Daily Bread

10 “I loathe my very life;^(A)
    therefore I will give free rein to my complaint
    and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.^(B)
2 I say to God:^(C) Do not declare me guilty,
    but tell me what charges^(D) you have against me.^(E)
3 Does it please you to oppress me,^(F)
    to spurn the work of your hands,^(G)
    while you smile on the plans of the wicked?^(H)
4 Do you have eyes of flesh?
    Do you see as a mortal sees?^(I)
5 Are your days like those of a mortal
    or your years like those of a strong man,^(J)
6 that you must search out my faults
    and probe after my sin^(K)—
⁷ though you know that I am not guilty^(L)
    and that no one can rescue me from your hand?^(M)

⁸ “Your hands shaped^(N) me and made me.
    Will you now turn and destroy me?^(O)
9 Remember that you molded me like clay.^(P)
    Will you now turn me to dust again?^(Q)
10 Did you not pour me out like milk
    and curdle me like cheese,
¹¹ clothe me with skin and flesh
    and knit me together^(R) with bones and sinews?
¹² You gave me life^(S) and showed me kindness,^(T)
    and in your providence^(U) watched over^(V) my spirit.

¹³ “But this is what you concealed in your heart,
    and I know that this was in your mind:^(W)
14 If I sinned, you would be watching me^(X)
    and would not let my offense go unpunished.^(Y)
15 If I am guilty^(Z)—woe to me!^(AA)
    Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head,^(AB)
for I am full of shame
    and drowned in^[a] my affliction.^(AC)
16 If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion^(AD)
    and again display your awesome power against me.^(AE)
17 You bring new witnesses against me^(AF)
    and increase your anger toward me;^(AG)
    your forces come against me wave upon wave.^(AH)

¹⁸ “Why then did you bring me out of the womb?^(AI)
    I wish I had died before any eye saw me.^(AJ)
19 If only I had never come into being,
    or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!^(AK)
20 Are not my few days^(AL) almost over?^(AM)
    Turn away from me^(AN) so I can have a moment’s joy^(AO)
21 before I go to the place of no return,^(AP)
    to the land of gloom and utter darkness,^(AQ)
22 to the land of deepest night,
    of utter darkness^(AR) and disorder,
    where even the light is like darkness.”^(AS)