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 the life of man upon earth a state of trial? and his existence as that of a hireling by the day?

2 As a servant panteth for the shade, And as a hireling looketh for his wages,

Or as a servant that fears his master, and one who has grasped a shadow? or as a hireling waiting for his pay?

3 So am I made to possess months of affliction, And wearisome nights are appointed for me.

So have I also endured months of vanity, and nights of pain have been 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.

Whenever I lie down, I say, When [will it be] day? and whenever I rise up, again [I say] when [will it be] evening? and I am full of pains from evening to morning.

5 My flesh is clothed with worms, and clods of dust; My skin is broken and become loathsome.

And my body is covered with loathsome worms; and I waste away, scraping off clods of dust from my eruption.

6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle; They pass away without hope.

And my life is lighter than a word, and has perished in vain hope.

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

Remember then that my life is breath, and mine eye shall not yet again see good.

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 of him that sees me shall not see me [again]: your eyes are upon me, and I am no more.

9 As the cloud dissolveth and wasteth away, So he that goeth down to the grave shall arise no more; (Sheol h7585)

[I am] as a cloud that is cleared away from the sky: for if a man go down to the grave, he shall not come up again: (Sheol h7585)

10 No more shall he return to his house, And his dwelling-place shall know him no more.

and he shall surely not return to his own house, neither shall his place know him any 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.

Then neither will I refrain my mouth: I will speak being in distress; being in anguish I will disclose the bitterness of my soul.

12 Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, That thou settest a watch over me?

Am I a sea, or a serpent, that you have set a watch over me?

13 When I say, My bed shall relieve me, My couch shall ease my complaint,

I said that my bed should comfort me, and I would privately counsel with myself on my couch.

14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, And terrifiest me with visions;

You scare me with dreams, and do terrify me with visions.

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

You will separate life from my spirit; and yet [keep] my bones from death.

16 I am wasting away; I shall not live alway: Let me alone, for my days are a vapor!

For I shall not live for ever, that I should patiently endure: depart from me, for my life [is] vain.

17 What is man, that thou shouldst make great account him, And fix thy mind upon him?—

For what is man, that you have magnified him? or that you give heed to him?

18 That thou shouldst visit him every morning, And prove him every moment?

Will you visit him till the morning, and judge him till [the time of] rest?

19 How long ere thou wilt look away from me, And let me alone, till I have time to breathe?

How long do you not let me alone, nor let me go, until I shall swallow down 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 shall I be able to do, O you that understand the mind of men? why have you made me as your accuser, and [why] am I 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 have you not forgotten my iniquity, and purged my sin? but now I shall depart to the earth; and in the morning I am no more.