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10 My nefesh is sick of my life; I will give free rein to my si’akh (complaint); I will speak in the mar (bitterness) of my nefesh.

I will say unto Eloah, Do not condemn me; show me what charge Thou dost contend with me.

Is it hatov (pleasing) unto Thee that Thou shouldest oppress, that Thou shouldest reject the work of Thine hands, and shine [favor] upon the etzah (scheme) of the resha’im?

Hast Thou eyes of basar? Or seest Thou as enosh seeth?

Are Thy yamim like the yamim of enosh? Are Thy years like the days of gever (man),

That Thou seekest after mine avon, and searchest after my chattat?

Though Thou has da’as that I am not a resha, and there is none that can deliver out of Thine yad,

Thine yadayim have formed me and altogether round about have fashioned me; yet Thou hast now swallowed me.

Remember, now, that Thou hast molded me like the chomer (clay), and wilt Thou turn me into aphar again?

10 Hast Thou not poured me out like cholov, and curdled me like gvinah (cheese)?

11 Thou hast clothed me with ohr and basar, and hast knitted me together with atzmot and sinews.

12 Thou hast granted me chayyim and chesed, and Thy visitation hath been shomer over my ruach.

13 And these things hast Thou hid in Thine lev; I have da’as that this was in Thy mind.

14 If I sin, then Thou art shomer over me, and Thou wilt not let my avon go unpunished.

15 If I am guilty, woe unto me; even if I be tzaddik (innocent), yet will I not lift up my head, being full of kalon (shame) and conscious of my oni (misery),

16 For if my head is held high, Thou stalkest me like a fierce lion, and ever Thou displayest Thy awesome power against me.

17 Thou bringest Thy fresh edim (witnesses) against me, and increasest Thine hot indignation toward me; in waves Thy tzava troop against me.

18 Why then hast Thou brought me forth out of the rechem (womb)? Oh that I had expired, and no eye had seen me!

19 I should have been as though I had never been; I should have been carried from the beten straight to the kever.

20 Are not my yamim few? Then cease, and let me alone, that I may take a little cheer

21 Before I go from where I shall not return, even to the Eretz Choshech V’Tzalmavet,

22 An eretz of darkness, like darkness itself; and of tzalmavet, no sedarim (order), where the light is like darkness.

10 “I loathe my very life;(A)
    therefore I will give free rein to my complaint
    and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.(B)
I say to God:(C) Do not declare me guilty,
    but tell me what charges(D) you have against me.(E)
Does it please you to oppress me,(F)
    to spurn the work of your hands,(G)
    while you smile on the plans of the wicked?(H)
Do you have eyes of flesh?
    Do you see as a mortal sees?(I)
Are your days like those of a mortal
    or your years like those of a strong man,(J)
that you must search out my faults
    and probe after my sin(K)
though you know that I am not guilty(L)
    and that no one can rescue me from your hand?(M)

“Your hands shaped(N) me and made me.
    Will you now turn and destroy me?(O)
Remember that you molded me like clay.(P)
    Will you now turn me to dust again?(Q)
10 Did you not pour me out like milk
    and curdle me like cheese,
11 clothe me with skin and flesh
    and knit me together(R) with bones and sinews?
12 You gave me life(S) and showed me kindness,(T)
    and in your providence(U) watched over(V) my spirit.

13 “But this is what you concealed in your heart,
    and I know that this was in your mind:(W)
14 If I sinned, you would be watching me(X)
    and would not let my offense go unpunished.(Y)
15 If I am guilty(Z)—woe to me!(AA)
    Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head,(AB)
for I am full of shame
    and drowned in[a] my affliction.(AC)
16 If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion(AD)
    and again display your awesome power against me.(AE)
17 You bring new witnesses against me(AF)
    and increase your anger toward me;(AG)
    your forces come against me wave upon wave.(AH)

18 “Why then did you bring me out of the womb?(AI)
    I wish I had died before any eye saw me.(AJ)
19 If only I had never come into being,
    or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!(AK)
20 Are not my few days(AL) almost over?(AM)
    Turn away from me(AN) so I can have a moment’s joy(AO)
21 before I go to the place of no return,(AP)
    to the land of gloom and utter darkness,(AQ)
22 to the land of deepest night,
    of utter darkness(AR) and disorder,
    where even the light is like darkness.”(AS)

Footnotes

  1. Job 10:15 Or and aware of