2 I will say to God, ‘You should not condemn me;

let me know why you contend against me.

3 Is it good for you that you oppress,

that you despise the labor of your hands,

and you smile over the schemes of the wicked?

4 ⌊Do you have eyes of flesh⌋?d

Or ⌊do you see as human beings see⌋?e

5 Are your days as the days of human beings,

or your years as the days of man,

6 that you seek out my iniquity,

and you search for my sin

7 because of your knowledge that I am not guilty,

and there is no escaping from your hand?

8 Your hands fashioned me and made mef ⌊altogether⌋,g

thenh you destroyed me.

9 Pleasei remember that you made me like clay,

butj you turn me into dust again?

10 Did you not pour me out like milk

and ⌊curdle me⌋k like cheese?

11 You clothed me with skin and flesh,

and you knit me together with bones and sinews.

12 You have granted me life and loyal love,

and your care has preserved my spirit.

13 “ ‘Yetl you hid these things in your heart;

I know that this ⌊was your purpose⌋.m

14 If I had sinned, thenn you would be watching me,

and you would not acquit me of my guilt.

15 If I am guilty, woe to me!

Buto if I am righteous, I dare not lift my head;

I am filled with shame, and just look at my misery!

16 And if my head grows bold, you would hunt me as the lion in its prime;

⌊and you repeat your exploits against me⌋.p

17 You renew your witnesses against me,

and you increase your vexation against me;

⌊relief forces⌋q are against me.

18 Sor why did you bring me forth from the womb?

I should have passed away, ⌊and no eye should have seen me⌋.s

19 I should have been as though I had not been;

I should have been brought from the womb to the grave.

20 Are not my days few? Let him leave me alone;

let him turn from me, and let me rejoice a little.

21 Before I go—and I will not return—

to the land of darkness and deep shadow,

22 to the land of darkness,

like the darkness of a deep shadow and ⌊chaos⌋,t

so thatu it shines forth like darkness.’ ”