King James Version KJV
New International Version NIV
1 My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
1
“I loathe my very life; therefore I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.
2
I say to God: Do not declare me guilty, but tell me what charges you have against me.
3 Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?
3
Does it please you to oppress me, to spurn the work of your hands, while you smile on the plans of the wicked?
4 Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?
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Do you have eyes of flesh? Do you see as a mortal sees?
5 Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man's days,
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Are your days like those of a mortal or your years like those of a strong man,
6 That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin?
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that you must search out my faults and probe after my sin—
7 Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.
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though you know that I am not guilty and that no one can rescue me from your hand?
8 Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.
8
“Your hands shaped me and made me. Will you now turn and destroy me?
9 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?
9
Remember that you molded me like clay. Will you now turn me to dust again?
10 Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?
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Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese,
11 Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews.
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clothe me with skin and flesh and knit me together with bones and sinews?
12 Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.
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You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit.
13 And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee.
13
“But this is what you concealed in your heart, and I know that this was in your mind:
14 If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.
14
If I sinned, you would be watching me and would not let my offense go unpunished.
15 If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction;
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If I am guilty—woe to me! Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head, for I am full of shame and drowned in my affliction.
16 For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.
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If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion and again display your awesome power against me.
17 Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me.
17
You bring new witnesses against me and increase your anger toward me; your forces come against me wave upon wave.
18 Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!
18
“Why then did you bring me out of the womb? I wish I had died before any eye saw me.
19 I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.
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If only I had never come into being, or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!
20 Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,
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Are not my few days almost over? Turn away from me so I can have a moment’s joy
21 Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;
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before I go to the place of no return, to the land of gloom and utter darkness,
22 A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.
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to the land of deepest night, of utter darkness and disorder, where even the light is like darkness.”
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.