Job 7
1 Hath not man a life of labour upon earth? and are not his days like the days of a hireling?
The life of man upon earth is a warfare, and his days are like the days of a hireling.
2 As a bondman earnestly desireth the shadow, and a hireling expecteth his wages,
As a servant longeth for the shade, as the hireling looketh for the end of his work;
3 So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
So I also have had empty months, and have numbered to myself wearisome nights.
4 If I lie down, I say, When shall I rise up, and the darkness be gone? and I am full of tossings until the dawn.
If I lie down to sleep, I shall say: When shall arise? and again I shall look for the evening, and shall be filled with sorrows even till darkness.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and suppurates.
My flesh is clothed with rottenness and the filth of dust, my skin is withered and drawn together.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.
My days have passed more swiftly than the web is cut by the weaver, and are consumed without any hope.
7 Remember thou that my life is wind; mine eye shall no more see good.
Remember that my life is but wind, and my eyes shall not return to see good things.
8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall behold me no [more]: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
Nor shall the sight of man behold me: thy eyes are upon me, and I shall be no more.
9 The cloud consumeth and vanisheth away; so he that goeth down to Sheol shall not come up. (Sheol h7585)
As a cloud is consumed, and passeth away: so he that shall go down to hell shall not come up. (Sheol h7585)
10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him again.
Nor shall he return my more into 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.
Wherefore I will not spare my month, I will speak in the affliction of my spirit: I will talk with the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, that thou settest a watch over me?
Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou hast enclosed me in a prison?
13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;
If I say: My bed shall comfort me, and I shall be relieved speaking with myself on my couch:
14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions;
Thou wilt frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions.
15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, death, rather than my bones.
So that my soul rather chooseth hanging, and my bones death.
16 I loathe it; I shall not live always: let me alone, for my days are a breath.
I have done with hope, I shall now live no longer: spare me, for my days are nothing.
17 What is man, that thou makest much of him? and that thou settest thy heart upon him?
What is a man that thou shouldst magnify him? or why dost thou set thy heart upon him?
18 And that thou visitest him every morning, triest him every moment?
Thou visitest him early in the morning, and thou provest him suddenly.
19 How long wilt thou not look away from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
How long wilt thou not spare me, nor suffer me to swallow down my spittle?
20 Have I sinned, what do I unto thee, thou Observer of men? Why hast thou set me as an object of assault for thee, so that I am become a burden to myself?
I have sinned: what shall I do to thee, O keeper of men? why hast thou set me opposite to thee, and I am become burdensome to myself?
21 And why dost not thou forgive my transgression and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I lie down in the dust, and thou shalt seek me early, and I shall not be.
Why dost thou not remove my sin, and why dost thou not take away my iniquity? Behold now I shall sleep in the dust: and if thou seek me in the morning, I shall not be.
