Job 7
1 “Is not a man forced to labor on earth? Are not his days like the days of a hired hand?
Is there not a war-service for man on the earth? Are not his days as the days of a hireling?
2 As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, as a hireling who looks for his wages,
As a servant panteth for the shade, And as a hireling looketh for his wages,
3 so I am made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me.
So am I made to possess months of affliction, And wearisome nights are appointed for me.
4 When I lie down, I say, ‘When will I arise, and the night be gone?’ I toss and turn until the dawning of the day.
If I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? And I am full of restlessness until the dawning of the day.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust. My skin closes up, and breaks out afresh.
My flesh is clothed with worms, and clods of dust; My skin is broken and become loathsome.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.
My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle; They pass away without hope.
7 Oh remember that my life is a breath. My eye will no more see good.
O remember that my life is a breath; That mine eye shall no more see good!
8 The eye of him who sees me will see me no more. Your eyes will be on me, but I will not be.
The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more; Thine eyes shall look for me, but I shall not be.
9 As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol (Sheol h7585) will come up no more.
As the cloud dissolveth and wasteth away, So he that goeth down to the grave shall arise no more; (Sheol h7585)
10 He will return no more to his house, neither will his place know him any more.
No more shall he return to his house, And his dwelling-place shall know him no more.
11 “Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
Therefore I will 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 you put a guard over me?
Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, That thou settest a watch over me?
13 When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me. My couch will ease my complaint,’
When I say, My bed shall relieve me, My couch shall ease my complaint,
14 then you scare me with dreams and terrify me through visions,
Then thou scarest me with dreams, And terrifiest me with visions;
15 so that my soul chooses strangling, death rather than my bones.
So that my soul chooseth strangling, Yea, death, rather than these my bones.
16 I loathe my life. I do not want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
I am wasting away; I shall not live alway: Let me alone, for my days are a vapor!
17 What is man, that you should magnify him, that you should set your mind on him,
What is man, that thou shouldst make great account him, And fix thy mind upon him?—
18 that you should visit him every morning, and test him every moment?
That thou shouldst visit him every morning, And prove him every moment?
19 How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?
How long ere thou wilt look away from me, And let me alone, till I have time to breathe?
20 If I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men? Why have you set me as a mark for you, so that I am a burden to myself?
If I have sinned, what have I done to thee, O thou watcher of men! Why hast thou set me up as thy mark, So that I have become a burden to myself?
21 Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity? For now will I lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I will not be.”
And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, And take away mine iniquity? For soon shall I sleep in the dust; And, though thou seek me diligently, I shall not be.
