1I am tired of living.

Listen to my bitter complaint.

2Don't condemn me, God.

Tell me! What is the charge against me?

3Is it right for you to be so cruel?

To despise what you yourself have made?

And then to smile on the schemes of wicked people?

4Do you see things as we do?

5Is your life as short as ours?

6Then why do you track down all my sins

and hunt down every fault I have?

7You know that I am not guilty,

that no one can save me from you.

8Your hands formed and shaped me,

and now10.8 Some ancient translations and now; Hebrew together. those same hands destroy me.

9Remember that you made me from clay;10.9 One ancient translation from clay; Hebrew like clay.

are you going to crush me back to dust?

10You gave my father strength to beget me;

you made me grow in my mother's womb.

11You formed my body with bones and sinews

and covered the bones with muscles and skin.

12You have given me life and constant love,

and your care has kept me alive.

13But now I know that all that time

you were secretly planning to harm me.

14You were watching to see if I would sin,

so that you could refuse to forgive me.

15As soon as I sin, I'm in trouble with you,

but when I do right, I get no credit.

I am miserable and covered with shame.10.15 Probable text covered with shame; Hebrew see my shame.

16If I have any success at all,

you hunt me down like a lion;

to hurt me you even work miracles.

17You always have some witness against me;

your anger towards me grows and grows;

you always plan some new attack.

18Why, God, did you let me be born?

I should have died before anyone saw me.

19To go from the womb straight to the grave

would have been as good as never existing.

20Isn't my life almost over? Leave me alone!

Let me enjoy the time I have left.

21I am going soon and will never come back —

going to a land that is dark and gloomy,

22a land of darkness, shadows, and confusion,

where the light itself is darkness.