³ “May the day of my birth perish,
    and the night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!’^(B)
4 That day—may it turn to darkness;
    may God above not care about it;
    may no light shine on it.
⁵ May gloom and utter darkness^(C) claim it once more;
    may a cloud settle over it;
    may blackness overwhelm it.
⁶ That night—may thick darkness^(D) seize it;
    may it not be included among the days of the year
    nor be entered in any of the months.
⁷ May that night be barren;
    may no shout of joy^(E) be heard in it.
⁸ May those who curse days^[a] curse that day,^(F)
    those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.^(G)
9 May its morning stars become dark;
    may it wait for daylight in vain
    and not see the first rays of dawn,^(H)
10 for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me
    to hide trouble from my eyes.

² “If only my anguish could be weighed
    and all my misery be placed on the scales!^(A)
3 It would surely outweigh the sand^(B) of the seas—
    no wonder my words have been impetuous.^(C)

7 “Do not mortals have hard service^(A) on earth?^(B)
    Are not their days like those of hired laborers?^(C)
2 Like a slave longing for the evening shadows,^(D)
    or a hired laborer waiting to be paid,^(E)
3 so I have been allotted months of futility,
    and nights of misery have been assigned to me.^(F)
4 When I lie down I think, ‘How long before I get up?’^(G)
    The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.^(H)
5 My body is clothed with worms^(I) and scabs,
    my skin is broken and festering.^(J)

⁶ “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,^(K)
    and they come to an end without hope.^(L)
7 Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath;^(M)
    my eyes will never see happiness again.^(N)
8 The eye that now sees me will see me no longer;
    you will look for me, but I will be no more.^(O)
9 As a cloud vanishes^(P) and is gone,
    so one who goes down to the grave^(Q) does not return.^(R)
10 He will never come to his house again;
    his place^(S) will know him no more.^(T)

¹¹ “Therefore I will not keep silent;^(U)
    I will speak out in the anguish^(V) of my spirit,
    I will complain^(W) in the bitterness of my soul.^(X)

¹⁷ “What is mankind that you make so much of them,
    that you give them so much attention,^(A)
18 that you examine them every morning^(B)
    and test them^(C) every moment?^(D)
19 Will you never look away from me,^(E)
    or let me alone even for an instant?^(F)
20 If I have sinned, what have I done to you,^(G)
    you who see everything we do?
Why have you made me your target?^(H)
    Have I become a burden to you?^[a](I)
21 Why do you not pardon my offenses
    and forgive my sins?^(J)
For I will soon lie down in the dust;^(K)
    you will search for me, but I will be no more.”^(L)

⁴ what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?^[a](A)

⁵ You have made them^[b] a little lower than the angels^[c](B)
    and crowned them^[d] with glory and honor.^(C)
6 You made them rulers^(D) over the works of your hands;^(E)
    you put everything under their^[e] feet:^(F)