Job chapter 10
English Standard Version
1"I loathe my life; I will give free utterance to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. 2I will say to God, Do not condemn me; let me know why you contend against me. 3 Does it seem good to you to oppress, to despise the work of your hands and favor the designs of the wicked? 4Have you eyes of flesh? Do you see as man sees? 5Are your days as the days of man, or your years as a man 's years, 6that you seek out my iniquity and search for my sin, 7although you know that I am not guilty, and there is none to deliver out of your hand? 8 Your hands fashioned and made me, and now you have destroyed me altogether. 9Remember that you have made me like clay; and will you return me to the dust? 10Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese? 11You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews. 12You have granted me life and steadfast love, and your care has preserved my spirit. 13Yet these things you hid in your heart; I know that this was your purpose. 14If I sin, you watch me and do not acquit me of my iniquity. 15 If I am guilty, woe to me! If I am in the right, I cannot lift up my head, for I am filled with disgrace and look on my affliction. 16And were my head lifted up, you would hunt me like a lion and again work wonders against me. 17You renew your witnesses against me and increase your vexation toward me; you bring fresh troops against me. 18 "Why did you bring me out from the womb? Would that I had died before any eye had seen me 19 and were as though I had not been, carried from the womb to the grave. 20 Are not my days few? Then cease, and leave me alone, that I may find a little cheer 21before I go — and I shall not return — to the land of darkness and deep shadow, 22the land of gloom like thick darkness, like deep shadow without any order, where light is as thick darkness."
New International Version
1"I loathe my very life; therefore I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in the bitterness of my soul. 2I say to God: Do not declare me guilty, but tell me what charges you have against me. 3Does it please you to oppress me, to spurn the work of your hands, while you smile on the plans of the wicked? 4Do you have eyes of flesh? Do you see as a mortal sees? 5Are your days like those of a mortal or your years like those of a strong man, 6that you must search out my faults and probe after my sin—
7though you know that I am not guilty and that no one can rescue me from your hand? 8"Your hands shaped me and made me. Will you now turn and destroy me? 9Remember that you molded me like clay. Will you now turn me to dust again? 10Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese, 11clothe me with skin and flesh and knit me together with bones and sinews?
12You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit. 13"But this is what you concealed in your heart, and I know that this was in your mind: 14If I sinned, you would be watching me and would not let my offense go unpunished. 15If I am guilty—woe to me! Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head, for I am full of shame and drowned in my affliction. 16If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion and again display your awesome power against me.
17You bring new witnesses against me and increase your anger toward me; your forces come against me wave upon wave. 18"Why then did you bring me out of the womb? I wish I had died before any eye saw me. 19If only I had never come into being, or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave! 20Are not my few days almost over? Turn away from me so I can have a moment’s joy 21before I go to the place of no return, to the land of gloom and utter darkness, 22to the land of deepest night, of utter darkness and disorder, where even the light is like darkness."
New American Standard Bible
1'I am disgusted with my own life; I will express my complaint freely; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. 2I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me; Let me know why You contend with me. 3Is it right for You indeed to oppress, To reject the work of Your hands, And to look favorably on the plan of the wicked? 4Do You have eyes of flesh? Or do You see as mankind sees? 5Are Your days like the days of a mortal, Or Your years like a man’s year, 6That You should search for my guilt And carefully seek my sin? 7According to Your knowledge I am indeed not guilty, Yet there is no one to save me from Your hand. 8‘Your hands fashioned and made me altogether, Yet would You destroy me? 9Remember that You have made me as clay; Yet would You turn me into dust again? 10Did You not pour me out like milk, And curdle me like cheese, 11Clothe me with skin and flesh, And intertwine me with bones and tendons? 12You have granted me life and goodness; And Your care has guarded my spirit. 13Yet You have concealed these things in Your heart; I know that this is within You: 14If I have sinned, You will take note of me, And will not acquit me of my guilt. 15If I am wicked, woe to me! But if I am righteous, I dare not lift up my head. I am full of shame, and conscious of my misery. 16And should my head be high, You would hunt me like a lion; And You would show Your power against me again. 17You renew Your witnesses against me And increase Your anger toward me; Hardship after hardship is with me. 18‘Why then did You bring me out of the womb? If only I had died and no eye had seen me! 19I should have been as though I had not been, Brought from womb to tomb.’ 20Would He not leave my few days alone? Withdraw from me so that I may have a little cheerfulness 21Before I go—and I shall not return— To the land of darkness and deep shadow, 22The land of utter gloom like darkness itself, Of deep shadow without order, And it shines like darkness.'
