²⁹I—I am become wicked; why is this? In vain I labour. ³⁰If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified with soap my hands, ³¹Then in corruption Thou dost dip me, And my garments have abominated me.

Read in Logos

Public Domain.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

I shall be condemned;

why then do I labor in vain?

If I wash myself with snow

and cleanse my hands with lye,

yet you will plunge me into a pit,

and my own clothes will abhor me.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Since I am already found guilty,

why should I struggle in vain?

Even if I washed myself with soap

and my hands with cleansing powder,

you would plunge me into a slime pit

so that even my clothes would detest me.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Since I will be found guilty,

why should I struggle in vain?

If I wash myself with snow,

and cleanse my hands with lye,

then you dip me in a pit of mud,

and my own clothes despise me!

NLTNew Living Translation

Whatever happens, I will be found guilty.

So what’s the use of trying?

Even if I were to wash myself with soap

and clean my hands with lye,

you would plunge me into a muddy ditch,

and my own filthy clothing would hate me.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

If I shall be declared guilty,

why then should I labor in vain?

If I wash myself with soap,

and I cleanse my hands with lye,

then you plunge me into the slime pit,

and my clothes abhor me.

KJV 1900King James Version

If I be wicked,

Why then labour I in vain?

If I wash myself with snow water,

And make my hands never so clean;

Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch,

And mine own clothes shall abhor me.

Public Domain