Am I a sea, or a whalefish, that thou keepest me so in prison?

When I think, 'My bed shall comfort me; I shall have some refreshing by talking to myself upon my couch,'

then troublest thou me with dreams - and makest me so afraid through visions

that my soul wisheth rather to be strangled, and my bones to be dead.

I can see no remedy. I shall live no more. O spare me then, for my days are but vain.

Why goest thou not from me, nor lettest me alone, so long till I swallow down my spittle?

I have offended; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? Why hast thou made me to stand in thy way, and am so heavy a burden unto myself?

Why dost thou not forgive my sin? Wherefore takest thou not away my wickedness? Behold, now must I sleep in the dust: And if thou seekest me tomorrow in the morning, I shall be gone."

May a rush be green without moisture, or may the grass grow without water?

"Oftentimes, a thing doth flourish, and men think that it may abide the sunshine. It shooteth forth the branches in its garden,

"I know it is so of a truth: for how may a man, compared unto God, be justified?

If he came by me, I might not look upon him: if he went his way, I should not perceive it.

He is God, whose wrath no man may withstand: but the proudest of all must stoop under him.

Yea though I be righteous, yet will I not give him one word again, but meekly submit myself to my judge.

If I had called upon him, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had heard my voice!

He troubleth me so with the tempest, and woundeth me out of measure without a cause.

He will not let my spirit be in rest, but filleth me with bitterness.

If men will speak of strength, he is the strongest of all; if men will speak of righteousness, who dare be my record?

If I will justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me; if I will put forth my self for a perfect man, he shall prove me a wicked doer.

For though I be an innocent, and my conscience clear, yea am I weary of my life.

"My days are more swift than a runner: they are gone, and have seen no good thing.

When I am purposed to forget my complainings, to change my countenance, and to comfort myself;

Then am I afraid of all my works, for I know thou wilt not judge me innocent.

Though I washed my self with snowy water, and made mine hands never so clean,

yet shouldest thou dip me in the mire, and mine own clothes should defile me.

Let him take his rod away from me; yea, let him make me no more afraid of him,

It grieveth my soul to live. Nevertheless, now will I put forth my words: I will speak out of the very heaviness of my soul,

and will say unto God: O do not condemn me; but show me the cause, wherefore thou contendest so with me.

Thinkest thou it well done, to oppress me, to cast me off - being a work of thine hands - and to maintain the counsel of the ungodly?

that thou makest such inquisition for my wickedness, and searchest out my sin?

Whereas, notwithstanding, thou knowest that I am no wicked person, and that there is no man able to deliver me out of thine hand.

"Thy hands have made me, and fashioned me altogether round about. Wilt thou then destroy me suddenly?

O remember, I beseech thee, how that thou madest me of the mould of the earth, and shalt bring me into dust again.

Hast thou not turned me, as it were milk: and turned me to cruddes like cheese?

Thou hast covered me with skin and flesh, and joined me together with bones and sinews.

Thou hast granted me life, and done me good: and the diligent heed that thou tookest upon me hath preserved my spirit.

"If I did sin, thou haddest an eye unto me, and shalt not declare me innocent because of mine offense.

If I have done wickedly, woe is me therefore. If I have done righteously, yet dare I not lift up my head; so full am I of confusion, and see mine own misery.

Thou huntest me out, being in heaviness, as it were a lion, and troublest me out of measure.

Thou bringest fresh witnesses against me, and thy wrath increasest thou upon me; very many are the plagues that I am in.

Wherefore hast thou brought me out of my mother's womb? O that I had perished, and that no eye had seen me.

If they had carried me to my grave as soon as I was born, then should I be now, as though I had never been.

Shall not my short life come so soon to an end? O hold thee from me, let me alone, that I may ease myself a little

Nevertheless I am purposed to talk with the almighty, and my desire is to commune with God.

Therefore hear my words, and ponder the sentence of my lips.

"Hold your tongues now, and let me speak, for there is something come into my mind.

Wherefore do I bear my flesh in my teeth, and put my soul in my hands?

