"Though I speak, my grief is not subsided. Though I forbear, what am I eased?

But now, God, you have surely worn me out. You have made desolate all my company.

You have shriveled me up. This is a witness against me. My leanness rises up against me. It testifies to my face.

He has torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me. He has gnashed on me with his teeth. My adversary sharpens his eyes on me.

They have gaped on me with their mouth. They have struck me on the cheek reproachfully. They gather themselves together against me.

God delivers me to the ungodly, and casts me into the hands of the wicked.

I was at ease, and he broke me apart. Yes, he has taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces. He has also set me up for his target.

His archers surround me. He splits my kidneys apart, and does not spare. He pours out my gall on the ground.

He breaks me with breach on breach. He runs on me like a giant.

I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and have thrust my horn in the dust.

My face is red with weeping. Deep darkness is on my eyelids.

Although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure.

"Earth, don't cover my blood. Let my cry have no place to rest.

Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven. He who vouches for me is on high.

My friends scoff at me. My eyes pour out tears to God,

"My spirit is consumed. My days are extinct, And the grave is ready for me.

Surely there are mockers with me. My eye dwells on their provocation.

"Now give a pledge, be collateral for me with yourself. Who is there who will strike hands with me?

"But he has made me a byword of the people. They spit in my face.

My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow. All my members are as a shadow.

My days are past, my plans are broken off, as are the thoughts of my heart.

If I look for Sheol as my house, if I have spread my couch in the darkness,

If I have said to corruption, 'You are my father;' to the worm, 'My mother,' and 'my sister;'

where then is my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?

Shall it go down with me to the gates of Sheol, or descend together into the dust?"

"How long will you torment me, and crush me with words?

You have reproached me ten times. You aren't ashamed that you attack me.

If it is true that I have erred, my error remains with myself.

If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach;

know now that God has subverted me, and has surrounded me with his net.

He has walled up my way so that I can't pass, and has set darkness in my paths.

He has stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.

He has broken me down on every side, and I am gone. My hope he has plucked up like a tree.

He has also kindled his wrath against me. He counts me among his adversaries.

His troops come on together, build a siege ramp against me, and encamp around my tent.

"He has put my brothers far from me. My acquaintances are wholly estranged from me.

My relatives have gone away. My familiar friends have forgotten me.

Those who dwell in my house, and my maids, count me for a stranger. I am an alien in their sight.

I call to my servant, and he gives me no answer. I beg him with my mouth.

My breath is offensive to my wife. I am loathsome to the children of my own mother.

Even young children despise me. If I arise, they speak against me.

All my familiar friends abhor me. They whom I loved have turned against me.

My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh. I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.

"Have pity on me, have pity on me, you my friends; for the hand of God has touched me.

Why do you persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?

"Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!

But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives. In the end, he will stand upon the earth.

After my skin is destroyed, then in my flesh shall I see God,

Whom I, even I, shall see on my side. My eyes shall see, and not as a stranger. "My heart is consumed within me.

If you say, 'How we will persecute him!' because the root of the matter is found in me,

be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishments of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment."

"Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, even by reason of my haste that is in me.

I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame. The spirit of my understanding answers me.

"Listen diligently to my speech. Let this be your consolation.

Allow me, and I also will speak; After I have spoken, mock on.

As for me, is my complaint to man? Why shouldn't I be impatient?

Look at me, and be astonished. Lay your hand on your mouth.

When I remember, I am troubled. Horror takes hold of my flesh.

Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

You say, 'God lays up his iniquity for his children.' Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.

"Behold, I know your thoughts, the devices with which you would wrong me.

So how can you comfort me with nonsense, because in your answers there remains only falsehood?"

Yet he filled their houses with good things, but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

"Even today my complaint is rebellious. His hand is heavy in spite of my groaning.

I would set my cause in order before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would tell me.

Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power? No, but he would listen to me.

There the upright might reason with him, so I should be delivered forever from my judge.

But he knows the way that I take. When he has tried me, I shall come forth like gold.

My foot has held fast to his steps. I have kept his way, and not turned aside.

I haven't gone back from the commandment of his lips. I have treasured up the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

For he performs that which is appointed for me. Many such things are with him.

For God has made my heart faint. The Almighty has terrified me.

Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither did he cover the thick darkness from my face.

The eye also of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, 'No eye shall see me.' He disguises his face.

If it isn't so now, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech worth nothing?"

"As God lives, who has taken away my right, the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter.

(For the length of my life is still in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils);

surely my lips shall not speak unrighteousness, neither shall my tongue utter deceit.

Far be it from me that I should justify you. Until I die I will not put away my integrity from me.

I hold fast to my righteousness, and will not let it go. My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

"Let my enemy be as the wicked. Let him who rises up against me be as the unrighteous.

he may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.

The deep says, 'It isn't in me.' The sea says, 'It isn't with me.'

"Oh that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me;

when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,

as I was in the ripeness of my days, when the friendship of God was in my tent,

when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,

when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,

when I went forth to the city gate, when I prepared my seat in the street.

The young men saw me and hid themselves. The aged rose up and stood.

For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it commended me:

the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was as a robe and a diadem.

Then I said, 'I shall die in my own house, I shall number my days as the sand.

My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.

My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.'

"Men listened to me, waited, and kept silence for my counsel.

After my words they didn't speak again. My speech fell on them.

They waited for me as for the rain. Their mouths drank as with the spring rain.