Job 7
1 Is there not an appointed time to man vpon earth? and are not his dayes as the dayes of an hyreling?
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 seruant longeth for the shadowe, and as an hyreling looketh for the ende of his worke,
As a servant desiring the shades of evening, and a workman looking for his payment:
3 So haue I had as an inheritance the moneths of vanitie, and painefull nights haue bene appointed vnto me.
So I have for my heritage months of pain to no purpose, and nights of weariness are given to me.
4 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.
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 wormes and filthinesse of the dust: my skinne is rent, and become horrible.
My flesh is covered with worms and dust; my skin gets hard and then is cracked again.
6 My dayes are swifter then a weauers shittle, and they are spent without 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 a wind, and that mine eye shall not returne to see pleasure.
O, keep in mind that my life is wind: my eye will never again see good.
8 The eye that hath seene me, shall see me no more: thine eyes are vpon me, and I shall be no longer.
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 the cloude vanisheth and goeth away, so he that goeth downe to the graue, shall come vp no more. (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 He shall returne no more to his house, neither shall his place knowe him any more.
He will not come back to his house, and his place will have no more knowledge of him.
11 Therefore I will not spare my mouth, but will speake in the trouble of my spirite, and muse in the bitternesse of my minde.
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 whalefish, that thou keepest me in warde?
Am I a sea, or a sea-beast, that you put a watch over me?
13 When I say, My couch shall relieue me, and my bed shall bring comfort in my meditation,
When I say, In my bed I will have comfort, there I will get rest from my disease;
14 Then fearest thou me with dreames, and astonishest me with visions.
Then you send dreams to me, and visions of fear;
15 Therefore my soule chuseth rather to be strangled and to die, then to be in my bones.
So that a hard death seems better to my soul than my pains.
16 I abhorre it, I shall not liue alway: spare me then, for my dayes are but vanitie.
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 man, that thou doest magnifie him, and that thou settest thine heart vpon him?
What is man, that you have made him great, and that your attention is fixed on him,
18 And doest visite him euery morning, and tryest him euery moment?
And that your hand is on him every morning, and that you are testing him every minute?
19 Howe long will it be yer thou depart from me? thou wilt not let me alone whiles I may swallowe my spettle.
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 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?
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 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.
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.