Lo, though he slay me, yet will I put my trust in him. But if I shew and reprove mine own ways in his sight,

he shall make me whole: And why? There may no hypocrite come before him.

Hear my words, and ponder my sayings with your ears.

Behold, now have I prepared my judgment, and know that I shall be found righteous.

What is he that will go to law with me? For if I hold my tongue, I shall die.

Nevertheless, grant me two things, and then will I not hide myself from thee.

Withdraw thine hand from me, and let not the fearful dread of thee make me afraid.

And then send for me to the law, that I may answer for myself: or else, let me speak, and give thou the answer.

"How great are my misdeeds and sins? Let me know my transgressions and offenses.

Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?

For thou layest sharply to my charge, and punisheth me, for the sins of my youth.

Thou hast put my foot in the stocks: thou lookest narrowly unto all my paths, and markest the steps of my feet.

Doest thou open thine eyes upon such one, and bringest me in thy judgment?

Go from him, that he may rest until his day come: which he looketh for, like as a hireling doth.

O that thou wouldest keep me, and hide me in the hell, until thy wrath were stilled: and to appoint me a time, wherein thou mightest remember me.

May a dead man live again? All the days of this my pilgrimage am I looking, till my changing shall come.

If thou wouldest but call me, I should obey thee: only despise not the work of thine own hands.

"For thou hast numbered all my goings, yet be not thou too extreme upon my sins.

Thou hast sealed up mine offenses, as it were in a bag: but be merciful unto my wickedness.

"I will tell thee; hear me. I will show thee a thing, that I know;

I could speak as ye do also. But would God, that your soul were in my soul's stead: then should I heap up words against you, and shake my head at you.

I should comfort you with my mouth, and release your pain with the talking of my lips.

"But what shall I do? For all my words, my sorrow will not cease: and though I hold my tongue, yet will it not depart from me.

But now that God hath sent me adversity, thou hast troubled all my congregation.

And that thou hast filled me with wrinkles, my flesh is witness; and my leanness riseth up against me and beareth witness thereof in my face.

He is angry at me, he hateth me, and gnasheth upon me with his teeth. Mine enemy scowleth upon me with his eyes.

They have opened their mouths wide upon me, and smitten me upon the cheek despitefully, they have eased themselves through mine adversity.

God hath given me over to the ungodly, and delivered me into the hands of the wicked.

I was some time in wealth, but suddenly hath he brought me to naught. He hath taken me by the neck, he hath rent me, and set me, as it were a mark for him to shoot at.

His archers compass me round about; he hath wounded my loins, and not spared. My bowels hath he poured upon the ground.

He hath given me one wound upon another, and is fallen upon me like a giant.

I have sewed a sackcloth upon my skin, and lie with my strength in the dust.

My face is swollen with weeping, and mine eyes are waxen dim.

"Howbeit there is no wickedness in my hands, and my prayer is clean.

O earth, cover not my blood, and let my crying find no room.

For lo, my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth me, is above in the height.

My friends laugh me to scorn, but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

yet the number of my years are come - and I must go the way from whence I shall not turn again.

My breath faileth, my days are shortened. I am hard at death's door.

Froward men are with me, and mine eye must continue in the bitterness of them.

O deliver me and set me by thee: who shall then be able to thrust my hands together?

He hath made me as it were a byword of the common people. I am his jesting stock among them.

Mine eye is dim for very heaviness, and all my strength is become like a shadow.

My days are past, my thoughts are vanished away, which have vexed my heart,

Though I tarry never so much, yet the grave is my house, and I must make my bed in the dark.

I call corruption my father, and the worms call I my mother and my sister.

What helpeth then my long tarrying? Or, who will fulfill the thing that I look for?

All that I have, shall go down into the pit, and lie with me in the dust."

"How long will ye vex my mind, and trouble me with words?

Lo, ten times have ye reproved me: are ye not ashamed, for to laugh me to scorn?

But if ye will enhance yourselves against me, and accuse me to be a wicked person because of the shame that is come upon me;

know this then: that it is God which hath handled me so violently, and hath compassed me about with his net.

Behold: though I cry, yet violence is done unto me. I cannot be heard! Though I complain, there is none to give sentence with me.