² “If only my anguish could be weighed
    and all my misery be placed on the scales!^(A)
3 It would surely outweigh the sand^(B) of the seas—
    no wonder my words have been impetuous.^(C)
4 The arrows^(D) of the Almighty^(E) are in me,^(F)
    my spirit drinks^(G) in their poison;^(H)
    God’s terrors^(I) are marshaled against me.^(J)
5 Does a wild donkey^(K) bray^(L) when it has grass,
    or an ox bellow when it has fodder?^(M)
6 Is tasteless food eaten without salt,
    or is there flavor in the sap of the mallow^[a]?^(N)
7 I refuse to touch it;
    such food makes me ill.^(O)

⁸ “Oh, that I might have my request,
    that God would grant what I hope for,^(P)
9 that God would be willing to crush^(Q) me,
    to let loose his hand and cut off my life!^(R)
10 Then I would still have this consolation^(S)—
    my joy in unrelenting pain^(T)—
    that I had not denied the words^(U) of the Holy One.^(V)

¹¹ “What strength do I have, that I should still hope?
    What prospects, that I should be patient?^(W)
12 Do I have the strength of stone?
    Is my flesh bronze?^(X)
13 Do I have any power to help myself,^(Y)
    now that success has been driven from me?

¹⁴ “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend^(Z)
    forsakes the fear of the Almighty.^(AA)
15 But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams,^(AB)
    as the streams that overflow
¹⁶ when darkened by thawing ice
    and swollen with melting snow,^(AC)
17 but that stop flowing in the dry season,
    and in the heat^(AD) vanish from their channels.
¹⁸ Caravans turn aside from their routes;
    they go off into the wasteland and perish.
¹⁹ The caravans of Tema^(AE) look for water,
    the traveling merchants of Sheba^(AF) look in hope.
²⁰ They are distressed, because they had been confident;
    they arrive there, only to be disappointed.^(AG)
21 Now you too have proved to be of no help;
    you see something dreadful and are afraid.^(AH)
22 Have I ever said, ‘Give something on my behalf,
    pay a ransom^(AI) for me from your wealth,^(AJ)
23 deliver me from the hand of the enemy,
    rescue me from the clutches of the ruthless’?^(AK)

²⁴ “Teach me, and I will be quiet;^(AL)
    show me where I have been wrong.^(AM)
25 How painful are honest words!^(AN)
    But what do your arguments prove?
²⁶ Do you mean to correct what I say,
    and treat my desperate words as wind?^(AO)
27 You would even cast lots^(AP) for the fatherless^(AQ)
    and barter away your friend.

²⁸ “But now be so kind as to look at me.
    Would I lie to your face?^(AR)
29 Relent, do not be unjust;^(AS)
    reconsider, for my integrity^(AT) is at stake.^[b](AU)
30 Is there any wickedness on my lips?^(AV)
    Can my mouth not discern^(AW) malice?

7 “Do not mortals have hard service^(AX) on earth?^(AY)
    Are not their days like those of hired laborers?^(AZ)
2 Like a slave longing for the evening shadows,^(BA)
    or a hired laborer waiting to be paid,^(BB)
3 so I have been allotted months of futility,
    and nights of misery have been assigned to me.^(BC)
4 When I lie down I think, ‘How long before I get up?’^(BD)
    The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.^(BE)
5 My body is clothed with worms^(BF) and scabs,
    my skin is broken and festering.^(BG)

⁶ “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,^(BH)
    and they come to an end without hope.^(BI)
7 Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath;^(BJ)
    my eyes will never see happiness again.^(BK)
8 The eye that now sees me will see me no longer;
    you will look for me, but I will be no more.^(BL)
9 As a cloud vanishes^(BM) and is gone,
    so one who goes down to the grave^(BN) does not return.^(BO)
10 He will never come to his house again;
    his place^(BP) will know him no more.^(BQ)

¹¹ “Therefore I will not keep silent;^(BR)
    I will speak out in the anguish^(BS) of my spirit,
    I will complain^(BT) in the bitterness of my soul.^(BU)
12 Am I the sea,^(BV) or the monster of the deep,^(BW)
    that you put me under guard?^(BX)
13 When I think my bed will comfort me
    and my couch will ease my complaint,^(BY)
14 even then you frighten me with dreams
    and terrify^(BZ) me with visions,^(CA)
15 so that I prefer strangling and death,^(CB)
    rather than this body of mine.^(CC)
16 I despise my life;^(CD) I would not live forever.^(CE)
    Let me alone;^(CF) my days have no meaning.^(CG)

¹⁷ “What is mankind that you make so much of them,
    that you give them so much attention,^(CH)
18 that you examine them every morning^(CI)
    and test them^(CJ) every moment?^(CK)
19 Will you never look away from me,^(CL)
    or let me alone even for an instant?^(CM)
20 If I have sinned, what have I done to you,^(CN)
    you who see everything we do?
Why have you made me your target?^(CO)
    Have I become a burden to you?^[c](CP)
21 Why do you not pardon my offenses
    and forgive my sins?^(CQ)
For I will soon lie down in the dust;^(CR)
    you will search for me, but I will be no more.”^(CS)

