Job 7
1 Does not man have hard labor on earth? Are not his days like the days of a hired man?
“Isn't life for human beings like serving a sentence of hard labor? Don't their days pass like those of a hired laborer?
2 Like a slave earnestly desires the shadows of evening, like a hired man looks for his wages—
Like some slave longing for a bit of shade, like a hired hand anxiously waiting for pay day,
3 so I have been made to endure months of misery; I have been given trouble-filled nights.
I've been given months of emptiness and nights of misery.
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 go to bed I ask, ‘When shall I get up?’ But the night goes on and 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 body is covered with maggots and caked in dirt; my skin is cracked, with oozing sores.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle; they pass without hope.
My days pass quicker than a weaver's shuttle and 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 just a breath; I will not see happiness again.
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.
Those watching me won't see me anymore; your eyes will be looking for me, but I will be gone.
9 As a cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol will come up no more. (Sheol h7585)
When a cloud disappears, it's gone, just as anyone 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.
They will never return home, and the people they knew will forget them.
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.
So, no, I won't hold my tongue—I will speak in the agony 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 a sea monster that you have to guard me?
13 When I say, 'My bed will comfort me, and my couch will ease my complaint,'
If I tell myself, ‘I'll feel better if I lie down in my bed,’ or ‘it will help me to lie down on my couch,’
14 then you scare me with dreams and terrify me through visions,
then you scare me so much with dreams and terrify me with visions
15 so that I would choose strangling and death rather than preserving these bones of mine.
that I would rather be strangled—I would rather die than become just a bag of bones.
16 I loathe my life; I would not wish to always be alive; let me alone for my days are useless.
I hate my life! I know I won't live long. Leave me alone because my life is just a breath.
17 What is man that you should pay attention to him, that you should set your mind on him,
Why are human beings so important to you; why are you so concerned about them
18 that you should observe him every morning and test him every moment?
that you inspect them every morning and test them every moment? Won't you ever stop staring at me?
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?
Won't you ever leave me alone long enough to catch my breath?
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?
What have I done wrong? What have I done to you, Watcher of Humanity? Why have you made me your target, so that I'm a burden even to myself?
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.”
If so why don't you pardon my sins, and take away my guilt? Right now I'm going to lie down in the dust, and though you will look for me, I will be gone.”
