1I hate my life! Let me speak freely about my complaints—I can't keep my bitterness to myself.

2I will tell God, “Don't just condemn me—tell me what you have against me.

3Do you enjoy accusing me? Why do you reject me, someone you made with your own hands, and yet smile on the scheming of the wicked?

4Do you have human eyes? Do you see like human beings do?

5Is your life as short as mortal beings? Are your years as brief as those of humanity,

6that you have to examine my wrongs and investigate my sins?

7Even though you know I'm not guilty, no one can save me from you.

8You made me and shaped me with your own hands, and yet you destroy me.

9Remember that you shaped me like a piece of clay—are you now going to turn me back into dust?

10You poured me out like milk, you curdled me like cheese. ⁵⁵

11You clothed me with skin and flesh; you wove my body together with bones and muscles.

12You granted me life and showed me your kindness; you have taken great care of me.

13But you kept these things hidden in your heart. I know your purpose was

14to watch me, and if I sinned, then you would not forgive my wrongs.

15If I'm guilty I'm in trouble, if I'm innocent I can't hold my head high because I'm totally disgraced as I look at my sufferings.

16If I do hold my head high you hunt me down like a lion, showing how powerful you are in hurting me.

17You repeat your arguments against me, you pour out more and more of your anger against me, you send fresh armies against me.

18So why did you allow me to be born? ⁵⁶I wish that I had died, and nobody had ever seen me!

19It would have been better if I had never existed, taken straight from the womb to the grave.

20I only have a few days left, so why don't you leave me alone so I can have a little peace

21before I go to where I shall never return from, the land of darkness and the shadow of death—

22the land of total darkness where death's shadow lies, a place of chaos where light itself is darkness.”