Job 7

1 Is there not a warfare to man on earth? And as the days of an hireling his days?

Is not the life of man upon earth a state of trial? and his existence as that of a hireling by the day?

2 As a servant desireth the shadow, And as a hireling expecteth his wage,

Or as a servant that fears his master, and one who has grasped a shadow? or as a hireling waiting for his pay?

3 So I have been caused to inherit months of vanity, And nights of misery they numbered to me.

So have I also endured months of vanity, and nights of pain have been appointed me.

4 If I lay down then I said, 'When do I rise!' And evening hath been measured, And I have been full of tossings till dawn.

Whenever I lie down, I say, When [will it be] day? and whenever I rise up, again [I say] when [will it be] evening? and I am full of pains from evening to morning.

5 Clothed hath been my flesh [with] worms, And a clod of dust, My skin hath been shrivelled and is loathsome,

And my body is covered with loathsome worms; and I waste away, scraping off clods of dust from my eruption.

6 My days swifter than a weaving machine, And they are consumed without hope.

And my life is lighter than a word, and has perished in vain hope.

7 Remember Thou that my life [is] a breath, Mine eye turneth not back to see good.

Remember then that my life is breath, and mine eye shall not yet again see good.

8 The eye of my beholder beholdeth me not. Thine eyes [are] upon me — and I am not.

The eye of him that sees me shall not see me [again]: your eyes are upon me, and I am no more.

9 Consumed hath been a cloud, and it goeth, So he who is going down to Sheol cometh not up. (Sheol h7585)

[I am] as a cloud that is cleared away from the sky: for if a man go down to the grave, he shall not come up again: (Sheol h7585)

10 He turneth not again to his house, Nor doth his place discern him again.

and he shall surely not return to his own house, neither shall his place know him any more.

11 Also I — I withhold not my mouth — I speak in the distress of my spirit, I talk in the bitterness of my soul.

Then neither will I refrain my mouth: I will speak being in distress; being in anguish I will disclose the bitterness of my soul.

12 A sea -[monster] am I, or a dragon, That thou settest over me a guard?

Am I a sea, or a serpent, that you have set a watch over me?

13 When I said, 'My bed doth comfort me,' He taketh away in my talking my couch.

I said that my bed should comfort me, and I would privately counsel with myself on my couch.

14 And thou hast affrighted me with dreams, And from visions thou terrifiest me,

You scare me with dreams, and do terrify me with visions.

15 And my soul chooseth strangling, Death rather than my bones.

You will separate life from my spirit; and yet [keep] my bones from death.

16 I have wasted away — not to the age do I live. Cease from me, for my days [are] vanity.

For I shall not live for ever, that I should patiently endure: depart from me, for my life [is] vain.

17 What [is] man that Thou dost magnify him? And that Thou settest unto him Thy heart?

For what is man, that you have magnified him? or that you give heed to him?

18 And inspectest him in the mornings, In the evenings dost try him?

Will you visit him till the morning, and judge him till [the time of] rest?

19 How long dost Thou not look from me? Thou dost not desist till I swallow my spittle.

How long do you not let me alone, nor let me go, until I shall swallow down my spittle?

20 I have sinned, what do I to Thee, O watcher of man? Why hast Thou set me for a mark to Thee, And I am for a burden to myself — and what?

If I have sinned, what shall I be able to do, O you that understand the mind of men? why have you made me as your accuser, and [why] am I a burden to you?

21 Thou dost not take away my transgression, And cause to pass away mine iniquity, Because now, for dust I lie down: And Thou hast sought me — and I am not!

Why have you not forgotten my iniquity, and purged my sin? but now I shall depart to the earth; and in the morning I am no more.