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

My soul wrangles against my life. I shall burden myself with my plaint. I shall speak in the bitterness of my soul.

I will say to God, Do not condemn me; inform why Thou dost contend with me.

I say to G d: Do not brand me as an evildoer. Tell me what You accuse me of.

Is it good to Thee that Thou shouldst oppress, that Thou shouldst despise the work of Thy hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

Is it pleasing to You that You rob [(the righteous of their righteousness)], that You despise the labor of Your hands, and that You shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

Hast Thou eyes of flesh? or seest Thou as man sees?

Do You have eyes of flesh [(that You do not distinguish between the righteous and the wicked)] Do You see [only] as mortals do?

Are Thy days as the days of man? are Thy years as man’s days,

Are Your days the days of a mortal? Are Your years as the years of a man

that Thou inquirest after my iniquity, and searchest after my sin;

that You seek out my transgression and search out my sin?

although Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of Thy hand?

You know that I will not be incriminated — but there is no escape from Your hand.

Thy hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet Thou dost destroy me.

Your hands moulded me and made me, and now [Your hosts (the worms)] come round [me] together and You would swallow me up.

Remember, I beseech Thee, that Thou hast made me like clay; and wilt Thou bring me back to dust?

Remember, now, that You fashioned me as clay, and would You [now] return me to the earth?

Hast Thou not poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese?

Did You not rarefy me as milk [(in the sperm)] and solidify me as cheese?

Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast knit me together with bones and sinews.

You clothed me in skin and flesh, and You covered me with bones and sinews.

Thou hast granted me life and favour, and Thy providence has preserved my spirit.

Life, through lovingkindness, You bequeathed to me, and Your charge guarded my spirit.

Yet these things hast Thou hidden in thy heart: I know that this is with Thee.

And have You hidden [these things] in Your heart [(in order to destroy me)]? I know that this [(all that I have mentioned)] is with You [(and that You have not forgotten)].

If I sin, then Thou markest me, and Thou wilt not acquit me from my iniquity.

If I have sinned, You have guarded me [and overlooked nothing], and You would not cleanse me of my transgression.

If I be wicked, woe is me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head; for I am filled with disgrace, and I see my affliction.

If I am wicked, woe unto me! And if I am righteous [(what good is it?)] I cannot hold up my head, sated with shame [as I am] and beholding my affliction.

If my head is lifted up proudly, Thou huntest me like a lion: and again Thou dost work wonders against me.

[My offense] has grown so great [in Your eyes] that You hunt me as a lion. And You return [day after day], [ever more] exacting [with me].

Thou renewest Thy witnesses against me, and increasest Thy indignation upon me; Thou dost bring fresh armies against me.

You renew Your witnesses against me [(to bring fresh woes upon me)] and You increase Your anger against me. Changes [(of afflictions)] and set times [for each] are with me.

Why then hast Thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh, that I had perished, and no eye had seen me!

Why did You take me from the womb? Would that I had died and no eye had seen me!

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

Then it would have been as if I had not been. Would that I had been brought from the stomach to the grave!

Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,

Are my days not few? Desist! Betake Yourself and let me come to myself a little

Before I go whence I shall not return, to the land of darkness and the shadow of death,

before I go — not to return — to the land of darkness and the shadow of death.

A land of gloom, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.

A land of darkness — like pitch darkness. It is the shadow of death and there are no [diurnal] orders there; and even the light there is like pitch darkness.