Christian Standard Bible
1I am disgusted with my life. I will give vent to my complaint and speak in the bitterness of my soul. 2I will say to God, "Do not declare me guilty! Let me know why you prosecute me. 3Is it good for you to oppress, to reject the work of your hands, and favor the plans of the wicked? 4Do you have eyes of flesh, or do you see as a human sees? 5Are your days like those of a human, or your years like those of a man, 6that you look for my iniquity and search for my sin,
7even though you know that I am not wicked and that there is no one who can rescue from your power? 8"Your hands shaped me and formed me. Will you now turn and destroy me? 9Please remember that you formed me like clay. Will you now return me to dust? 10Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese? 11You clothed me with skin and flesh, and wove me together with bones and tendons.
12You gave me life and faithful love, and your care has guarded my life. 13"Yet you concealed these thoughts in your heart; I know that this was your hidden plan: 14if I sin, you would notice, and would not acquit me of my iniquity. 15If I am wicked, woe to me! And even if I am righteous, I cannot lift up my head. I am filled with shame and have drunk deeply of my affliction. 16If I am proud, you hunt me like a lion and again display your miraculous power against me.
17You produce new witnesses against me and multiply your anger toward me. Hardships assault me, wave after wave. 18"Why did you bring me out of the womb? I should have died and never been seen. 19I wish I had never existed but had been carried from the womb to the grave. 20Are my days not few? Stop it! Leave me alone, so that I can smile a little 21before I go to a land of darkness and gloom, never to return. 22It is a land of blackness like the deepest darkness, gloomy and chaotic, where even the light is like the darkness."
New Living Translation
1'I am disgusted with my life. Let me complain freely. My bitter soul must complain. 2I will say to God, ‘Don’t simply condemn me — tell me the charge you are bringing against me. 3What do you gain by oppressing me? Why do you reject me, the work of your own hands, while smiling on the schemes of the wicked? 4Are your eyes like those of a human? Do you see things only as people see them? 5Is your lifetime only as long as ours? Is your life so short 6that you must quickly probe for my guilt and search for my sin? 7Although you know I am not guilty, no one can rescue me from your hands.
8'‘You formed me with your hands; you made me, yet now you completely destroy me. 9Remember that you made me from dust — will you turn me back to dust so soon? 10You guided my conception and formed me in the womb. 11You clothed me with skin and flesh, and you knit my bones and sinews together. 12You gave me life and showed me your unfailing love. My life was preserved by your care.
13'‘Yet your real motive — your true intent — 14was to watch me, and if I sinned, you would not forgive my guilt. 15If I am guilty, too bad for me; and even if I’m innocent, I can’t hold my head high, because I am filled with shame and misery. 16And if I hold my head high, you hunt me like a lion and display your awesome power against me. 17Again and again you witness against me. You pour out your growing anger on me and bring fresh armies against me.
18'‘Why, then, did you deliver me from my mother’s womb? Why didn’t you let me die at birth? 19It would be as though I had never existed, going directly from the womb to the grave. 20I have only a few days left, so leave me alone, that I may have a moment of comfort 21before I leave — never to return — for the land of darkness and utter gloom. 22It is a land as dark as midnight, a land of gloom and confusion, where even the light is dark as midnight.’'
King James Version
3Is 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? 4Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?
7Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand. 8Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.
New King James Version
1“My soul loathes my life; I will give free course to my complaint, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. 2I 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? 4Do You have eyes of flesh? Or 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, 6That You should seek for my iniquity And search out my sin, 7Although You know that I am not wicked, And there is no one who can deliver from Your hand? 8‘Your hands have made me and fashioned me, An intricate unity; Yet You would destroy me. 9Remember, I pray, that You have made me like clay. And will You turn me into dust again? 10 Did You not pour me out like milk, And curdle me like cheese, 11Clothe me with skin and flesh, And knit me together with bones and sinews? 12You 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: 14If I sin, then You mark me, And will not acquit me of my iniquity. 15If I am wicked, woe to me; Even if I am righteous, I cannot lift up my head. I am full of disgrace; See my misery! 16If my head is exalted, You hunt me like a fierce lion, And again You show Yourself awesome against me. 17You renew Your witnesses against me, And increase Your indignation toward me; Changes and war are ever with me. 18‘Why then have You brought me out of the womb? Oh, that I had perished and no eye had seen me! 19I would have been as though I had not been. I would have been carried from the womb to the grave. 20 Are not my days few? Cease! Leave me alone, that I may take a little comfort, 21Before I go to the place from which I shall not return, To the land of darkness and the shadow of death, 22A land as dark as darkness itself, As the shadow of death, without any order, Where even the light is like darkness.’ ”