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)
2 I say to God:^(C) Do not declare me guilty,
    but tell me what charges^(D) you have against me.^(E)
3 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)
4 Do you have eyes of flesh?
    Do you see as a mortal sees?^(I)
5 Are your days like those of a mortal
    or your years like those of a strong man,^(J)
6 that you must search out my faults
    and probe after my sin^(K)—
⁷ though you know that I am not guilty^(L)
    and that no one can rescue me from your hand?^(M)

⁸ “Your hands shaped^(N) me and made me.
    Will you now turn and destroy me?^(O)
9 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)

² “Are all these words to go unanswered?^(AU)
    Is this talker to be vindicated?^(AV)
3 Will your idle talk^(AW) reduce others to silence?
    Will no one rebuke you when you mock?^(AX)
4 You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawless^(AY)
    and I am pure^(AZ) in your sight.’
⁵ Oh, how I wish that God would speak,^(BA)
    that he would open his lips against you
⁶ and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom,^(BB)
    for true wisdom has two sides.
    Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.^(BC)

⁷ “Can you fathom^(BD) the mysteries of God?
    Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
⁸ They are higher^(BE) than the heavens^(BF) above—what can you do?
    They are deeper than the depths below^(BG)—what can you know?^(BH)
9 Their measure^(BI) is longer than the earth
    and wider than the sea.^(BJ)

¹⁰ “If he comes along and confines you in prison
    and convenes a court, who can oppose him?^(BK)
11 Surely he recognizes deceivers;
    and when he sees evil, does he not take note?^(BL)
12 But the witless can no more become wise
    than a wild donkey’s colt^(BM) can be born human.^[b](BN)

¹³ “Yet if you devote your heart^(BO) to him
    and stretch out your hands^(BP) to him,^(BQ)
14 if you put away^(BR) the sin that is in your hand
    and allow no evil^(BS) to dwell in your tent,^(BT)
15 then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;^(BU)
    you will stand firm^(BV) and without fear.^(BW)
16 You will surely forget your trouble,^(BX)
    recalling it only as waters gone by.^(BY)
17 Life will be brighter than noonday,^(BZ)
    and darkness will become like morning.^(CA)
18 You will be secure, because there is hope;
    you will look about you and take your rest^(CB) in safety.^(CC)
19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,^(CD)
    and many will court your favor.^(CE)
20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail,^(CF)
    and escape will elude them;^(CG)
    their hope will become a dying gasp.”^(CH)

² “Doubtless you are the only people who matter,
    and wisdom will die with you!^(CI)
3 But I have a mind as well as you;
    I am not inferior to you.
    Who does not know all these things?^(CJ)

⁴ “I have become a laughingstock^(CK) to my friends,^(CL)
    though I called on God and he answered^(CM)—
    a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!^(CN)
5 Those who are at ease have contempt^(CO) for misfortune
    as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.^(CP)
6 The tents of marauders are undisturbed,^(CQ)
    and those who provoke God are secure^(CR)—
    those God has in his hand.^[c]

⁷ “But ask the animals, and they will teach you,^(CS)
    or the birds in the sky,^(CT) and they will tell you;^(CU)
8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
    or let the fish in the sea inform you.
⁹ Which of all these does not know^(CV)
    that the hand of the Lord has done this?^(CW)
10 In his hand is the life^(CX) of every creature
    and the breath of all mankind.^(CY)
11 Does not the ear test words
    as the tongue tastes food?^(CZ)
12 Is not wisdom found among the aged?^(DA)
    Does not long life bring understanding?^(DB)

¹³ “To God belong wisdom^(DC) and power;^(DD)
    counsel and understanding are his.^(DE)
14 What he tears down^(DF) cannot be rebuilt;^(DG)
    those he imprisons cannot be released.^(DH)
15 If he holds back the waters,^(DI) there is drought;^(DJ)
    if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.^(DK)
16 To him belong strength and insight;^(DL)
    both deceived and deceiver are his.^(DM)
17 He leads rulers away stripped^(DN)
    and makes fools of judges.^(DO)
18 He takes off the shackles^(DP) put on by kings
    and ties a loincloth^[d] around their waist.^(DQ)
19 He leads priests away stripped^(DR)
    and overthrows officials long established.^(DS)
20 He silences the lips of trusted advisers
    and takes away the discernment of elders.^(DT)
21 He pours contempt on nobles^(DU)
    and disarms the mighty.^(DV)
22 He reveals the deep things of darkness^(DW)
    and brings utter darkness^(DX) into the light.^(DY)
23 He makes nations great, and destroys them;^(DZ)
    he enlarges nations,^(EA) and disperses them.^(EB)
24 He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;^(EC)
    he makes them wander in a trackless waste.^(ED)
25 They grope in darkness with no light;^(EE)
    he makes them stagger like drunkards.^(EF)

13 “My eyes have seen all this,^(EG)
    my ears have heard and understood it.
² What you know, I also know;
    I am not inferior to you.^(EH)
3 But I desire to speak to the Almighty^(EI)
    and to argue my case with God.^(EJ)
4 You, however, smear me with lies;^(EK)
    you are worthless physicians,^(EL) all of you!^(EM)
5 If only you would be altogether silent!^(EN)
    For you, that would be wisdom.^(EO)
6 Hear now my argument;
    listen to the pleas of my lips.^(EP)
7 Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf?
    Will you speak deceitfully for him?^(EQ)
8 Will you show him partiality?^(ER)
    Will you argue the case for God?
⁹ Would it turn out well if he examined you?^(ES)
    Could you deceive him as you might deceive a mortal?^(ET)
10 He would surely call you to account
    if you secretly showed partiality.^(EU)
11 Would not his splendor^(EV) terrify you?
    Would not the dread of him fall on you?^(EW)
12 Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
    your defenses are defenses of clay.^(EX)

¹³ “Keep silent^(EY) and let me speak;^(EZ)
    then let come to me what may.^(FA)
14 Why do I put myself in jeopardy
    and take my life in my hands?^(FB)
15 Though he slay me, yet will I hope^(FC) in him;^(FD)
    I will surely^[e] defend my ways to his face.^(FE)
16 Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,^(FF)
    for no godless^(FG) person would dare come before him!^(FH)
17 Listen carefully to what I say;^(FI)
    let my words ring in your ears.
¹⁸ Now that I have prepared my case,^(FJ)
    I know I will be vindicated.^(FK)
19 Can anyone bring charges against me?^(FL)
    If so, I will be silent^(FM) and die.^(FN)

²⁰ “Only grant me these two things, God,
    and then I will not hide from you:
²¹ Withdraw your hand^(FO) far from me,
    and stop frightening me with your terrors.^(FP)
22 Then summon me and I will answer,^(FQ)
    or let me speak, and you reply to me.^(FR)
23 How many wrongs and sins have I committed?^(FS)
    Show me my offense and my sin.^(FT)
24 Why do you hide your face^(FU)
    and consider me your enemy?^(FV)
25 Will you torment^(FW) a windblown leaf?^(FX)
    Will you chase^(FY) after dry chaff?^(FZ)
26 For you write down bitter things against me
    and make me reap the sins of my youth.^(GA)
27 You fasten my feet in shackles;^(GB)
    you keep close watch on all my paths^(GC)
    by putting marks on the soles of my feet.

²⁸ “So man wastes away like something rotten,
    like a garment^(GD) eaten by moths.^(GE)