Job 7
1 “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.
“Isn’t a man forced to labour on earth? Aren’t his days like the days of a hired hand?
2 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.
As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, as a hireling who looks for his wages,
3 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.
so I am made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me.
4 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.
When I lie down, I say, ‘When will I arise, and the night be gone?’ I toss and turn until the dawning of the day.
5 My body is covered with maggots and scabs; pus oozes out of my open sores.
My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust. My skin closes up, and breaks out afresh.
6 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].
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.
7 God, do not forget that my life is [as short as] a breath [MET]; I [think that] I [SYN] will never again be happy.
Oh remember that my life is a breath. My eye will no more see good.
8 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].
The eye of him who sees me will see me no more. Your eyes will be on me, but I will not be.
9 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)
As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol will come up no more. (Sheol h7585)
10 they never return to their houses, and people among whom they lived do not remember them any more.
He will return no more to his house, neither will his place know him any more.
11 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.
“Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 [God, ] why do you watch closely what I am doing? [Do you think that] I am a [dangerous] sea monster?
Am I a sea, or a sea monster, that you put a guard over me?
13 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.’
When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me. My couch will ease my complaint,’
14 But then you give me dreams that cause me to be afraid; you give me visions that terrify me,
then you scare me with dreams and terrify me through visions,
15 with the result that I would prefer to be strangled to death than to continue to [be alive] being only a bunch of bones.
so that my soul chooses strangling, death rather than my bones.
16 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].
I loathe my life. I don’t want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
17 “We human beings are not [very important]; so, why do you pay a lot of attention to us [DOU]?
What is man, that you should magnify him, that you should set your mind on him,
18 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].
that you should visit him every morning, and test him every moment?
19 (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]
How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?
20 [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?
If I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men? Why have you set me as a mark for you, so that I am a burden to myself?
21 [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.”
Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity? For now will I lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I will not be.”
