Job 10:13–22

Yet these things you hid in your heart;

I know that this was your purpose.

If I sin, you watch me

and do not acquit me of my iniquity.

If I am guilty, woe to me!

If I am in the right, I cannot lift up my head,

for I am filled with disgrace

and look on my affliction.

And were my head lifted up, you would hunt me like a lion

and again work wonders against me.

You renew your witnesses against me

and increase your vexation toward me;

you bring fresh troops against me.

“Why did you bring me out from the womb?

Would that I had died before any eye had seen me

and were as though I had not been,

carried from the womb to the grave.

Are not my days few?

Then cease, and leave me alone, that I may find a little cheer

before I go—and I shall not return—

to the land of darkness and deep shadow,

the land of gloom like thick darkness,

like deep shadow without any order,

where light is as thick darkness.”

“But this is what you concealed in your heart,

and I know that this was in your mind:

If I sinned, you would be watching me

and would not let my offense go unpunished.

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.

If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion

and again display your awesome power against me.

You bring new witnesses against me

and increase your anger toward me;

your forces come against me wave upon wave.

“Why then did you bring me out of the womb?

I wish I had died before any eye saw me.

If only I had never come into being,

or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!

Are not my few days almost over?

Turn away from me so I can have a moment’s joy

before I go to the place of no return,

to the land of gloom and utter darkness,

to the land of deepest night,

of utter darkness and disorder,

where even the light is like darkness.”

“Yet you concealed these thoughts in your heart;

I know that this was your hidden plan:

if I sin, you would notice,

and would not acquit me of my iniquity.

If I am wicked, woe to me!

And even if I am righteous, I cannot lift up my head.

I am filled with shame

and have drunk deeply of my affliction.

If I am proud, you hunt me like a lion

and again display your miraculous power against me.

You produce new witnesses against me

and multiply your anger toward me.

Hardships assault me, wave after wave.

“Why did you bring me out of the womb?

I should have died and never been seen.

I wish I had never existed

but had been carried from the womb to the grave.

Are my days not few? Stop it!

Leave me alone, so that I can smile a little

before I go to a land of darkness and gloom,

never to return.

It is a land of blackness like the deepest darkness,

gloomy and chaotic,

where even the light is like the darkness.”

“ ‘Yet your real motive—

your true intent—

was to watch me, and if I sinned,

you would not forgive my guilt.

If I am guilty, too bad for me;

and even if I’m innocent, I can’t hold my head high,

because I am filled with shame and misery.

And if I hold my head high, you hunt me like a lion

and display your awesome power against me.

Again and again you witness against me.

You pour out your growing anger on me

and bring fresh armies against me.

“ ‘Why, then, did you deliver me from my mother’s womb?

Why didn’t you let me die at birth?

It would be as though I had never existed,

going directly from the womb to the grave.

I have only a few days left, so leave me alone,

that I may have a moment of comfort

before I leave—never to return—

for the land of darkness and utter gloom.

It is a land as dark as midnight,

a land of gloom and confusion,

where even the light is dark as midnight.’ ”

“ ‘Yet you hid these things in your heart;

I know that this was your purpose.

If I had sinned, then you would be watching me,

and you would not acquit me of my guilt.

If I am guilty, woe to me!

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

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

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

and you repeat your exploits against me.

You renew your witnesses against me,

and you increase your vexation against me;

relief forces are against me.

So why did you bring me forth from the womb?

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

I should have been as though I had not been;

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

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

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

Before I go—and I will not return—

to the land of darkness and deep shadow,

to the land of darkness,

like the darkness of a deep shadow and chaos,

so that it shines forth like darkness.’ ”

And these things hast thou hid in thine heart:

I know that this is with thee.

If I sin, then thou markest me,

And thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.

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;

For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion:

And again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.

Thou renewest thy witnesses against me,

And increasest thine indignation upon me;

Changes and war are against me.

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!

I should have been as though I had not been;

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

Are not my days few? cease then,

And let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,

Before I go whence I shall not return,

Even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;

A land of darkness, as darkness itself;

And of the shadow of death, without any order,

And where the light is as darkness.