Job 7

1 Has not man his ordered time of trouble on the earth? and are not his days like the days of a servant working for payment?

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 desiring the shades of evening, and a workman looking for his payment:

As a servant eagerly longeth for the shadow, and as a hired laborer hopeth for his reward:

3 So I have for my heritage months of pain to no purpose, and nights of weariness are given to me.

So was I compelled to possess months of vanity, and nights of trouble were counted out unto me.

4 When I go to my bed, I say, When will it be time to get up? but the night is long, and I am turning from side to side till morning light.

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 covered with worms and dust; my skin gets hard and then is cracked again.

My flesh is covered with worms and clods of dust: my skin is burst open, and become loathsome.

6 My days go quicker than the cloth-worker's thread, and come to an end 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, keep in mind that my life is wind: my eye will never again 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 will see me no longer: your eyes will be looking for me, but I will be gone.

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 A cloud comes to an end and is gone; so he who goes down into the underworld comes not up again. (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 will not come back to his house, and his place will have no more knowledge of him.

He will return no more to his house, and his place will not recognize him any more.

11 So I will not keep my mouth shut; I will let the words come from it in the pain of my spirit, my soul will make a bitter outcry.

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-beast, that you put a watch over me?

Am I a sea, or a monster, that thou settest a watch over me?

13 When I say, In my bed I will have comfort, there I will get rest from my disease;

For should I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall help me bear my complaint:

14 Then you send dreams to me, and visions of fear;

Then wouldst thou frighten me with dreams, and with visions wouldst thou terrify me;

15 So that a hard death seems better to my soul than my pains.

So that my soul would choose strangling, death rather than these limbs of mine.

16 I have no desire for life, I would not be living for ever! Keep away from me, for my days are as a breath.

I loathe it; I cannot live for ever: let me alone; for my days are but nought.

17 What is man, that you have made him great, and that your attention is fixed on him,

What is the mortal, that thou shouldst make him great? and that thou shouldst direct thy heart toward him?

18 And that your hand is on him every morning, and that you are testing him every minute?

And that thou shouldst visit him every morning, probe him every moment?

19 How long will it be before your eyes are turned away from me, so that I may have a minute's breathing-space?

How long wilt thou not turn thy regard from me, nor let; me loose till I swallow down my spittle?

20 If I have done wrong, what have I done to you, O keeper of men? why have you made me a mark for your blows, so that I am a weariness 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 you not take away my sin, and let my wrongdoing be ended? for now I go down to the dust, and you will be searching for me with care, but I will be gone.

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.