¹⁶ Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child,^(A)
    like an infant who never saw the light of day?^(B)

⁵ Surely I was sinful^(A) at birth,^(B)
    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

¹⁴ I praise you^(A) because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,^(B)
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made^(C) in the secret place,
    when I was woven together^(D) in the depths of the earth.^(E)
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained^(F) for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

I am the Lord,
    the Maker of all things,
    who stretches out the heavens,^(D)
    who spreads out the earth^(E) by myself,

⁵ And now the Lord says—
    he who formed me in the womb^(A) to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
    and gather Israel^(B) to himself,
for I am^[a] honored^(C) in the eyes of the Lord
    and my God has been my strength^(D)—

⁵ “Before I formed you in the womb^(A) I knew^[a](B) you,
    before you were born^(C) I set you apart;^(D)
    I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.^(E)”

¹⁵ Cursed be the man who brought my father the news,
    who made him very glad, saying,
    “A child is born to you—a son!”
¹⁶ May that man be like the towns^(A)
    the Lord overthrew without pity.
May he hear wailing^(B) in the morning,
    a battle cry at noon.
¹⁷ For he did not kill me in the womb,^(C)
    with my mother as my grave,
    her womb enlarged forever.
¹⁸ Why did I ever come out of the womb^(D)
    to see trouble^(E) and sorrow
    and to end my days in shame?^(F)