Job 7
1 Is there not a warfare to a mortal, upon earth? And, as the days of a hireling, are not his days?
“People need to work hard on this earth, like soldiers do; all during the time that we are alive, we work hard [RHQ], like laborers/servants do.
2 As, a bondman, panteth for the shadow, and as, a hireling, longeth for his wage,
We are like [SIM] slaves who keep wanting to be in the cool shade, and we are like [SIM] workers who are waiting to be paid.
3 So, have I been made to inherit months of calamity, and, nights of weariness, have been appointed me.
God has given me many months [in which I think that it is] useless [to remain alive]; he has allotted/given to me many nights during which I feel miserable.
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 [at night] I say, ‘How long will it be until morning?’ But nights are long, and I (toss/turn over and over) [on my bed] until dawn.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and a coating of dust, My skin, hath hardened, and then run afresh:
My body is covered with maggots and scabs; pus oozes out of my open sores.
6 My days, are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and they are spent, without hope.
My days pass as quickly as a weaver’s (shuttle/stick that takes the thread back and forth), and they end without my confidently expecting [that things will be better the next day].
7 Remember thou, that, a wind, is my life, not again shall mine eye see blessing:
God, do not forget that my life is [as short as] a breath [MET]; I [think that] I [SYN] will never again be happy.
8 Nor shall see me—the eye that used to behold me, Thine eyes, are upon me, and I am not.
God, you [SYN] see me now, but [some day] you will not see me any more. You will search for me, but I will be gone [because I will be dead].
Like [SIM] clouds (disperse/break up) and then disappear, people [die and] descend to the place where dead people are, and they do not return; (Sheol h7585)
10 He shall not return again to his house, and his own place shall be acquainted with him no more.
they never return to their houses, and people among whom they lived do not remember them any 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.
So, I will not be silent; while I am suffering I will speak; I will complain [to God about what has happened to me] because I [SYN] am very angry.
12 Am, I, a sea, or a sea-monster, —That thou shouldst set over me a watch?
[God, ] why do you watch closely what I am doing? [Do you think that] I am a [dangerous] sea monster?
13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall help to carry my complaint,
When [I lie down at night, ] I think, ‘I will be comforted here on my bed; my pain will be less while I am sleeping.’
14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and, by visions, dost thou terrify me:
But then you give me dreams that cause me to be afraid; you give me visions that terrify me,
15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, Death, rather than [these] my bones!
with the result that I would prefer to be strangled to death than to continue to [be alive] being only a bunch of bones.
16 I am wasted away, Not, to times age-abiding, can I live, Let me alone, for, a breath, are my days.
I detest continuing to be alive; I do not want to live for many years [HYP]. Allow me to be alone, [because I will be alive] for only a very short remaining time [HYP].
17 What is a mortal, that thou shouldst nurture him? Or that thou shouldst fix upon him thy mind?
“We human beings are not [very important]; so, why do you pay a lot of attention to us [DOU]?
18 That thou shouldst inspect him morning by morning, moment by moment, shouldst test him?
You look at us every morning [to see what we are doing], and examine us every moment [to see if we are doing what is right].
19 How long wilt thou not look away from me? Wilt thou not let me alone, till I can swallow my spittle?
(When will you stop looking at me and leave me alone [for a little time], long enough to swallow my spit?/Please stop looking at me and leave me alone [for a little time], long enough to swallow my spit.) [RHQ]
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?
[Why do] you watch me constantly? If I sin, that certainly does not harm you! Why have you set me up like a target to shoot at? Do you consider me to be a heavy load that you are forced to carry?
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.
[If I have sinned, ] are you not able to forgive me for my sins— the things that I have done that are wrong? Soon I will lie in my grave; you will search for me, but [you will not find me because] I will be [dead and] gone.”
