Job 10
Modern English Version
Job: I Abhor My Life
10 “My soul loathes my life;
I will freely give my complaint,
I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say to God, Do not condemn me;
show me why You contend with me.
3 Is it good for You that You should oppress,
that You should despise the work of Your hands
and smile on the counsel of the wicked?
4 Do You have eyes of flesh?
Or do You see as man sees?
5 Are Your days as the days of man?
Are Your years as the days of a mortal,
6 that You inquire after my iniquity
and search after my sin?
7 You know that I am not wicked,
and there is none who can deliver out of Your hand.
8 “Your hands have shaped me and made me completely,
yet You destroy me.
9 Remember, I pray,
that You have made me as the clay.
And would You return me to dust?
10 Have You not poured me out as milk
and curdled me like cheese?
11 You have clothed me with skin and flesh,
and have knit me together with bones and sinews.
12 You have granted me life and loyal love,
and Your care has preserved my spirit.
13 “These things You have hid in Your heart.
I know that this is with You.
14 If I have sinned, then You would watch me,
and You would not acquit me from my iniquity.
15 If I am wicked, woe unto me;
and if I am righteous, yet will I not lift up my head.
I am full of shame;
look at my affliction!
16 For if my head is lifted up, You would hunt me like a lion,
and again You show Yourself marvelous to me.
17 You renew Your witnesses against me
and increase Your indignation upon me.
Your troops come against me.
18 “Why then did You bring me forth out of the womb?
Oh, that I had died, and no eye had seen me!
19 I should have been as though I had not been;
I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.
20 Are not my days few? Stop then,
and leave me alone that I may cheer up a little,
21 before I go and do not return,
even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death,
22 a land of darkness, as darkness itself;
and of the shadow of death, without any order,
and where the light is as thick darkness.”
Job 10
American Standard Version
10 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 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me;
Show me wherefore thou contendest with me.
3 Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress,
That thou shouldest despise the [a]work of thy hands,
And shine upon the counsel of the wicked?
4 Hast thou eyes of flesh?
Or seest thou as man seeth?
5 Are thy days as the days of man,
Or thy years as man’s days,
6 That thou inquirest after mine iniquity,
And searchest after my sin,
7 Although thou knowest that I am not wicked,
And there is none that can deliver out of thy hand?
8 Thy hands have framed me and fashioned me
Together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.
9 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast fashioned me as clay;
And wilt thou bring me into dust again?
10 Hast thou not poured me out as milk,
And curdled me like cheese?
11 Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh,
And knit me together with bones and sinews.
12 Thou hast granted me life and lovingkindness;
And thy [b]visitation hath preserved my spirit.
13 Yet these things thou didst hide in thy heart;
I know that this is with thee:
14 If I sin, then thou markest me,
And thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.
15 If I be wicked, woe unto me;
And if I be righteous, yet shall I not lift up my head;
[c]Being filled with ignominy,
And looking upon mine affliction.
16 And if my head exalt itself, thou huntest me as a lion;
And again thou showest thyself marvellous upon me.
17 Thou renewest thy witnesses against me,
And increasest thine indignation upon me:
[d]Changes and warfare are with me.
18 Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb?
I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me.
19 I should have been as though I had not been;
I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.
20 Are not my days few? [e]cease then,
And let me alone, that I may [f]take comfort a little,
21 Before I go whence I shall not return,
Even to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;
22 The land dark as [g]midnight,
The land of the shadow of death, without any order,
And where the light is as [h]midnight.
Footnotes
- Job 10:3 Hebrew labor.
- Job 10:12 Or, care
- Job 10:15 Or, I am filled with ignominy, but look thou . . . for it increaseth: thou etc.
- Job 10:17 Or, Host after host is against me.
- Job 10:20 Another reading is, let him cease, and leave me alone.
- Job 10:20 Hebrew brighten up.
- Job 10:22 Hebrew thick darkness.
- Job 10:22 Hebrew thick darkness.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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