Let Him take His rod away from me
so His terror will no longer frighten me.

I am disgusted with my life.
I will express my complaint
and speak in the bitterness of my soul.

I will say to God:
“Do not declare me guilty!
Let me know why You prosecute me.

“Your hands shaped me and formed me.
Will You now turn and destroy me?

Please remember that You formed me like clay.
Will You now return me to dust?

Surely He knows which people are worthless.
If He sees iniquity, will He not take note of it?

But a stupid man will gain understanding
as soon as a wild donkey is born a man!

then you will hold your head high, free from fault.
You will be firmly established and unafraid.

For you will forget your suffering,
recalling it only as waters that have flowed by.

Your life will be brighter than noonday;
its darkness will be like the morning.

You will be confident, because there is hope.
You will look carefully about and lie down in safety.

You will lie down without fear,
and many will seek your favor.

But the sight of the wicked will fail.
Their way of escape will be cut off,
and their only hope is their last breath.

No doubt you are the people,
and wisdom will die with you!

But ask the animals, and they will instruct you;
ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.

Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you;
let the fish of the sea inform you.

Be quiet, and I will speak.
Let whatever comes happen to me.

Even if He kills me, I will hope in Him.
I will still defend my ways before Him.

Yes, this will result in my deliverance,
for no godless person can appear before Him.

Can anyone indict me?
If so, I will be silent and die.

Only grant these two things to me, God,
so that I will not have to hide from Your presence:

Then call, and I will answer,
or I will speak, and You can respond to me.

Will You frighten a wind-driven leaf?
Will You chase after dry straw?

Do You really take notice of one like this?
Will You bring me into judgment against You?

There is hope for a tree:
If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
and its shoots will not die.

so man lies down never to rise again.
They will not wake up until the heavens are no more;
they will not stir from their sleep.

When a man dies, will he come back to life?
If so, I would wait all the days of my struggle
until my relief comes.

Listen to me and I will inform you.
I will describe what I have seen,

He doesn’t believe he will return from darkness;
he is destined for the sword.

he will dwell in ruined cities,
in abandoned houses destined to become piles of rubble.

He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure.
His possessions will not increase in the land.

He will not escape from the darkness;
flames will wither his shoots,
and by the breath of God’s mouth, he will depart.

Let him not put trust in worthless things, being led astray,
for what he gets in exchange will prove worthless.

It will be accomplished before his time,
and his branch will not flourish.

He will be like a vine that drops its unripe grapes
and like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.

For the company of the godless will have no children,
and fire will consume the tents of those who offer bribes.

For only a few years will pass
before I go the way of no return.

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Make arrangements! Put up security for me.
Who else will be my sponsor?

You have closed their minds to understanding,
therefore You will not honor them.

If a man informs on his friends for a price,
the eyes of his children will fail.

Yet the righteous person will hold to his way,
and the one whose hands are clean will grow stronger.

But come back and try again, all of you.
I will not find a wise man among you.

Will it go down to the gates of Sheol,
or will we descend together to the dust?

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

Why do you persecute me as God does?
Will you never get enough of my flesh?

But I know my living Redeemer,
and He will stand on the dust at last.

Even after my skin has been destroyed,
yet I will see God in my flesh.

I will see Him myself;
my eyes will look at Him, and not as a stranger.
My heart longs within me.

If you say, “How will we pursue him,
since the root of the problem lies with him?”

he will vanish forever like his own dung.
Those who know him will ask, “Where is he?”

He will fly away like a dream and never be found;
he will be chased away like a vision in the night.

The eye that saw him will see him no more,
and his household will no longer see him.

His children will beg from the poor,
for his own hands must give back his wealth.

His bones may be full of youthful vigor,
but will lie down with him in the grave.

though he cherishes it and will not let it go
but keeps it in his mouth,

He swallows wealth but must vomit it up;
God will force it from his stomach.

He will suck the poison of cobras;
a viper’s fangs will kill him.

He will not enjoy the streams,
the rivers flowing with honey and cream.

Nothing is left for him to consume;
therefore, his prosperity will not last.

At the height of his success distress will come to him;
the full weight of misery will crush him.

When he fills his stomach,
God will send His burning anger against him,
raining it down on him while he is eating.

If he flees from an iron weapon,
an arrow from a bronze bow will pierce him.

Total darkness is reserved for his treasures.
A fire unfanned by human hands will consume him;
it will feed on what is left in his tent.

The heavens will expose his iniquity,
and the earth will rise up against him.

The possessions in his house will be removed,
flowing away on the day of God’s anger.

Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him,
and what will we gain by pleading with Him?”

Will you continue on the ancient path
that wicked men have walked?

Come to terms with God and be at peace;
in this way good will come to you.

If you return to the Almighty, you will be renewed.
If you banish injustice from your tent

the Almighty will be your gold
and your finest silver.

Then you will delight in the Almighty
and lift up your face to God.

You will pray to Him, and He will hear you,
and you will fulfill your vows.

When you make a decision, it will be carried out,
and light will shine on your ways.

When others are humiliated and you say, “Lift them up,”
God will save the humble.

He will even rescue the guilty one,
who will be rescued by the purity of your hands.

Would He prosecute me forcefully?
No, He will certainly pay attention to me.

Yet He knows the way I have taken;
when He has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold.

He will certainly accomplish what He has decreed for me,
and He has many more things like these in mind.

Like wild donkeys in the desert,
the poor go out to their task of foraging for food;
the wilderness provides nourishment for their children.

The adulterer’s eye watches for twilight,
thinking: No eye will see me;
he covers his face.

my lips will not speak unjustly,
and my tongue will not utter deceit.

I will never affirm that you are right.
I will maintain my integrity until I die.

I will cling to my righteousness and never let it go.
My conscience will not accuse me as long as I live!

Will God hear his cry
when distress comes on him?

Will he delight in the Almighty?
Will he call on God at all times?

I will teach you about God’s power.
I will not conceal what the Almighty has planned.

Even if his children increase, they are destined for the sword;
his descendants will never have enough food.

Those who survive him will be buried by the plague,
yet their widows will not weep for them.

he may heap it up, but the righteous will wear it,
and the innocent will divide up his silver.

He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more;
when he opens his eyes, it is gone.

So I thought: I will die in my own nest
and multiply my days as the sand.

My roots will have access to water,
and the dew will rest on my branches all night.

My strength will be refreshed within me,
and my bow will be renewed in my hand.

Yes, I know that You will lead me to death—
the place appointed for all who live.

let God weigh me in accurate scales,
and He will recognize my integrity.

Therefore I say, “Listen to me.
I too will declare what I know.”

But Job has not directed his argument to me,
and I will not respond to him with your arguments.

I too will answer;
yes, I will tell what I know.

I will be partial to no one,
and I will not give anyone an undeserved title.

I am going to open my mouth;
my tongue will form words on my palate.