Job 7
1 Is there not an appointed time to man on earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?
“Is there not warfare to man on earth? And his days as the days of a hired worker?
2 As a servant earnestly desires the shadow, and as an hireling looks for the reward of his work:
As a servant desires the shadow, And as a hired worker expects his wage,
3 So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
So I have been caused to inherit months of vanity, And they numbered nights of misery to me.
4 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.
If I lay down, then I have said, When do I rise, And evening has been measured? And I have been full of tossings until dawn.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.
My flesh has been clothed [with] worms, And a clod of dust, My skin has been shriveled and is loathsome,
6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.
My days swifter than a loom, And they are consumed without hope.
7 O remember that my life is wind: my eye shall no more see good.
Remember that my life [is] a breath, My eye does not turn back to see good.
8 The eye of him that has seen me shall see me no more: your eyes are on me, and I am not.
The eye of my beholder does not behold me. Your eyes [are] on me—and I am not.
9 As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away: so he that goes down to the grave shall come up no more. (Sheol h7585)
A cloud has been consumed, and it goes, So he who is going down to Sheol does not come up. (Sheol h7585)
10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
He does not turn to his house again, Nor does his place discern him again.
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.
Also I do not withhold my mouth—I speak in the distress of my spirit, I talk in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I a sea, or a whale, that you set a watch over me?
Am I a sea [monster], or a dragon, That You set a watch over me?
13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaints;
When I said, My bed comforts me, In my talking He takes away my couch.
14 Then you scare me with dreams, and terrify me through visions:
And You have frightened me with dreams, And You terrify me from visions,
15 So that my soul chooses strangling, and death rather than my life.
And my soul chooses strangling, Death rather than my bones.
16 I loathe it; I would not live always: let me alone; for my days are vanity.
I have wasted away—I do not live for all time. Cease from me, for my days [are] vanity.
17 What is man, that you should magnify him? and that you should set your heart on him?
What [is] man that You magnify him? And that You set Your heart to him?
18 And that you should visit him every morning, and try him every moment?
And inspect him in the mornings, [And] in the evenings try him?
19 How long will you not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
How long do You not look from me? You do not desist until I swallow my spittle.
20 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?
I have sinned, what do I do to You, O watcher of man? Why have You set me for a mark to You, And I am for a burden to myself—and what?
21 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.
You do not take away my transgression, And [do not] cause my iniquity to pass away, Because now, I lie down in dust, And You have sought me—and I am not!”
