14 If I sinned, you would be watching me and would not let my offense go unpunished. 15 If I am guilty-woe to me! Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head, for I am full of shame and drowned in[1] my affliction. 16 If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion and again display your awesome power against me. 17 You bring new witnesses against me and increase your anger toward me; your forces come against me wave upon wave. 18 "Why then did you bring me out of the womb? I wish I had died before any eye saw me. 19 If only I had never come into being, or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave! 20 Are not my few days almost over? Turn away from me so I can have a moment's joy 21 before I go to the place of no return, to the land of gloom and utter darkness, 22 to the land of deepest night, of utter darkness and disorder, where even the light is like darkness."

Other Translations of Job 10:14-22

King James Version

14 If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity. 15 If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction; 16 For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me. 17 Thou renewest thy witnesses witnesses: that is, plagues against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me. 18 Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me! 19 I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave. 20 Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little, 21 Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death; 22 A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.

English Standard Version

14 If I sin, you watch me and do not acquit me of my iniquity. 15 If I am guilty, woe to me! If I am in the right, I cannot lift up my head, for I am filled with disgrace and look on my affliction. 16 And were my head lifted up,Hebrew lacks my head you would hunt me like a lion and again work wonders against me. 17 You renew your witnesses against me and increase your vexation toward me; you bring fresh troops against me. 18 "Why did you bring me out from the womb? Would that I had died before any eye had seen me 19 and were as though I had not been, carried from the womb to the grave. 20 Are not my days few? Then cease, and leave me alone, that I may find a little cheer 21 before I go--and I shall not return-- to the land of darkness and deep shadow, 22 the land of gloom like thick darkness, like deep shadow without any order, where light is as thick darkness."

The Message

14 That if I so much as missed a step, you'd notice and pounce, wouldn't let me get by with a thing. 15 If I'm truly guilty, I'm doomed. But if I'm innocent, it's no better - I'm still doomed. My belly is full of bitterness. I'm up to my ears in a swamp of affliction. 16 I try to make the best of it, try to brave it out, but you're too much for me, relentless, like a lion on the prowl. 17 You line up fresh witnesses against me. You compound your anger and pile on the grief and pain! 18 "So why did you have me born? I wish no one had ever laid eyes on me! 19 I wish I'd never lived - a stillborn, buried without ever having breathed. 20 Isn't it time to call it quits on my life? Can't you let up, and let me smile just once 21 Before I die and am buried, before I'm nailed into my coffin, sealed in the ground, 22 And banished for good to the land of the dead, blind in the final dark?"

New King James Version

14 If I sin, then You mark me, And will not acquit me of my iniquity. 15 If I am wicked, woe to me; Even if I am righteous, I cannot lift up my head. I am full of disgrace; See my misery! 16 If my head is exalted, You hunt me like a fierce lion, And again You show Yourself awesome against me. 17 You renew Your witnesses against me, And increase Your indignation toward me; Changes and war are ever with me. 18 'Why then have You brought me out of the womb? Oh, that I had perished and no eye had seen me! 19 I would have been as though I had not been. I would have been carried from the womb to the grave. 20 Are not my days few? Cease! Leave me alone, that I may take a little comfort, 21 Before I go to the place from which I shall not return, To the land of darkness and the shadow of death, 22 A land as dark as darkness itself, As the shadow of death, without any order, Where even the light is like darkness.' "

New Living Translation

14 was to watch me, and if I sinned, you would not forgive my guilt. 15 If I am guilty, too bad for me; and even if I'm innocent, I can't hold my head high, because I am filled with shame and misery. 16 And if I hold my head high, you hunt me like a lion and display your awesome power against me. 17 Again and again you witness against me. You pour out your growing anger on me and bring fresh armies against me. 18 "'Why, then, did you deliver me from my mother's womb? Why didn't you let me die at birth? 19 It would be as though I had never existed, going directly from the womb to the grave. 20 I have only a few days left, so leave me alone, that I may have a moment of comfort 21 before I leave-never to return- for the land of darkness and utter gloom. 22 It is a land as dark as midnight, a land of gloom and confusion, where even the light is dark as midnight.'"

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 10:14-22

Commentary on Job 10:14-22

(Read Job 10:14-22)

Job did not deny that as a sinner he deserved his sufferings; but he thought that justice was executed upon him with peculiar rigour. His gloom, unbelief, and hard thoughts of God, were as much to be ascribed to Satan's inward temptations, and his anguish of soul, under the sense of God's displeasure, as to his outward trials, and remaining depravity. Our Creator, become in Christ our Redeemer also, will not destroy the work of his hands in any humble believer; but will renew him unto holiness, that he may enjoy eternal life. If anguish on earth renders the grave a desirable refuge, what will be their condition who are condemned to the blackness of darkness for ever? Let every sinner seek deliverance from that dreadful state, and every believer be thankful to Jesus, who delivereth from the wrath to come.