Job 7
1 Does not man have hard labor on earth? Are not his days like the days of a hired man?
“Is not man consigned to labor on earth? Are not his days like those of a hired hand?
2 Like a slave earnestly desires the shadows of evening, like a hired man looks for his wages—
Like a slave he longs for shade; like a hireling he waits for his wages.
3 so I have been made to endure months of misery; I have been given trouble-filled nights.
So I am allotted months of futility, and nights of misery are appointed me.
4 When I lie down, I say to myself, 'When will I get up and when will the night be gone?' I am full of tossing to and fro until the day's dawning.
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 clods of dust; the sores in my skin harden up and then dissolve and 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; they pass without hope.
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope.
7 God, call to mind that my life is only a breath; my eye will no more see good.
Remember that my life is but a breath. My eyes will never again see happiness.
8 The eye of God, who sees me, will see me no more; God's eyes will be on me, but I will not exist.
The eye that beholds me will no longer see me. You will look for me, but I will be no more.
9 As a cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol will come up no more. (Sheol h7585)
As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come back up. (Sheol h7585)
10 He will return no more to his house; neither will his place know him again.
He never returns to his house; his place remembers him no 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.
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 the sea or a sea monster that you place a guard over me?
Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that You must keep me under guard?
13 When I say, 'My bed will comfort me, and my couch will ease my complaint,'
When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint,
14 then you scare me with dreams and terrify me through visions,
then You frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions,
15 so that I would choose strangling and death rather than preserving these bones of mine.
so that I would prefer strangling and death over my life in this body.
16 I loathe my life; I would not wish to always be alive; let me alone for my days are useless.
I loathe my life! I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
17 What is man that you should pay attention to him, that you should set your mind on him,
What is man that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart upon him,
18 that you should observe him every morning and test him every moment?
that You attend to him every morning, and test him every moment?
19 How long will it be before you look away from me, before you let me alone long enough for me to swallow down my own saliva?
Will You never look away from me, or leave me alone to swallow my spittle?
20 Even if I have sinned, what would that do to you, you who watch men? Why have you made a target of me, so that I am a burden for you?
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 Why do you not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For now will I lie down in the dust; you will seek me carefully, but I will not exist.”
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.”
