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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.
I will say to God, Do not condemn me;
    show me why You contend with me.
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?
Do You have eyes of flesh?
    Or do You see as man sees?
Are Your days as the days of man?
    Are Your years as the days of a mortal,
that You inquire after my iniquity
    and search after my sin?
You know that I am not wicked,
    and there is none who can deliver out of Your hand.

“Your hands have shaped me and made me completely,
    yet You destroy me.
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: I Would Plead with God

10 “My (A)soul loathes my life;
I will [a]give free course to my complaint,
(B)I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me;
Show me why You contend with me.
Does it seem good to You that You should oppress,
That You should despise the work of Your hands,
And smile on the counsel of the wicked?
Do You have eyes of flesh?
Or (C)do You see as man sees?
Are Your days like the days of a mortal man?
Are Your years like the days of a mighty man,
That You should seek for my iniquity
And search out my sin,
Although You know that I am not wicked,
And there is no one who can deliver from Your hand?

‘Your(D) hands have made me and fashioned me,
An intricate unity;
Yet You would (E)destroy me.
Remember, I pray, (F)that You have made me like clay.
And will You turn me into dust again?
10 (G)Did You not pour me out like milk,
And curdle me like cheese,
11 Clothe me with skin and flesh,
And knit me together with bones and sinews?
12 You have granted me life and favor,
And Your care has preserved my spirit.

13 ‘And these things You have hidden in Your heart;
I know that this was with You:
14 If I sin, then (H)You mark me,
And will not acquit me of my iniquity.
15 If I am wicked, (I)woe to me;
(J)Even if I am righteous, I [b]cannot lift up my head.
I am full of disgrace;
(K)See my misery!
16 If my head is exalted,
(L)You hunt me like a fierce lion,
And again You show Yourself awesome against me.
17 You renew Your witnesses against me,
And increase Your indignation toward me;
Changes and war are ever with me.

18 ‘Why(M) then have You brought me out of the womb?
Oh, that I had perished and no eye had seen me!
19 I would have been as though I had not been.
I would have been carried from the womb to the grave.
20 (N)Are not my days few?
Cease! (O)Leave me alone, that I may take a little comfort,
21 Before I go to the place from which I shall not return,
(P)To the land of darkness (Q)and the shadow of death,
22 A land as dark as darkness itself,
As the shadow of death, without any order,
Where even the light is like darkness.’ ”

Footnotes

  1. Job 10:1 Lit. leave on myself
  2. Job 10:15 Lit. will not