Job complains to God

I am sick of life!

1I am sick of life!

And from my deep despair,

I complain to you, my God.

2Don't just condemn me!

Point out my sin.

3Why do you take such delight

in destroying those you created

and in smiling on sinners?

4Do you look at things

the way we humans do?

5Is your life as short as ours?

6Is that why you are so quick

to find fault with me?

7You know I am innocent,

but who can defend me

against you?

8Will you now destroy

someone you created?

9Remember that you moulded me

like a piece of clay.

So don't turn me back

into dust once again.

10As cheese is made from milk,

you created my body

from a tiny drop.

11Then you tied my bones together

with muscles and covered them

with flesh and skin.

12You, the source of my life,

showered me with kindness

and watched over me.

You have not explained

13You have not explained

all your mysteries,

14but you catch and punish me

each time I sin.

15Guilty or innocent,

I am condemned and ashamed

because of my troubles.

16No matter how hard I try,

you keep hunting me down

like a powerful lion.10.16 lion: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 16.

17You never stop accusing me;

you become furious and attack

over and over again.

18Why did you let me be born?

I would rather have died

before birth

19and been carried to the grave

without ever breathing.

20I have only a few days left.

Why don't you leave me alone?10.20 I have only…alone: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

Let me find some relief,

21-22before I travel to the land

of darkness and despair,

the place of no return.