Job 7
1 Hath not man a life of labour upon earth? and are not his days like the days of a hireling?
“Isn't life for human beings like serving a sentence of hard labor? Don't their days pass like those of a hired laborer?
2 As a bondman earnestly desireth the shadow, and a hireling expecteth his wages,
Like some slave longing for a bit of shade, like a hired hand anxiously waiting for pay day,
3 So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
I've been given months of emptiness and nights of misery.
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.
When I go to bed I ask, ‘When shall I get up?’ But the night goes on and on, and I toss and turn until dawn.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and suppurates.
My body is covered with maggots and caked in dirt; my skin is cracked, with oozing sores.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.
My days pass quicker than a weaver's shuttle and they come to an end without hope.
7 Remember thou that my life is wind; mine eye shall no more see good.
Remember that my life is just a breath; I will not see happiness again.
8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall behold me no [more]: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
Those watching me won't see me anymore; your eyes will be looking for me, but I will be gone.
9 The cloud consumeth and vanisheth away; so he that goeth down to Sheol shall not come up. (Sheol h7585)
When a cloud disappears, it's gone, just as anyone who goes down to Sheol does not come back up. (Sheol h7585)
10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him again.
They will never return home, and the people they knew will forget them.
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.
So, no, I won't hold my tongue—I will speak in the agony of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, that thou settest a watch over me?
Am I the sea or a sea monster that you have to guard me?
13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;
If I tell myself, ‘I'll feel better if I lie down in my bed,’ or ‘it will help me to lie down on my couch,’
14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions;
then you scare me so much with dreams and terrify me with visions
15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, death, rather than my bones.
that I would rather be strangled—I would rather die than become just a bag of bones.
16 I loathe it; I shall not live always: let me alone, for my days are a breath.
I hate my life! I know I won't live long. Leave me alone because my life is just a breath.
17 What is man, that thou makest much of him? and that thou settest thy heart upon him?
Why are human beings so important to you; why are you so concerned about them
18 And that thou visitest him every morning, triest him every moment?
that you inspect them every morning and test them every moment? Won't you ever stop staring at me?
19 How long wilt thou not look away from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
Won't you ever leave me alone long enough to catch my breath?
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?
What have I done wrong? What have I done to you, Watcher of Humanity? Why have you made me your target, so that I'm a burden even 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.
If so why don't you pardon my sins, and take away my guilt? Right now I'm going to lie down in the dust, and though you will look for me, I will be gone.”
