Instead, I suffer if I defend myself, and I suffer no less if I refuse to speak.

“我虽说话，忧愁仍不得消解；我虽停住不说，忧愁就离开我吗？

“我若说话，痛苦仍不得缓解；我若停止，痛苦就离开我吗？

“我若说话，痛苦仍不得缓解；我若停止，痛苦就离开我吗？

“我若申辩，痛苦不减；我若缄默，痛苦犹在。

我若说话，痛苦仍不消解，我若闭口不说，痛苦也不离开我。

我雖說話，憂愁仍不得消解；我雖停住不說，憂愁就離開我嗎？

「我若說話，痛苦仍不得緩解；我若停止，痛苦就離開我嗎？

「我若說話，痛苦仍不得緩解；我若停止，痛苦就離開我嗎？

「我若申辯，痛苦不減；我若緘默，痛苦猶在。

我若說話，痛苦仍不消解，我若閉口不說，痛苦也不離開我。

『就使我說話，痛傷仍然不得制止；就使我自忍不說，多少傷痛會離開我呢？

我雖言之、我憂不解、我若不言、我憂其離我乎、

今我言、不得自解其憂、不言、不得自釋其悶。

我若發言、我苦猶不得解、我若緘默、我苦豈離於我、

“ Yet if I speak, my pain is not relieved; and if I refrain, it does not go away.

“ If I speak, it doesn’t help me. And if I keep quiet, my pain doesn’t go away.

“ If I speak, my pain is not assuaged, and if I forbear, how much of it leaves me?

If I speak, my suffering is not relieved, and if I hold back, does any of it leave me?

“ If I speak, my pain is not lessened, And if I refrain, what pain leaves me?

“ Though I speak, my grief is not relieved; And if I remain silent, how am I eased?

Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged; And though I forbear, what am I eased?

Even if I speak, my suffering is not relieved, and if I hold back, what have I lost?

Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and[ though] I forbear, what am I eased?

“ But if I speak, my pain is not relieved, and if I refrain from speaking– how much of it goes away?

“ Though I speak, my grief is not subsided. Though I forbear, what am I eased?

I have been sick and close to death since my youth. I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors.Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me. Your terrors have paralyzed me.They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long. They have engulfed me completely.You have taken away my companions and loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend.

“ I am disgusted with my life. Let me complain freely. My bitter soul must complain.

I cry out to God; yes, I shout. Oh, that God would listen to me!When I was in deep trouble, I searched for the Lord. All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven, but my soul was not comforted.I think of God, and I moan, overwhelmed with longing for his help. InterludeYou don’t let me sleep. I am too distressed even to pray!I think of the good old days, long since ended,when my nights were filled with joyful songs. I search my soul and ponder the difference now.Has the Lord rejected me forever? Will he never again be kind to me?Is his unfailing love gone forever? Have his promises permanently failed?Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he slammed the door on his compassion? Interlude