Job 7
1 “Isn’t a man forced to labor on earth? Aren’t his days like the days of a hired hand?
“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 As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, as a hireling who 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 am made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me.
I've been given months of emptiness and nights of misery.
4 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.
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. My skin closes up, and breaks out 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, and are spent without hope.
My days pass quicker than a weaver's shuttle and they come to an end without hope.
7 Oh remember that my life is 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 him who sees me will see me no more. Your eyes will be on me, but I will not be.
Those watching me won't see me anymore; your eyes will be looking for me, but I will be gone.
9 As the 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 any more.
They will never return home, and the people they knew will forget them.
11 “Therefore I will not keep silent. 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 a sea, or a sea monster, that you put 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. 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 my soul chooses strangling, death rather than my bones.
that I would rather be strangled—I would rather die than become just a bag of bones.
16 I loathe my life. I don’t want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
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 magnify 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 visit 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 you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?
Won't you ever leave me alone long enough to catch my breath?
20 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?
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 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.”
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.”
