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10 It annoyeth my soul of my life; I shall leave my speech against me, I shall speak in the bitterness of my soul. (My life vexeth my soul; but I shall forgo any talk against myself, and I shall speak out of the bitterness of my soul.)

I shall say to God, Do not thou condemn me; show thou to me, why thou deemest me so (show thou me, why thou judgest me so).

Whether it seemeth good to thee, if thou challengest me as false, and oppressest me, the work of thine hands; and if thou helpest the counsel of wicked men?

Whether fleshly eyes be to thee, either, as a man seeth, also thou shalt see? (Hast thou fleshly eyes? or shalt thou see like a man seeth?)

Whether thy days be as the days of (a) man, and be thy years as man’s times; (Be thy days like the days of a man? and be thy years like the times of a man?)

(so) that thou inquire (after) my wickedness, and ensearch (after) my sin?

And thou, Lord, know, that I have done no wicked thing; since there is no man, that may deliver from thine hand? (And Lord, thou knowest that I have done no wicked thing; and there is no one who can rescue me out of thy hand.)

Thine hands have made me, and have formed me all in compass; and thou hast cast me down suddenly (and then suddenly thou hast thrown me down).

Lord, I pray thee, have thou mind, that thou madest me as clay, and shalt bring me again into dust. (Lord, I pray thee, remember that thou madest me like the clay/remember that thou madest me from the clay, and now shalt thou return me to the dust?)

10 Whether thou hast not milked me as milk, and hast crudded me together as cheese? (Hast thou not poured me out like milk, and curdled me together like cheese?)

11 Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh; and thou hast joined me together with bones and sinews.

12 Thou hast given life and mercy to me (Thou hast given life and love to me), and thy visiting hath kept my spirit (alive).

13 And though thou coverest these things in thine heart, nevertheless I know, that thou hast mind of all these things. (And though thou hidest these things in thy heart, nevertheless I know, that thou hast remembered all these things.)

14 And if when I did sin, thou sparedest me at an hour; why sufferest thou not me to be clean of my wickedness? (And when I did sin, thou sawest me; but thou wouldest not cleanse me of my wickedness.)

15 And if I was wicked, woe is to me; and if I was just, I shall not raise up mine head, that am full-filled with torment, and wretchedness. (And if I was wicked, woe is me; and if I was righteous, I shall still not raise up my head, I who am filled full of torment, and wretchedness.)

16 And if I raise up mine head for pride, thou shalt take me as a lioness; and thou turnest again, and tormentest me wonderfully. (And if I raise up my head in pride, then thou shalt take hold of me like a lioness; and thou shalt turn, and torment me with wonders, or miracles.)

17 Thou gatherest in store thy witnesses against me, and thou multipliest thine ire, that is, (thy) vengeance, against me; and pains hold knighthood in me. [Thou restorest thy witnesses against me, and thou multipliest thy wrath against me; and pains fight in me.]

18 Lord, why hast thou led me out of the womb? Why not had I erst been wasted, that an eye had not seen me (Why had I not erstwhile been destroyed, so that no eye had seen me).

19 (And so) That I had been, as if I were not, and were translated, either borne over, from the womb to the sepulchre (from the womb unto the tomb, or the grave).

20 Whether not the fewness of my days shall be ended in (a) short time? Therefore suffer thou me, that I bewail a little (more) my sorrow,

21 before that I go, and turn not again, to the dark land, and (be) covered with the darkness of death, (before that I go to the dark land, and am covered with the darkness of death, never to return,)

22 to the land of wretchedness, and of darknesses; where is shadow of death, and none order, but everlasting hideousness dwelleth. (yea, to the land of wretchedness, and of darkness; where there is only the shadow of death, and no order, and everlasting hideousness dwelleth there.)

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.
I will say to God, Do not (D)condemn me;
    let me know why you (E)contend against me.
(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?
Have you (I)eyes of flesh?
    (J)Do you see as man sees?
Are your days as the days of man,
    or your (K)years as a man's years,
that you (L)seek out my iniquity
    and search for my sin,
although you (M)know that I am not guilty,
    and there is (N)none to deliver out of your hand?
(O)Your hands fashioned and made me,
    and now you have destroyed me altogether.
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

  1. Job 10:16 Hebrew lacks my head