Job 7
1 Is there not a warfare to a mortal, upon earth? And, as the days of a hireling, are not his days?
“Is not man consigned to labor on earth? Are not his days like those of a hired hand?
2 As, a bondman, panteth for the shadow, and as, a hireling, longeth for his wage,
Like a slave he longs for shade; like a hireling he waits for his wages.
3 So, have I been made to inherit months of calamity, and, nights of weariness, have been appointed me.
So I am allotted months of futility, and nights of misery are appointed me.
4 As soon as I lie down, I say, When shall I arise? yet he lengtheneth out the evening, and I am wearied with tossings until the breeze of twilight.
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 a coating of dust, My skin, hath hardened, and then run afresh:
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, and they are spent, without hope.
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope.
7 Remember thou, that, a wind, is my life, not again shall mine eye see blessing:
Remember that my life is but a breath. My eyes will never again see happiness.
8 Nor shall see me—the eye that used to behold me, Thine eyes, are upon me, and I am not.
The eye that beholds me will no longer see me. You will look for me, but I will be no more.
As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come back up. (Sheol h7585)
10 He shall not return again to his house, and his own place shall be acquainted with him no more.
He never returns to his house; his place remembers him no more.
11 I also, cannot restrain my mouth, —I must speak, in the anguish of my spirit, I must find utterance, 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 shouldst set over me a watch?
Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that You must keep me under guard?
13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall help to carry 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, by visions, dost thou terrify me:
then You frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions,
15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, Death, rather than [these] my bones!
so that I would prefer strangling and death over my life in this body.
16 I am wasted away, Not, to times age-abiding, can I live, Let me alone, for, a breath, are my days.
I loathe my life! I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
17 What is a mortal, that thou shouldst nurture him? Or that thou shouldst fix upon him thy mind?
What is man that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart upon him,
18 That thou shouldst inspect him morning by morning, moment by moment, shouldst test him?
that You attend to him every morning, and test him every moment?
19 How long wilt thou not look away from me? Wilt thou not let me alone, till I can swallow my spittle?
Will You never look away from me, or leave me alone to swallow my spittle?
20 I have sinned, What can I do for thee, thou watcher of men? Wherefore hast thou set me as thine object of attack, or have I become, unto thee, a burden?
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 wilt thou not remove my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? For, now, in the dust, should I lie down, and thou shouldst seek me diligently, and I should 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.”
