Job 7
1 Is there not a war-service for man on the earth? Are not his days as the days of a hireling?
“Is not man consigned to labor on earth? Are not his days like those of a hired hand?
2 As a servant panteth for the shade, And as a hireling looketh for his wages,
Like a slave he longs for shade; like a hireling he waits for his wages.
3 So am I made to possess months of affliction, And wearisome nights are appointed for me.
So I am allotted months of futility, and nights of misery are appointed me.
4 If I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? And I am full of restlessness until the dawning of the day.
When I lie down I think: ‘When will I get up?’ But the night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms, and clods of dust; My skin is broken and become loathsome.
My flesh is clothed with worms and encrusted with dirt; my skin is cracked and festering.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle; They pass away without hope.
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope.
7 O remember that my life is a breath; That mine eye shall no more see good!
Remember that my life is but a breath. My eyes will never again see happiness.
8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more; Thine eyes shall look for me, but I shall not be.
The eye that beholds me will no longer see me. You will look for me, but I will be no more.
9 As the cloud dissolveth and wasteth away, So he that goeth down to the grave shall arise no more; (Sheol h7585)
As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come back up. (Sheol h7585)
10 No more shall he return to his house, And his dwelling-place shall know him no more.
He never returns to his house; his place remembers him no more.
11 Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
Therefore I will not restrain 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 sea-monster, That thou settest a watch over me?
Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that You must keep me under guard?
13 When I say, My bed shall relieve me, My couch shall ease my complaint,
When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint,
14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, And terrifiest me with visions;
then You frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions,
15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, Yea, death, rather than these my bones.
so that I would prefer strangling and death over my life in this body.
16 I am wasting away; I shall not live alway: Let me alone, for my days are a vapor!
I loathe my life! I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
17 What is man, that thou shouldst make great account him, And fix thy mind upon him?—
What is man that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart upon him,
18 That thou shouldst visit him every morning, And prove him every moment?
that You attend to him every morning, and test him every moment?
19 How long ere thou wilt look away from me, And let me alone, till I have time to breathe?
Will You never look away from me, or leave me alone to swallow my spittle?
20 If I have sinned, what have I done to thee, O thou watcher of men! Why hast thou set me up as thy mark, So that I have become a burden to myself?
If I have sinned, what have I done to You, O watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to You?
21 And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, And take away mine iniquity? For soon shall I sleep in the dust; And, though thou seek me diligently, I shall not be.
Why do You not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For soon I will lie down in the dust; You will seek me, but I will be no more.”
