For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses.

If for strength, behold him strong: if for judgment, who shall arraign me

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.

I have done no wrong; I give no thought to what becomes of me; I have no desire for life.

One thing, there is, for which cause, I have said it, The blameless and the lawless, he bringeth to an end.

“The earth is given into the hands of the wicked;
He covers the faces of its judges [so that they are blind to justice].
If it is not He, then who is it [that is responsible for all this injustice]?

I am afraid of all my pains and worries [yet to come];
I know that You will not acquit me and leave me unpunished.

You will not let me be clear of sin! why then do I take trouble for nothing?

For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.

Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

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

My soul is weary of my life; I will give free course to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

Saying to God, Thou wilt not condemn me; make known to me for what thou wilt contend with me.

Is it good for Thee that Thou dost oppress? That Thou despisest the labour of Thy hands, And on the counsel of the wicked hast shone?

That Thou inquirest for mine iniquity, And for my sin seekest?

For Thou knowest that I am not wicked, And there is no deliverer from Thy hand.

‘Yet these [present evils] You have hidden in Your heart [since my creation]:
I know that this was within You [in Your purpose and thought].

If I sin, you watch me and won't acquit me for my iniquity.

‘If I am wicked, woe to me [for judgment comes]!
And if I am righteous, I dare not lift up my head.
For I am sated and filled with disgrace and the sight of my misery.

For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.

Why then did you make me come out of my mother's body? It would have been better for me to have taken my last breath, and for no eye to have seen me,

And for me to have been as if I had not been; to have been taken from my mother's body straight to my last resting-place.

Are not my days, few? - then forbear, and set me aside, that I may brighten up for a little;

before I go, never to return, leaving for the land of deep darkness and shadow.

“Shall a multitude of words not be answered?
And should a talkative man [making such a long-winded defense] be acquitted?

For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

And that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom! For he is manifold in understanding. Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

They are higher than heaven; what is there for you to do? deeper than the underworld, and outside your knowledge;

“If God passes by or arrests,
Or calls an assembly [of judgment], who can restrain Him?
[If He is against a man, who can call Him to account for it?]

For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?

For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.

As for you, if you redirect your heart
and lift up your hands to Him in prayer—

If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:

For thou shalt forget thy misery; Thou shalt remember it as waters that are passed away,

And thou didst trust, for there is hope; and thou didst search out; thou shalt lie down confidently.

“You would lie down with no one to frighten you,
And many would entreat and seek your favor.

“But the eyes of the wicked will fail,
And they will not escape [the justice of God];
And their hope is to breathe their last [and die].”

For truly you are the people, and wisdom will die with you.

In the thought of him that is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; It is ready for them whose foot slippeth.

[The] tents of [the] destroyers are at peace, and [there is] security for those who provoke God, [for those] whom God brings into his hand.

“Now ask the animals, and let them teach you [that God does not deal with His creatures according to their character];
And ask the birds of the air, and let them tell you;

Doth not the ear try words? And the palate taste food for itself?

and grope in the dark without light, staggering to and fro like drunken men.

Behold all mine eye saw, and mine ear heard, and it will understand for it

Yet I for the Mighty One do speak, And to argue for God I delight.

For ye indeed are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.

O that ye would keep perfectly silent, And it would be to you for wisdom.

Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?

Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?

“Will it be well for you when He investigates you [and your tactics against me]?
Or will you deceive Him as one deceives a man?

He will certainly put you right, if you have respect for persons in secret.

“Will not His majesty terrify you,
And will not the dread of Him fall upon you?

Your remembrances are similes of ashes, For high places of clay your heights.

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

For what shall I lift up my flesh in my teeth, and shall I put my soul in my hand?

“Even though He kills me;
I will hope in Him.
Nevertheless, I will argue my ways to His face.

He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

"Look, now! I've prepared my case for court. I know that I'm going to win.

Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.

Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.

Then at the sound of your voice I will give answer; or let me put forward my cause for you to give me an answer.

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

Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

You put my feet in the stocks
and stand watch over all my paths,
setting a limit for the soles of my feet.

Though a man comes to nothing like a bit of dead wood, or like a robe which has become food for the worm.

As for man, the son of woman, his days are short and full of trouble.

Do you fix your eye on such a one? And do you bring me before you for judgment?

For who shall give a clean thing from an unclean? Not one.

If determined am his days, the number of his months, is with thee, Fixed times for him, thou hast appointed and he cannot go beyond.

“[O God] turn your gaze from him so that he may rest,
Until he fulfills his day [on earth] like a hired man.

For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.

For though a root be waxen old and dead in the ground,

But as for man; when he is dead, perished and consumed away, what becometh of him?

O that in Sheol Thou wouldest conceal me, Hide me till the turning of Thine anger, Set for me a limit, and remember me.

If death takes a man, will he come to life again? All the days of my trouble I would be waiting, till the time came for me to be free.

“[Then] You will call, and I will answer You;
You will long for [me] the work of Your hands.

For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?

“My transgression is sealed up in a bag,
And You cover my wickedness [from Your view].

Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

His sons will be honored and he knew not: they will be brought low, and he will not understand for them.

But his flesh hath pain for himself alone, and his soul mourneth for himself.

Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.

For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.

Hast thou listened in the secret council of +God? And hast thou absorbed wisdom for thyself?

“Among us are both the gray-haired and the aged,
Older than your father.

Are the consolations of God too small for thee, Even the word that is gentle toward thee?

For thou turnest against God thy spirit? And hast brought out words from thy mouth:

For only to them was the land given, and no strange people were among them:)

The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, Even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.

A sound of fear is in his ears; in time of peace destruction will come on him:

He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.

He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

Distress and anguish make him afraid; they prevail against him, as a king ready for the battle.

For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.

Running against him like a man of war, covered by his thick breastplate; even like a king ready for the fight,

For he hath covered his face with his fatness, and gathered fat upon his flanks.

{he will dwell} [in] desolate cities, in houses that they should not inhabit, which are destined for rubble.