² “How long will you say such things?^(CU)
    Your words are a blustering wind.^(CV)
3 Does God pervert justice?^(CW)
    Does the Almighty pervert what is right?^(CX)
4 When your children sinned against him,
    he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.^(CY)
5 But if you will seek God earnestly
    and plead^(CZ) with the Almighty,^(DA)
6 if you are pure and upright,
    even now he will rouse himself on your behalf^(DB)
    and restore you to your prosperous state.^(DC)
7 Your beginnings will seem humble,
    so prosperous^(DD) will your future be.^(DE)

⁸ “Ask the former generation^(DF)
    and find out what their ancestors learned,
⁹ for we were born only yesterday and know nothing,^(DG)
    and our days on earth are but a shadow.^(DH)
10 Will they not instruct^(DI) you and tell you?
    Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?^(DJ)
11 Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?^(DK)
    Can reeds^(DL) thrive without water?
¹² While still growing and uncut,
    they wither more quickly than grass.^(DM)
13 Such is the destiny^(DN) of all who forget God;^(DO)
    so perishes the hope of the godless.^(DP)
14 What they trust in is fragile^[d];
    what they rely on is a spider’s web.^(DQ)
15 They lean on the web,^(DR) but it gives way;
    they cling to it, but it does not hold.^(DS)
16 They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine,
    spreading its shoots^(DT) over the garden;^(DU)
17 it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks
    and looks for a place among the stones.
¹⁸ But when it is torn from its spot,
    that place disowns^(DV) it and says, ‘I never saw you.’^(DW)
19 Surely its life withers^(DX) away,
    and^[e] from the soil other plants grow.^(DY)

²⁰ “Surely God does not reject one who is blameless^(DZ)
    or strengthen the hands of evildoers.^(EA)
21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter^(EB)
    and your lips with shouts of joy.^(EC)
22 Your enemies will be clothed in shame,^(ED)
    and the tents^(EE) of the wicked will be no more.”^(EF)

² “Indeed, I know that this is true.
    But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?^(EG)
3 Though they wished to dispute with him,^(EH)
    they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.^(EI)
4 His wisdom^(EJ) is profound, his power is vast.^(EK)
    Who has resisted^(EL) him and come out unscathed?^(EM)
5 He moves mountains^(EN) without their knowing it
    and overturns them in his anger.^(EO)
6 He shakes the earth^(EP) from its place
    and makes its pillars tremble.^(EQ)
7 He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;^(ER)
    he seals off the light of the stars.^(ES)
8 He alone stretches out the heavens^(ET)
    and treads on the waves of the sea.^(EU)
9 He is the Maker^(EV) of the Bear^[f] and Orion,
    the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.^(EW)
10 He performs wonders^(EX) that cannot be fathomed,
    miracles that cannot be counted.^(EY)
11 When he passes me, I cannot see him;
    when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.^(EZ)
12 If he snatches away, who can stop him?^(FA)
    Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’^(FB)
13 God does not restrain his anger;^(FC)
    even the cohorts of Rahab^(FD) cowered at his feet.

¹⁴ “How then can I dispute with him?
    How can I find words to argue with him?^(FE)
15 Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;^(FF)
    I could only plead^(FG) with my Judge^(FH) for mercy.^(FI)
16 Even if I summoned him and he responded,
    I do not believe he would give me a hearing.^(FJ)
17 He would crush me^(FK) with a storm^(FL)
    and multiply^(FM) my wounds for no reason.^(FN)
18 He would not let me catch my breath
    but would overwhelm me with misery.^(FO)
19 If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!^(FP)
    And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him^[g]?^(FQ)
20 Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;
    if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.^(FR)

²¹ “Although I am blameless,^(FS)
    I have no concern for myself;^(FT)
    I despise my own life.^(FU)
22 It is all the same; that is why I say,
    ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’^(FV)
23 When a scourge^(FW) brings sudden death,
    he mocks the despair of the innocent.^(FX)
24 When a land falls into the hands of the wicked,^(FY)
    he blindfolds its judges.^(FZ)
    If it is not he, then who is it?^(GA)

²⁵ “My days are swifter than a runner;^(GB)
    they fly away without a glimpse of joy.^(GC)
26 They skim past^(GD) like boats of papyrus,^(GE)
    like eagles swooping down on their prey.^(GF)
27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,^(GG)
    I will change my expression, and smile,’
²⁸ I still dread^(GH) all my sufferings,
    for I know you will not hold me innocent.^(GI)
29 Since I am already found guilty,
    why should I struggle in vain?^(GJ)
30 Even if I washed myself with soap^(GK)
    and my hands^(GL) with cleansing powder,^(GM)
31 you would plunge me into a slime pit^(GN)
    so that even my clothes would detest me.^(GO)

³² “He is not a mere mortal^(GP) like me that I might answer him,^(GQ)
    that we might confront each other in court.^(GR)
33 If only there were someone to mediate between us,^(GS)
    someone to bring us together,^(GT)
34 someone to remove God’s rod from me,^(GU)
    so that his terror would frighten me no more.^(GV)
35 Then I would speak up without fear of him,^(GW)
    but as it now stands with me, I cannot.^(GX)