Job 7
1 Is there not a warfare to man upon earth? And are not his days like the days of a hireling?
Is there not a limited time of service to a mortal upon the earth? Are not his days also like the days of a hired laborer?
2 As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, and as a hireling who looks for his wages,
As a servant eagerly longeth for the shadow, and as a hired laborer hopeth for his reward:
3 so I am made to possess months of misery, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
So was I compelled to possess months of vanity, and nights of trouble were counted out unto me.
4 When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? And I am full of tossing to and fro to the dawning of the day.
When I He down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am wearied with tossings about till the dawn of day.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust. My skin closes up, and breaks out afresh.
My flesh is covered with worms and clods of dust: my skin is burst open, and become loathsome.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.
My days hasten away more swiftly than a weaver's shuttle, and they come to an end in the absence of hope.
7 O remember that my life is a breath. My eye shall no more see good.
Oh remember that nothing but a breath is my life; that my eye will not again see happiness;
8 The eye of him who sees me shall behold me no more. Thine eyes shall be upon me, but I shall not be.
The eye of him that seeth me now will not behold me again: [thou fixest] thy eyes upon me, and I am no more.
9 As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol shall come up no more. (Sheol h7585)
As the cloud vanisheth and passeth away: so will he that goeth down to the nether world not come up again. (Sheol h7585)
10 He shall return no more to his house, nor shall his place know him any more.
He will return no more to his house, and his place will not recognize him any more.
11 Therefore I will not refrain my mouth. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
Therefore will I also not restrain my mouth: I will speak in the anguish of my spirit: I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, that thou set a watch over me?
Am I a sea, or a monster, that thou settest a watch over me?
13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me. My couch shall ease my complaint.
For should I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall help me bear my complaint:
14 Then thou scare me with dreams, and terrify me through visions,
Then wouldst thou frighten me with dreams, and with visions wouldst thou terrify me;
15 so that my soul chooses strangling and death rather than these my bones.
So that my soul would choose strangling, death rather than these limbs of mine.
16 I loathe my life. I would not live always. Let me alone, for my days are vanity.
I loathe it; I cannot live for ever: let me alone; for my days are but nought.
17 What is man, that thou should magnify him, and that thou should set thy mind upon him,
What is the mortal, that thou shouldst make him great? and that thou shouldst direct thy heart toward him?
18 and that thou should visit him every morning, and try him every moment?
And that thou shouldst visit him every morning, probe him every moment?
19 How long will thou not look away from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
How long wilt thou not turn thy regard from me, nor let; me loose till I swallow down my spittle?
20 If I have sinned, what do I do to thee, O thou watcher of men? Why have thou set me as a mark for thee, so that I am a burden to myself?
If I have sinned, what [injury] can I cause unto thee, O thou Guardian of men? why hast thou set me as an object for thee to strike at, so that I am become a burden to myself?
21 And why do thou not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? For now I shall lie down in the dust, and thou will seek me diligently, but I shall not be.
And why wilt thou not forgive my transgression, and let my iniquity pass away? for soon must I lie down in the dust; and thou wilt seek for me, but I shall be no more.
