Job Continues His Response to Bildad

• 10 “My inner self[fn] loathes my life;
• I want to give vent to my complaint ;[fn]
• I want to speak out of the bitterness of my inner self.[fn]
• 2 I will say to God, ‘You should not condemn me;
• let me know why you contend against me.
• 3 Is it good for you that you oppress,
• that you despise the labor of your hands,
• and you smile over the schemes of the wicked?
• 4 Do you have eyes of flesh ?[fn]
• Or do you see as human beings see ?[fn]
• 5 Are your days as the days of human beings,
• or your years as the days of man,
• 6 that you seek out my iniquity,
• and you search for my sin
• 7 because of your knowledge that I am not guilty,
• and there is no escaping from your hand?
• 8 Your hands fashioned me and made me[fn] altogether ,[fn]
• then[fn] you destroyed me.
• 9 Please[fn] remember that you made me like clay,
• but[fn] you turn me into dust again?
• 10 Did you not pour me out like milk
• and curdle me[fn] like cheese?
• 11 You clothed me with skin and flesh,
• and you knit me together with bones and sinews.
• 12 You have granted me life and loyal love,
• and your care has preserved my spirit.
• 13 “ ‘Yet[fn] you hid these things in your heart;
• I know that this was your purpose .[fn]
• 14 If I had sinned, then[fn] you would be watching me,
• and you would not acquit me of my guilt.
• 15 If I am guilty, woe to me!
• But[fn] if I am righteous, I dare not lift my head;
• I am filled with shame, and just look at my misery!
• 16 And if my head grows bold, you would hunt me as the lion in its prime;
• and you repeat your exploits against me .[fn]
• 17 You renew your witnesses against me,
• and you increase your vexation against me;
• relief forces[fn] are against me.
• 18 So[fn] why did you bring me forth from the womb?
• I should have passed away, and no eye should have seen me .[fn]
• 19 I should have been as though I had not been;
• I should have been brought from the womb to the grave.
• 20 Are not my days few? Let him leave me alone;
• let him turn from me, and let me rejoice a little.
• 21 Before I go—and I will not return—
• to the land of darkness and deep shadow,
• 22 to the land of darkness,
• like the darkness of a deep shadow and chaos ,[fn]
• so that[fn] it shines forth like darkness.’ ”