Job 7

1 Is there not a time of service to man upon earth? And are not his days 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 that eagerly longeth for the shadow, and as a hireling that looketh for his wages;

As a servant desiring the shades of evening, and a workman looking for his payment:

3 So am I made to possess — months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.

So I have for my heritage months of pain to no purpose, and nights of weariness are given to me.

4 When I lie down, I say: 'When shall I arise?' But the night is long, and I am full of tossings to and fro unto 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 worms and clods of dust; my skin closeth up and breaketh out afresh.

My flesh is covered with worms and dust; my skin gets hard and then is cracked again.

6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.

My days go quicker than the cloth-worker's thread, and come to an end without hope.

7 O remember that my life is a breath; mine eye shall no more see good.

O, keep in mind that my life is wind: my eye will never again see good.

8 The eye of him that seeth me shall behold me no more; while Thine eyes are upon me, I am gone.

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 cloud is consumed and vanisheth away, so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up 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 return no more to 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 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.

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 sea-monster, that Thou settest a watch over me?

Am I a sea, or a sea-beast, that you put a watch over me?

13 When I say: 'My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint';

When I say, In my bed I will have comfort, there I will get rest from my disease;

14 Then Thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions;

Then you send dreams to me, and visions of fear;

15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than these my bones.

So that a hard death seems better to my soul than my pains.

16 I loathe it; I shall not live alway; let me alone; for my days are vanity.

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 shouldest magnify him, and that Thou shouldest set Thy heart upon him,

What is man, that you have made him great, and that your attention is fixed on him,

18 And that Thou shouldest remember him every morning, and try him every moment?

And that your hand is on him every morning, and that you are testing him every minute?

19 How long wilt Thou not look away from me, nor let me alone till I 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 If I have sinned, what do I unto Thee, O Thou watcher of men? Why hast Thou set me as a mark for Thee, so that I am a burden 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 And why dost Thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust; and Thou wilt seek me, but 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.