¹My soul hath been weary of my life, I leave off my talking to myself, I speak in the bitterness of my soul.

¹¶ Kua hoha toku wairua ki toku ora; ka tukua e ahau taku tangi kia rere ana; ka korero ahau i te kikiwatanga o toku ngakau.

²I say unto God, `Do not condemn me, Let me know why Thou dost strive [with] me.

²Ka mea ahau ki te Atua, Kaua ahau e whakahengia; whakakitea ki ahau te take i totohe ai koe ki ahau.

³Is it good for Thee that Thou dost oppress? That Thou despisest the labour of Thy hands, And on the counsel of the wicked hast shone?

³He mea pai ranei ki a koe kia tukino koe, kia whakahawea ki te mahi a ou ringa, a kia whiti tou marama ki te whakaaro o te hunga kino?

⁴Eyes of flesh hast Thou? As man seeth — seest Thou?

⁴He kanohi kikokiko ranei ou? he penei ranei tau titiro me ta te tangata titiro?

⁵As the days of man [are] Thy days? Thy years as the days of a man?

⁵He rite ranei ou ra ki o te tangata ra? He rite ranei ou tau ki o te tangata ra?

⁶That Thou inquirest for mine iniquity, And for my sin seekest?

⁶I uiuia ai e koe toku kino, i rapua ai e koe toku hara?

⁷For Thou knowest that I am not wicked, And there is no deliverer from Thy hand.

⁷Ahakoa e mohio ana ano koe ehara ahau i te mea he, kahore ano tetahi hei whakaora i roto i tou ringa?

⁸Thy hands have taken pains about me, And they make me together round about, And Thou swallowest me up!

⁸¶ Na ou ringa ahau i mahi, i hanga, he mea hono marie i tetahi taha, i tetahi taha; otiia e whakangaromia ana ahau e koe.

⁹Remember, I pray Thee, That as clay Thou hast made me, And unto dust Thou dost bring me back.

⁹Kia mahara ra, nau ahau i hanga, ano he paru; tera ranei koe e whakahoki ano i ahau ki te puehu?

¹⁰Dost Thou not as milk pour me out? And as cheese curdle me?

¹⁰He teka ianei he mea riringi ahau nau ano he waiu, meinga ana ahau e koe kia tetepe ano he tiihi?

¹¹Skin and flesh Thou dost put on me, And with bones and sinews dost fence me.

¹¹Nau ahau i whakakakahu ki te kiri, ki te kikokiko, a nau ano ahau i hohou ki te wheua, ki te uaua.

¹²Life and kindness Thou hast done with me. And Thy inspection hath preserved my spirit.

¹²Whakawhiwhi ana ahau e koe ki te ora, ki te atawhai, a he tirotirohanga mai nau i mau ai toku wairua.

¹³And these Thou hast laid up in Thy heart, I have known that this [is] with Thee.

¹³Heoi huna ana ano enei mea e koe i roto i tou ngakau: e mohio ana hoki ahau kei a koe ano tenei.

¹⁴If I sinned, then Thou hast observed me, And from mine iniquity dost not acquit me,

¹⁴¶ Ki te hara ahau, ka matauria e koe; e kore ano koe e whakakahore ki toku he.

¹⁵If I have done wickedly — wo to me, And righteously — I lift not up my head, Full of shame — then see my affliction,

¹⁵Ki te he ahau, aue toku mate: ki te tika ahau, e kore tonu e ara toku mahunga; he ki hoki noku i te whakama me te titiro iho ki toku mate.

¹⁶And it riseth — as a lion Thou huntest me. And Thou turnest back — Thou shewest Thyself wonderful in me.

¹⁶A ki te whakarewa ake toku mahunga i a ia, ka whaia ahau e koe ano he raiona; a ka whakakite ano koe i a koe, i tou miharo, ki ahau.

¹⁷Thou renewest Thy witnesses against me, And dost multiply Thine anger with me, Changes and warfare [are] with me.

¹⁷E whakahoutia ana e koe au kaiwhakaatu i oku he, e whakanuia ana hoki e koe tou riri ki ahau; ko nga putanga ketanga ko te whawhai hei pehi i ahau.

¹⁸And why from the womb Hast Thou brought me forth? I expire, and the eye doth not see me.

¹⁸He aha ra ahau i whakaputaina mai ai e koe i roto i te kopu? te hemo noa atu ai ahau, a kihai tetahi kanohi i kite i ahau.

¹⁹As I had not been, I am, From the belly to the grave I am brought,

¹⁹Penei kua rite ahau, ano kua kahore noa iho; kua mauria atu ahau i te kopu ki te urupa.

²⁰Are not my days few? Cease then, and put from me, And I brighten up a little,

²⁰He teka ranei he torutoru oku ra? Kati ra, waiho ake koa ahau, kia ahua makoha ana i tenei wa iti,

²¹Before I go, and return not, Unto a land of darkness and death-shade,

²¹Keiwha haere, ahau ki te wahi e kore nei ahau e hoki mai, ki te whenua o te pouri, o te atarangi o te mata;

²²A land of obscurity as thick darkness, Death-shade — and no order, And the shining [is] as thick darkness.`

²²Ki te whenua o te pouri kerekere, o te tino o te pouri; he whenua no te atarangi o te mate, kahore nei o reira tikanga, a ko tona marama, koia ano te pouri.