurity as thick darkness, Death-shade -- and no order, And the shining `is' as thick darkness.'