1It annoyeth my soul of my life; I shall leave my speech against me, I shall speak in the bitterness of my soul. (My life vexeth my soul; but I shall forgo any talk against myself, and I shall speak out of the bitterness of my soul.)

2I shall say to God, Do not thou condemn me; show thou to me, why thou deemest me so, (or show thou me, why thou judgest me so).

3Whether it seemeth good to thee, if thou challengest me as false, and oppressest me, the work of thine hands; and if thou helpest the counsel of wicked men?

4Whether fleshly eyes be to thee, either, as a man seeth, also thou shalt see? (Hast thou fleshly eyes? or shalt thou see like a man seeth?)

5Whether thy days be as the days of (a) man, and be thy years as man’s times; (Be thy days like the days of a man? and be thy years like the times of a man?)

6(so) that thou inquire (after) my wickedness, and ensearch (after) my sin?

7And thou, Lord, know, that I have done no wicked thing; since there is no man, that may deliver from thine hand? (And Lord, thou knowest that I have done no wicked thing; and there is no one who can rescue me out of thy hand.)

8Thine hands have made me, and have formed me all in compass; and thou hast cast me down suddenly (or and then suddenly thou hast thrown me down).

9Lord, I pray thee, have thou mind, that thou madest me as clay, and shalt bring me again into dust. (Lord, I pray thee, remember that thou madest me like the clay or remember that thou madest me from the clay, and now shalt thou return me to the dust?)

10Whether thou hast not milked me as milk, and hast crudded me together as cheese? (Hast thou not poured me out like milk, and curdled me together like cheese?)

11Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh; and thou hast joined me together with bones and sinews.

12Thou hast given life and mercy to me (or Thou hast given life and love to me), and thy visiting hath kept my spirit (alive).

13And though thou coverest these things in thine heart, nevertheless I know, that thou hast mind of all these things. (And though thou hidest these things in thy heart, nevertheless I know, that thou hast remembered all these things.)

14And if when I did sin, thou sparedest me at an hour; why sufferest thou not me to be clean of my wickedness? (And when I did sin, thou sawest me; but thou wouldest not cleanse me of my wickedness.)

15And if I was wicked, woe is to me; and if I was just, I shall not raise up mine head, that am full-filled with torment, and wretchedness. (And if I was wicked, woe is me; and if I was righteous, I shall still not raise up my head, I who am filled full of torment, and wretchedness.)

16And if I raise up mine head for pride, thou shalt take me as a lioness; and thou turnest again, and tormentest me wonderfully. (And if I raise up my head in pride, then thou shalt take hold of me like a lioness; and thou shalt turn, and torment me with wonders, or miracles.)

17Thou gatherest in store thy witnesses against me, and thou multipliest thine ire, that is, (thy) vengeance, against me; and pains hold knighthood in me. [Thou restorest thy witnesses against me, and thou multipliest thy wrath against me; and pains fight in me.]

18Lord, why hast thou led me out of the womb? Why not had I erst been wasted, that an eye had not seen me (or Why had I not erstwhile been destroyed, so that no eye had seen me).

19(And so) That I had been, as if I were not, and were translated, either borne over, from the womb to the sepulchre (or from the womb unto the tomb, or the grave).

20Whether not the fewness of my days shall be ended in (a) short time? Therefore suffer thou me, that I bewail a little (more) my sorrow,

21before that I go, and turn not again, to the dark land, and (be) covered with the darkness of death, (before that I go to the dark land, and am covered with the darkness of death, never to return,)

22to the land of wretchedness, and of darknesses; where is shadow of death, and none order, but everlasting hideousness dwelleth. (yea, to the land of wretchedness, and of darkness; where there is only the shadow of death, and no order, and everlasting hideousness dwelleth there.)