Job 7
1 “Is not man consigned to labor on earth? Are not his days like those of a hired hand?
Is there not an appointed time to man on earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?
2 Like a slave he longs for shade; like a hireling he waits for his wages.
As a servant earnestly desires the shadow, and as an hireling looks for the reward of his work:
3 So I am allotted months of futility, and nights of misery are appointed me.
So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
4 When I lie down I think: ‘When will I get up?’ But the night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.
When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro to the dawning of the day.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and encrusted with dirt; my skin is cracked and festering.
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; they come to an end without hope.
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.
7 Remember that my life is but a breath. My eyes will never again see happiness.
O remember that my life is wind: my eye shall no more see good.
8 The eye that beholds me will no longer see me. You will look for me, but I will be no more.
The eye of him that has seen me shall see me no more: your eyes are on me, and I am not.
9 As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come back up. (Sheol h7585)
As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away: so he that goes down to the grave shall come up no more. (Sheol h7585)
10 He never returns to his house; his place remembers him no more.
He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
11 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.
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.
12 Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that You must keep me under guard?
Am I a sea, or a whale, that you set a watch over me?
13 When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint,
When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaints;
14 then You frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions,
Then you scare me with dreams, and terrify me through visions:
15 so that I would prefer strangling and death over my life in this body.
So that my soul chooses strangling, and death rather than my life.
16 I loathe my life! I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
I loathe it; I would not live always: let me alone; for my days are vanity.
17 What is man that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart upon him,
What is man, that you should magnify him? and that you should set your heart on him?
18 that You attend to him every morning, and test him every moment?
And that you should visit him every morning, and try him every moment?
19 Will You never look away from me, or leave me alone to swallow my spittle?
How long will you not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
20 If I have sinned, what have I done to You, O watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to You?
I have sinned; what shall I do to you, O you preserver of men? why have you set me as a mark against you, so that I am a burden to myself?
21 Why do You not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For soon I will lie down in the dust; You will seek me, but I will be no more.”
And why do you not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and you shall seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.
