< Job 7 >
1 Hath not man a life of labour upon earth? and are not his days like the days of a hireling?
Is there not an appointed time to man vpon earth? and are not his dayes as the dayes of an hyreling?
2 As a bondman earnestly desireth the shadow, and a hireling expecteth his wages,
As a seruant longeth for the shadowe, and as an hyreling looketh for the ende of his worke,
3 So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
So haue I had as an inheritance the moneths of vanitie, and painefull nights haue bene appointed vnto me.
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 layed me downe, I sayde, When shall I arise? and measuring the euening I am euen full with tossing to and from vnto the dawning of the day.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and suppurates.
My flesh is clothed with wormes and filthinesse of the dust: my skinne is rent, and become horrible.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.
My dayes are swifter then a weauers shittle, and they are spent without hope.
7 Remember thou that my life is wind; mine eye shall no more see good.
Remember that my life is but a wind, and that mine eye shall not returne to see pleasure.
8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall behold me no [more]: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
The eye that hath seene me, shall see me no more: thine eyes are vpon me, and I shall be no longer.
9 The cloud consumeth and vanisheth away; so he that goeth down to Sheol shall not come up. (Sheol )
As the cloude vanisheth and goeth away, so he that goeth downe to the graue, shall come vp no more. (Sheol )
10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him again.
He shall returne no more to his house, neither shall his place knowe 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 spare my mouth, but will speake in the trouble of my spirite, and muse in the bitternesse of my minde.
12 Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, that thou settest a watch over me?
Am I a sea or a whalefish, that thou keepest me in warde?
13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;
When I say, My couch shall relieue me, and my bed shall bring comfort in my meditation,
14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions;
Then fearest thou me with dreames, and astonishest me with visions.
15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, death, rather than my bones.
Therefore my soule chuseth rather to be strangled and to die, then to be in my bones.
16 I loathe it; I shall not live always: let me alone, for my days are a breath.
I abhorre it, I shall not liue alway: spare me then, for my dayes are but vanitie.
17 What is man, that thou makest much of him? and that thou settest thy heart upon him?
What is man, that thou doest magnifie him, and that thou settest thine heart vpon him?
18 And that thou visitest him every morning, triest him every moment?
And doest visite him euery morning, and tryest him euery moment?
19 How long wilt thou not look away from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
Howe long will it be yer thou depart from me? thou wilt not let me alone whiles I may swallowe my spettle.
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 haue sinned, what shall I do vnto thee? O thou preseruer of me, why hast thou set me as a marke against thee, so that I am a burden vnto my selfe?
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.
And why doest thou not pardon my trespasse? and take away mine iniquitie? for nowe shall I sleepe in the dust, and if thou seekest me in the morning, I shall not be found.