Job 7
1 The life of man upon earth is a warfare, and his days are like the days of a hireling.
Is there not an appointed time to man on earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?
2 As a servant longeth for the shade, as the hireling looketh for the end of his work;
As a servant earnestly desires the shadow, and as an hireling looks for the reward of his work:
3 So I also have had empty months, and have numbered to myself wearisome nights.
So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed 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 lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro to the dawning of the day.
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 clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.
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, and are spent without hope.
7 Remember that my life is but wind, and my eyes shall not return to see good things.
O remember that my life is wind: my eye shall no more 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 that has seen me shall see me no more: your eyes are on me, and I am not.
9 As a cloud is consumed, and passeth away: so he that shall go down to hell shall not come up. (Sheol h7585)
As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away: so he that goes down to the grave shall come up no more. (Sheol h7585)
10 Nor shall he return my more into his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any 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 refrain 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 a sea, or a whale, that you set 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, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaints;
14 Thou wilt frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions.
Then you scare me with dreams, and terrify me through visions:
15 So that my soul rather chooseth hanging, and my bones death.
So that my soul chooses strangling, and death rather than my life.
16 I have done with hope, I shall now live no longer: spare me, for my days are nothing.
I loathe it; I would not live always: let me alone; for my days are vanity.
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 magnify him? and that you should set your heart on him?
18 Thou visitest him early in the morning, and thou provest him suddenly.
And that you should visit him every morning, and try him every moment?
19 How long wilt thou not spare me, nor suffer me to swallow down my spittle?
How long will you not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down 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?
I have sinned; what shall I do to you, O you preserver of men? why have you set me as a mark against you, so that I am a burden 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 pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and you shall seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.
