Job 7
1 The life of man upon earth is a warfare, and his days are like the days of a hireling.
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 As a servant longeth for the shade, as the hireling looketh for the end of his work;
As a servant desiring the shades of evening, and a workman looking for his payment:
3 So I also have had empty months, and have numbered to myself wearisome nights.
So I have for my heritage months of pain to no purpose, and nights of weariness are given to 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 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 My flesh is clothed with rottenness and the filth of dust, my skin is withered and drawn together.
My flesh is covered with worms and dust; my skin gets hard and then is cracked again.
6 My days have passed more swiftly than the web is cut by the weaver, and are consumed without any hope.
My days go quicker than the cloth-worker's thread, and come to an end without hope.
7 Remember that my life is but wind, and my eyes shall not return to see good things.
O, keep in mind that my life is wind: my eye will never again see good.
8 Nor shall the sight of man behold me: thy eyes are upon me, and I shall be 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 As a cloud is consumed, and passeth away: so he that shall go down to hell shall not come up. (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 Nor shall he return my more into his 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 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.
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 whale, that thou hast enclosed me in a prison?
Am I a sea, or a sea-beast, that you put a watch over me?
13 If I say: My bed shall comfort me, and I shall be relieved speaking with myself on my couch:
When I say, In my bed I will have comfort, there I will get rest from my disease;
14 Thou wilt frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions.
Then you send dreams to me, and visions of fear;
15 So that my soul rather chooseth hanging, and my bones death.
So that a hard death seems better to my soul than my pains.
16 I have done with hope, I shall now live no longer: spare me, for my days are nothing.
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 What is a man that thou shouldst magnify him? or why dost thou set thy heart upon him?
What is man, that you have made him great, and that your attention is fixed on him,
18 Thou visitest him early in the morning, and thou provest him suddenly.
And that your hand is on him every morning, and that you are testing him every minute?
19 How long wilt thou not spare me, nor suffer me to 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 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 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 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.
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.
