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 there not warfare to man on earth? And his days as the days of a hired worker?

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

As a servant desires the shadow, And as a hired worker expects his wage,

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

So I have been caused to inherit months of vanity, And they numbered nights of misery to 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.

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; They pass away without hope.

My days swifter than a loom, And they are consumed without hope.

7 O remember that my life is a breath; That mine 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 hath seen me shall see me no more; Thine eyes shall look for me, but I shall not be.

The eye of my beholder does not behold me. Your eyes [are] on me—and I am not.

9 As the cloud dissolveth and wasteth away, So he that goeth down to the grave shall arise 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 No more shall he return to his house, And his dwelling-place shall know him no more.

He does not turn to his house again, Nor does his place discern him again.

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.

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 sea-monster, That thou settest 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 relieve me, My couch shall ease my complaint,

When I said, My bed comforts me, In my talking He takes away my couch.

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

And You have frightened me with dreams, And You terrify me from visions,

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

And my soul chooses strangling, Death rather than my bones.

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

I have wasted away—I do not live for all time. Cease from me, for my days [are] vanity.

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

What [is] man that You magnify him? And that You set Your heart to him?

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

And inspect him in the mornings, [And] in the evenings try him?

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 look from me? You do not desist until I 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?

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 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.

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!”