Job 10 | English Standard Version

English Standard Version

Job Continues: A Plea to God

1 “I loathe my life; I will give free utterance to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. (Nu 11:15; 1Ki 19:4; Job 7:11; Job 7:16; Job 9:21; Job 21:4; Job 23:2)

Nu 11:151Ki 19:4Job 7:11Job 7:16Job 9:21Job 21:4Job 23:2

2 I will say to God, Do not condemn me; let me know why you contend against me. (Job 9:3; Job 9:29) 3 Does it seem good to you to oppress, to despise the work of your hands and favor the designs of the wicked? (Job 9:24; Job 13:9; Job 14:15; Ps 89:38; Ps 138:8; Isa 64:8)

Job 9:24Job 13:9Job 14:15Ps 89:38Ps 138:8Isa 64:8

4 Have you eyes of flesh? Do you see as man sees? (1Sa 16:7; Joh 8:15) 5 Are your days as the days of man, or your years as a man’s years, (Job 36:26; Ps 77:10; Ps 90:4; 2Pe 3:8)

Job 36:26Ps 77:10Ps 90:42Pe 3:8

6 that you seek out my iniquity and search for my sin, (Job 14:16) 7 although you know that I am not guilty, and there is none to deliver out of your hand? (De 32:39; Job 2:3; Job 2:9; Isa 43:13)

De 32:39Job 2:3Job 2:9Isa 43:13

8 Your hands fashioned and made me, and now you have destroyed me altogether. (Ps 119:73) 9 Remember that you have made me like clay; and will you return me to the dust? (Ge 2:7; Ge 3:19; Job 4:17; Job 34:15; Ps 146:4; Ec 12:7)

Ge 2:7Ge 3:19Job 4:17Job 34:15Ps 146:4Ec 12:7

10 Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese? 11 You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews. 12 You have granted me life and steadfast love, and your care has preserved my spirit. 13 Yet these things you hid in your heart; I know that this was your purpose. (Job 23:14; Job 27:11) 14 If I sin, you watch me and do not acquit me of my iniquity. (Job 9:28; Job 13:27; Job 33:11; Ps 130:3)

Job 9:28Job 13:27Job 33:11Ps 130:3

15 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. (Job 9:15; Ps 25:18; Isa 3:11) 16 And were my head lifted up,^[1] you would hunt me like a lion and again work wonders against me. (Job 5:9; Job 28:8; Isa 38:13; Ho 5:14; Ho 13:7)

Job 5:9Job 28:8Isa 38:13Ho 5:14Ho 13:7

17 You renew your witnesses against me and increase your vexation toward me; you bring fresh troops against me. (Ru 1:21; Job 16:8; Job 19:12) 18 “Why did you bring me out from the womb? Would that I had died before any eye had seen me (Job 3:3; Job 3:11) 19 and were as though I had not been, carried from the womb to the grave. (Ob 1:16) 20 Are not my days few? Then cease, and leave me alone, that I may find a little cheer (Job 7:16; Job 9:27; Job 14:1; Ps 39:13)

Job 7:16Job 9:27Job 14:1Ps 39:13

21 before I go—and I shall not return— to the land of darkness and deep shadow, (2Sa 12:23; Job 3:5; Job 16:22; Job 30:26; Ps 88:12)

2Sa 12:23Job 3:5Job 16:22Job 30:26Ps 88:12

22 the land of gloom like thick darkness, like deep shadow without any order, where light is as thick darkness.”

New International Version

from Biblica

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 say to God: do not declare me guilty, but tell me what charges you have against me. 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 Do you have eyes of flesh? Do you see as a mortal sees? 5 Are your days like those of a mortal or your years like those of a strong man, 6 that you must search out my faults and probe after my sin – 7 though you know that I am not guilty and that no-one can rescue me from your hand? 8 ‘Your hands shaped me and made me. Will you now turn and destroy me? 9 Remember that you moulded me like clay. Will you now turn me to dust again? 10 Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese, 11 clothe me with skin and flesh and knit me together with bones and sinews? 12 You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit. 13 ‘But this is what you concealed in your heart, and I know that this was in your mind: 14 if I sinned, you would be watching me and would not let my offence go unpunished. 15 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^[1] my affliction. 16 If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion and again display your awesome power against me. 17 You bring new witnesses against me and increase your anger towards me; your forces come against me wave upon wave. 18 ‘Why then did you bring me out of the womb? I wish I had died before any eye saw me. 19 If only I had never come into being, or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave! 20 Are not my few days almost over? Turn away from me so that I can have a moment’s joy 21 before I go to the place of no return, to the land of gloom and utter darkness, 22 to the land of deepest night, of utter darkness and disorder, where even the light is like darkness.’

King James Version

1 My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. 2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with 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? 4 Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth? 5 Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man' days, 6 That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin? 7 Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand. 8 Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me. 9 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again? 10 Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese? 11 Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews. 12 Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit. 13 And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee. 14 If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity. 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; 16 For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me. 17 Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me. 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! 19 I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried 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, 21 Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death; 22 A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.

New International Reader’s Version

from Biblica

1 ‘I’m sick of living. So I’ll talk openly about my problems. I’ll speak out because my spirit is bitter. 2 I say to God, “Don’t find me guilty. Instead, tell me what charges you are bringing against me. 3 Does it make you happy when you crush me? Does it please you to turn your back on what you have made? While you do those things, you smile on the plans of sinful people! 4 You don’t have human eyes. You don’t see as people see. 5 Your days aren’t like the days of a mere human being. Your years aren’t even like the years of a strong man. 6 So you search for my mistakes. You look for my sin. 7 You already know I’m not guilty. No one can save me from your power. 8 ‘ “Your hands shaped me and made me. So are you going to destroy me now? 9 Remember, you moulded me like clay. So are you going to turn me back into dust? 10 Didn’t you pour me out like milk? Didn’t you form me like cheese? 11 Didn’t you put skin and flesh on me? Didn’t you sew me together with bones and muscles? 12 You gave me life. You were kind to me. You took good care of me. You watched over me. 13 ‘ “But here’s what you hid in your heart. Here’s what you had on your mind. 14 If I sinned, you would be watching me. You wouldn’t let me go without punishing me. 15 If I were guilty, how terrible that would be for me! Even if I haven’t sinned, I can’t be proud of what I’ve done. That’s because I’m so full of shame. I’m drowning in my suffering. 16 If I become proud, you hunt me down like a lion. You show your mighty power against me. 17 You bring new witnesses against me. You become more and more angry with me. You use your power against me again and again. 18 ‘ “Why did you bring me out of my mother’s body? I wish I had died before anyone saw me. 19 I wish I’d never been born! I wish I’d been carried straight from my mother’s body to the grave! 20 Aren’t my few days almost over? Leave me so I can have a moment of joy. 21 Turn away before I go to the place I can’t return from. It’s the land of gloom and total darkness. 22 It’s the land of darkest night and total darkness and disorder. There even the light is like darkness.” ’