Job 10

Job’s Plea to God

1 “I loathe my own life; ‡ Job 7:111Ki 19:4Num 11:15Job 9:21Jon 4:8Job 5:15-16Job 5:20Isa 38:15 +13

I will express my complaint

and speak in the bitterness of my soul.

2 I will say to God: ‡ Psa 139:23-24Job 9:29Psa 143:21Co 11:31-32Job 34:31-32Job 8:5-6Lam 3:40-42Lam 5:16-17 +5

Do not condemn me!

Let me know why You prosecute me.

3 Does it please You to oppress me, ‡ Isa 64:8Job 14:15Psa 138:8Jer 12:1-31Pe 4:19Job 21:16Job 22:18Job 34:18-19 +10

to reject the work of Your hands

and favor the schemes of the wicked?

4 Do You have eyes of flesh? ‡ 1Sa 16:7Job 9:32Luk 16:15Rev 1:14

Do You see as man sees?

5 Are Your days like those of a mortal, ‡ 2Pe 3:8Psa 90:2-4Heb 1:12Psa 102:24-27Job 36:26Psa 102:12

or Your years like those of a man,

6 that You should seek my iniquity ‡ Job 14:16Jer 2:34Psa 10:15Psa 44:21Zep 1:121Co 4:5Jhn 2:24-25Job 10:14-17

and search out my sin—

7 though You know that I am not guilty, ‡ Deu 32:39Dan 3:15Jhn 10:28-30Job 42:7Psa 139:1-21Th 2:10Hos 2:10Jhn 21:17 +13

and there is no deliverance from Your hand?

8 Your hands shaped me and altogether formed me. ‡ Psa 119:73Isa 43:7Job 10:3Jer 18:3-10Gen 6:6-7

Would You now turn and destroy me?

9 Please remember that You molded me like clay. ‡ Gen 2:7Isa 64:8Gen 3:19Ecc 12:7Isa 45:9Jer 18:6Psa 25:6-7Rom 9:21 +7

Would You now return me to dust?

10 Did You not pour me out like milk, ‡ Psa 139:14-16

and curdle me like cheese?

11 You clothed me with skin and flesh, ‡ Ezk 37:4-8Eph 4:16Job 40:17-182Co 5:2-3

and knit me together with bones and sinews.

12 You have granted me life and loving devotion, ¹ ‡ Act 17:28Job 33:4Act 17:25Gen 19:19Mat 6:25

and Your care has preserved my spirit.

13 Yet You concealed these things in Your heart, ‡ Job 23:13Deu 32:39Ecc 8:6-7Eph 3:11Isa 45:15Isa 45:7Isa 46:9-11Job 23:9 +2

and I know that this was in Your mind:

14 If I sinned, You would take note, ‡ Job 7:21Psa 130:3Exo 34:7Job 13:26-27Job 9:28Num 14:18Psa 139:1Job 14:16

and would not acquit me of my iniquity.

15 If I am guilty, woe to me! ‡ Isa 3:11Job 9:15Job 9:20-21Job 10:7Isa 6:5Mal 3:18Psa 25:18Exo 3:7 +12

And even if I am righteous, I cannot lift my head.

I am full of shame

and aware of my affliction.

16 Should I hold my head high, ‡ Isa 38:13Lam 3:10Job 5:9Amo 3:8Deu 28:59Hos 13:7-8Num 16:29-30

You would hunt me like a lion,

and again display Your power against me.

17 You produce new witnesses against me ‡ Job 16:8Rut 1:21Jer 48:11Job 16:11-16Job 19:6-11Psa 55:19Zep 1:12

and multiply Your anger toward me.

Hardships assault me

in wave after wave.

18 Why then did You bring me from the womb? ‡ Jer 20:14-18Jer 15:10Job 11:20Job 14:10Job 3:10-11Mat 26:24

Oh, that I had died, and no eye had seen me!

19 If only I had never come to be, ‡ Psa 58:8

but had been carried from the womb to the grave.

20 Are my days not few? ‡ Job 14:1Psa 39:13Job 13:21Job 7:16-21Job 7:6-7Job 8:9Job 9:25-26Psa 103:15-16 +1

Withdraw from me, that I may have a little comfort,

21 before I go—never to return— ‡ 2Sa 12:23Job 16:22Job 3:5Job 7:8-102Sa 14:14Job 14:10-14Psa 23:4Job 3:13 +4

to a land of darkness and gloom,

22 to a land of utter darkness, ‡ Psa 88:12Jer 13:16Jer 2:6Job 3:5Job 34:22Job 38:17Luk 16:26Psa 23:4 +1

of deep shadow and disorder,

where even the light is like darkness.”