< Job 7 >

1 "Isn't a man forced to labor on earth? Aren't his days like the days of a hired hand?
הֲלֹא־צָבָא לֶאֱנוֹשׁ על־עֲלֵי־אָרֶץ וְכִימֵי שָׂכִיר יָמָֽיו׃
2 As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, as a hireling who looks for his wages,
כְּעֶבֶד יִשְׁאַף־צֵל וּכְשָׂכִיר יְקַוֶּה פָעֳלֽוֹ׃
3 so am I made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me.
כֵּן הָנְחַלְתִּי לִי יַרְחֵי־שָׁוְא וְלֵילוֹת עָמָל מִנּוּ־לִֽי׃
4 When I lie down, I say, 'When shall I arise, and the night be gone?' I toss and turn until the dawning of the day.
אִם־שָׁכַבְתִּי וְאָמַרְתִּי מָתַי אָקוּם וּמִדַּד־עָרֶב וְשָׂבַעְתִּי נְדֻדִים עֲדֵי־נָֽשֶׁף׃
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust. My skin closes up, and breaks out afresh.
לָבַשׁ בְּשָׂרִי רִמָּה וגיש וְגוּשׁ עָפָר עוֹרִי רָגַע וַיִּמָּאֵֽס׃
6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.
יָמַי קַלּוּ מִנִּי־אָרֶג וַיִּכְלוּ בְּאֶפֶס תִּקְוָֽה׃
7 Oh remember that my life is a breath. My eye shall no more see good.
זְכֹר כִּי־רוּחַ חַיָּי לֹא־תָשׁוּב עֵינִי לִרְאוֹת טֽוֹב׃
8 The eye of him who sees me shall see me no more. Your eyes shall be on me, but I shall not be.
לֹֽא־תְשׁוּרֵנִי עֵין רֹאִי עֵינֶיךָ בִּי וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃
9 As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol shall come up no more. (Sheol h7585)
כָּלָה עָנָן וַיֵּלַךְ כֵּן יוֹרֵד שְׁאוֹל לֹא יַעֲלֽ͏ֶה׃ (Sheol h7585)
10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
לֹא־יָשׁוּב עוֹד לְבֵיתוֹ וְלֹא־יַכִּירֶנּוּ עוֹד מְקֹמֽוֹ׃
11 "Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
גַּם־אֲנִי לֹא אֶחֱשָׂךְ פִּי אֲ‍ֽדַבְּרָה בְּצַר רוּחִי אָשִׂיחָה בְּמַר נַפְשִֽׁי׃
12 Am I a sea, or a sea monster, that you put a guard over me?
הֲ‍ֽיָם־אָנִי אִם־תַּנִּין כִּֽי־תָשִׂים עָלַי מִשְׁמָֽר׃
13 When I say, 'My bed shall comfort me. My couch shall ease my complaint;'
כִּֽי־אָמַרְתִּי תְּנַחֲמֵנִי עַרְשִׂי יִשָּׂא בְשִׂיחִי מִשְׁכָּבִֽי׃
14 then you scare me with dreams, and terrify me through visions:
וְחִתַּתַּנִי בַחֲלֹמוֹת וּֽמֵחֶזְיֹנוֹת תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃
15 so that my soul chooses strangling, death rather than my bones.
וַתִּבְחַר מַחֲנָק נַפְשִׁי מָוֶת מֵֽעַצְמוֹתָֽי׃
16 I loathe my life. I do not want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
מָאַסְתִּי לֹא־לְעֹלָם אֶֽחְיֶה חֲדַל מִמֶּנִּי כִּי־הֶבֶל יָמָֽי׃
17 What is man, that you should magnify him, that you should set your mind on him,
מָֽה־אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תְגַדְּלֶנּוּ וְכִי־תָשִׁית אֵלָיו לִבֶּֽךָ׃
18 that you should visit him every morning, and test him every moment?
וַתִּפְקְדֶנּוּ לִבְקָרִים לִרְגָעִים תִּבְחָנֶֽנּוּ׃
19 How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?
כַּמָּה לֹא־תִשְׁעֶה מִמֶּנִּי לֹֽא־תַרְפֵּנִי עַד־בִּלְעִי רֻקִּֽי׃
20 If I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men? Why have you set me as a mark for you, so that I am a burden to myself?
חָטָאתִי מָה אֶפְעַל ׀ לָךְ נֹצֵר הָאָדָם לָמָה שַׂמְתַּנִי לְמִפְגָּע לָךְ וָאֶהְיֶה עָלַי לְמַשָּֽׂא׃
21 Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I shall not be."
וּמֶה ׀ לֹא־תִשָּׂא פִשְׁעִי וְתַעֲבִיר אֶת־עֲוֺנִי כִּֽי־עַתָּה לֶעָפָר אֶשְׁכָּב וְשִׁחֲרְתַּנִי וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃

< Job 7 >