Job 7
1 Is not the life of man upon earth a state of trial? and his existence as that of a hireling by the day?
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?
2 Or as a servant that fears his master, and one who has grasped a shadow? or as a hireling waiting for his pay?
As a servant desiring the shades of evening, and a workman looking for his payment:
3 So have I also endured months of vanity, and nights of pain have been appointed me.
So I have for my heritage months of pain to no purpose, and nights of weariness are given to me.
4 Whenever I lie down, I say, When [will it be] day? and whenever I rise up, again [I say] when [will it be] evening? and I am full of pains from evening to morning.
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.
5 And my body is covered with loathsome worms; and I waste away, scraping off clods of dust from my eruption.
My flesh is covered with worms and dust; my skin gets hard and then is cracked again.
6 And my life is lighter than a word, and has perished in vain hope.
My days go quicker than the cloth-worker's thread, and come to an end without hope.
7 Remember then that my life is breath, and mine eye shall not yet again see good.
O, keep in mind that my life is wind: my eye will never again see good.
8 The eye of him that sees me shall not see me [again]: your eyes are upon me, and I am no more.
The eye of him who sees me will see me no longer: your eyes will be looking for me, but I will be gone.
9 [I am] as a cloud that is cleared away from the sky: for if a man go down to the grave, he shall not come up again: (Sheol h7585)
A cloud comes to an end and is gone; so he who goes down into the underworld comes not up again. (Sheol h7585)
10 and he shall surely not return to his own house, neither shall his place know him any more.
He will not come back to his house, and his place will have no more knowledge of him.
11 Then neither will I refrain my mouth: I will speak being in distress; being in anguish I will disclose the bitterness of my soul.
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.
12 Am I a sea, or a serpent, that you have set a watch over me?
Am I a sea, or a sea-beast, that you put a watch over me?
13 I said that my bed should comfort me, and I would privately counsel with myself on my couch.
When I say, In my bed I will have comfort, there I will get rest from my disease;
14 You scare me with dreams, and do terrify me with visions.
Then you send dreams to me, and visions of fear;
15 You will separate life from my spirit; and yet [keep] my bones from death.
So that a hard death seems better to my soul than my pains.
16 For I shall not live for ever, that I should patiently endure: depart from me, for my life [is] vain.
I have no desire for life, I would not be living for ever! Keep away from me, for my days are as a breath.
17 For what is man, that you have magnified him? or that you give heed to him?
What is man, that you have made him great, and that your attention is fixed on him,
18 Will you visit him till the morning, and judge him till [the time of] rest?
And that your hand is on him every morning, and that you are testing him every minute?
19 How long do you not let me alone, nor let me go, until I shall swallow down my spittle?
How long will it be before your eyes are turned away from me, so that I may have a minute's breathing-space?
20 If I have sinned, what shall I be able to do, O you that understand the mind of men? why have you made me as your accuser, and [why] am I a burden to you?
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?
21 Why have you not forgotten my iniquity, and purged my sin? but now I shall depart to the earth; and in the morning I am no more.
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.
