Job 7
1 The life of man upon earth is a warfare, and his days are like the days of a hireling.
“Is not man consigned to labor on earth? Are not his days like those of a hired hand?
2 As a servant longeth for the shade, as the hireling looketh for the end of his work;
Like a slave he longs for shade; like a hireling he waits for his wages.
3 So I also have had empty months, and have numbered to myself wearisome nights.
So I am allotted months of futility, and nights of misery are appointed me.
4 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.
When I lie down I think: ‘When will I get up?’ But the night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.
5 My flesh is clothed with rottenness and the filth of dust, my skin is withered and drawn together.
My flesh is clothed with worms and encrusted with dirt; my skin is cracked and festering.
6 My days have passed more swiftly than the web is cut by the weaver, and are consumed without any hope.
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope.
7 Remember that my life is but wind, and my eyes shall not return to see good things.
Remember that my life is but a breath. My eyes will never again see happiness.
8 Nor shall the sight of man behold me: thy eyes are upon me, and I shall be no more.
The eye that beholds me will no longer see me. You will look for me, but I will be no more.
9 As a cloud is consumed, and passeth away: so he that shall go down to hell shall not come up. (Sheol h7585)
As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come back up. (Sheol h7585)
10 Nor shall he return my more into his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
He never returns to his house; his place remembers him no more.
11 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.
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.
12 Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou hast enclosed me in a prison?
Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that You must keep me under guard?
13 If I say: My bed shall comfort me, and I shall be relieved speaking with myself on my couch:
When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint,
14 Thou wilt frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions.
then You frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions,
15 So that my soul rather chooseth hanging, and my bones death.
so that I would prefer strangling and death over my life in this body.
16 I have done with hope, I shall now live no longer: spare me, for my days are nothing.
I loathe my life! I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
17 What is a man that thou shouldst magnify him? or why dost thou set thy heart upon him?
What is man that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart upon him,
18 Thou visitest him early in the morning, and thou provest him suddenly.
that You attend to him every morning, and test him every moment?
19 How long wilt thou not spare me, nor suffer me to swallow down my spittle?
Will You never look away from me, or leave me alone to swallow my spittle?
20 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?
If I have sinned, what have I done to You, O watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to You?
21 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.
Why do You not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For soon I will lie down in the dust; You will seek me, but I will be no more.”
