For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then would I have been at rest,

I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:

For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.

Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!

Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

Then should I still have comfort; yea, I would exult myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

I loathe it; I would not live always: let me alone; for my days are vanity.

If you would seek unto God early, and make your supplication to the Almighty;

If you were pure and upright; surely now he would awake for you, and make the habitation of your righteousness prosperous.

For, though I were righteous, yet could I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

Though I were blameless, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

I would have been as though I had not been; I would have been carried from the womb to the grave.

But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against you;

And that he would show you the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacts of you less than your iniquity deserves.

Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

O that you would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

O that you would hide me in the grave, that you would conceal me, until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!

But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips would relieve your grief.

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

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

Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.

For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would scarcely flee out of his hand.

But now they that are younger than I hold me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.

For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase.

This also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.

Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that my adversary had written a book.

Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.

I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.

For I know not how to give flattery; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.

All flesh would perish together, and man would turn again unto dust.

Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways:

Even so would he have removed you out of the distress into a broad place, where there is no restraint; and that which should be set on your table should be full of richness.

None is so fierce that would dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?

He leaves a path shining after him; one would think the deep to have white hair.