Job 10
1599 Geneva Bible
10 1 Job is weary of his life, and setteth out his fragility before God. 20 He desireth him to stay his hand. 22 A description of death.
1 My soul is cut off [a]though I live: I will leave my [b]complaint upon myself, and will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say unto God, [c]Condemn me not: show me, wherefore thou contendest with me.
3 Thinkest thou it [d]good to oppress me, and to cast off the [e]labor of thine hands, and to favor the [f]counsel of the wicked?
4 Hast thou [g]carnal eyes? or dost thou see as man seeth?
5 Are thy days as man’s [h]days? or thy years as the time of man,
6 That thou inquirest of mine iniquity, and searchest out my sin?
7 Thou knowest that I cannot do [i]wickedly: for none can deliver me out of thine hand.
8 Thine [j]hands have made me, and fashioned me wholly round about, and wilt thou destroy me?
9 Remember, I pray thee, that thou hast made me as [k]the clay, and wilt thou bring me into dust again?
10 Hast thou not poured me out as milk? and turned me to curds like cheese?
11 Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and joined me together with bones and sinews.
12 Thou hast given me life, and [l]grace: and the [m]visitation hath preserved my spirit.
13 Though thou hast hid these things in thine heart, yet I know [n]that it is so with thee.
14 If I have sinned, then thou wilt straightly look unto me, and wilt not hold me guiltless of mine iniquity.
15 If I have done wickedly, woe unto me: if I have done righteously, I will not [o]lift up mine head, being full of confusion, because I see mine affliction.
16 But let it increase: hunt thou me as a lion: return and show thyself [p]marvelous upon me.
17 Thou renewest thy plagues against me, and thou increasest thy wrath against me: [q]changes and armies of sorrows are against me.
18 Wherefore then hast thou brought me out of the womb? Oh that I had perished, and that none eye had seen me!
19 And that I were as I had not been, but brought from the womb to the grave!
20 Are not my days few? let him [r]cease, and leave off from me, that I may take a little comfort,
21 Before I go and shall not [s]return, even to the land of darkness and shadow of death:
22 Into a land, I say, dark as darkness itself, and into the shadow of death, where is none [t]order, but the light is there as darkness.
Footnotes
- Job 10:1 I am more like to a dead man, than to one that liveth.
- Job 10:1 I will make an ample declaration of my torments, accusing myself and not God.
- Job 10:2 He would not that God should proceed against him by his secret justice, but by the ordinary means that he punisheth others.
- Job 10:3 Is it agreeable to thy justice to do me wrong?
- Job 10:3 Wilt thou be without compassion?
- Job 10:3 Wilt thou gratify the wicked and condemn me?
- Job 10:4 Doest thou this of ignorance?
- Job 10:5 Art thou inconstant and changeable, as the times, today a friend, tomorrow an enemy?
- Job 10:7 By affliction thou keepest me as in a prison, and restrainest me from doing evil, neither can any set me at liberty.
- Job 10:8 In these eight verses following he describeth the mercy of God, in the wonderful creation of man: and thereon groundeth that God should not show himself rigorous against him.
- Job 10:9 As brittle as a pot of clay.
- Job 10:12 That is, reason and understanding, and many other gifts, whereby man excelleth all earthly creatures.
- Job 10:12 That is, thy fatherly care and providence whereby thou preservest me, and without the which I should perish straightway.
- Job 10:13 Though I be not fully able to comprehend these things, yet I must needs confess that it is so.
- Job 10:15 I will always walk in fear and humility, knowing that none is just before thee.
- Job 10:16 Job being sore assaulted in this battle between the flesh and the spirit, bursteth out into these affections, wishing rather short days than long pain.
- Job 10:17 That is, diversity of diseases and in great abundance: showing that God hath infinite means to punish man.
- Job 10:20 He wisheth that God would leave off his affliction, considering his great misery and the brevity of his life.
- Job 10:21 He speaketh thus in the person of a sinner, that is overcome with passions and with the feeling of God’s judgments, and therefore cannot apprehend in that state the mercies of God, and comfort of the resurrection.
- Job 10:22 No distinction between light and darkness, but where all is very darkness itself.
Job 10
King James Version
10 My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.
3 Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine 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? are thy years as man's days,
6 That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin?
7 Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.
8 Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.
9 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the 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 hast fenced me with bones and sinews.
12 Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.
13 And these things hast thou hid in thine 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 will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction;
16 For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.
17 Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me.
18 Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that 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? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,
21 Before I go whence I shall 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 darkness.
Job 10
New King James Version
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.
2 I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me;
Show me why You contend with me.
3 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?
4 Do You have eyes of flesh?
Or (C)do You see as man sees?
5 Are Your days like the days of a mortal man?
Are Your years like the days of a mighty man,
6 That You should seek for my iniquity
And search out my sin,
7 Although You know that I am not wicked,
And there is no one who can deliver from Your hand?
8 ‘Your(D) hands have made me and fashioned me,
An intricate unity;
Yet You would (E)destroy me.
9 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.’ ”
Job 10
English Standard Version
Job Continues: A Plea to God
10 “I (A)loathe my life;
I will give free utterance to my (B)complaint;
I will speak in (C)the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say to God, Do not (D)condemn me;
let me know why you (E)contend against me.
3 (F)Does it seem good to you to oppress,
to despise (G)the work of your hands
(H)and favor the designs of the wicked?
4 Have you (I)eyes of flesh?
(J)Do you see as man sees?
5 Are your days as the days of man,
or your (K)years as a man's years,
6 that you (L)seek out my iniquity
and search for my sin,
7 although you (M)know that I am not guilty,
and there is (N)none to deliver out of your hand?
8 (O)Your hands fashioned and made me,
and now you have destroyed me altogether.
9 Remember that you have made me like (P)clay;
and will you return me to the (Q)dust?
10 Did you not pour me out like milk
and curdle me like cheese?
11 You clothed me with skin and flesh,
and knit me together with bones and sinews.
12 You have granted me life and steadfast love,
and your care has preserved my spirit.
13 Yet these things you hid in your heart;
I know that (R)this was your purpose.
14 If I sin, you (S)watch me
and do not (T)acquit me of my iniquity.
15 (U)If I am guilty, woe to me!
If I am (V)in the right, I cannot lift up my head,
for I am filled with disgrace
and (W)look on my affliction.
16 And were my head lifted up,[a] you would hunt me like (X)a lion
and again work (Y)wonders against me.
17 You renew your (Z)witnesses against me
and increase your vexation toward me;
you (AA)bring fresh troops against me.
18 (AB)“Why did you bring me out from the womb?
Would that I had died before any eye had seen me
19 (AC)and were as though I had not been,
carried from the womb to the grave.
20 (AD)Are not my days few?
(AE)Then cease, and leave me alone, (AF)that I may find a little cheer
21 before I go—and (AG)I shall not return—
to the land of (AH)darkness and (AI)deep shadow,
22 the land of gloom like thick darkness,
like deep shadow without any order,
where light is as thick darkness.”
Footnotes
- Job 10:16 Hebrew lacks my head
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
