Job 7
1 Is there not a warfare to man on earth? And as the days of an hireling his days?
Hath not man a life of labour upon earth? and are not his days like the days of a hireling?
2 As a servant desireth the shadow, And as a hireling expecteth his wage,
As a bondman earnestly desireth the shadow, and a hireling expecteth his wages,
3 So I have been caused to inherit months of vanity, And nights of misery they numbered to me.
So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to 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.
If I lie down, I say, When shall I rise up, and the darkness be gone? and I am full of tossings until the dawn.
5 Clothed hath been my flesh [with] worms, And a clod of dust, My skin hath been shrivelled and is loathsome,
My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and suppurates.
6 My days swifter than a weaving machine, And they are consumed without hope.
My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.
7 Remember Thou that my life [is] a breath, Mine eye turneth not back to see good.
Remember thou that my life is wind; mine eye shall no more 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 hath seen me shall behold me no [more]: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
9 Consumed hath been a cloud, and it goeth, So he who is going down to Sheol cometh not up. (Sheol h7585)
The cloud consumeth and vanisheth away; so he that goeth down to Sheol shall not come up. (Sheol h7585)
10 He turneth not again to his house, Nor doth his place discern him again.
He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him again.
11 Also I — I withhold not my mouth — I speak in the distress of my spirit, I talk 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 A sea -[monster] am I, or a dragon, That thou settest over me a guard?
Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, that thou settest a watch over me?
13 When I said, 'My bed doth comfort me,' He taketh away in my talking my couch.
When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;
14 And thou hast affrighted me with dreams, And from visions thou terrifiest me,
Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions;
15 And my soul chooseth strangling, Death rather than my bones.
So that my soul chooseth strangling, death, rather than my bones.
16 I have wasted away — not to the age do I live. Cease from me, for my days [are] vanity.
I loathe it; I shall not live always: let me alone, for my days are a breath.
17 What [is] man that Thou dost magnify him? And that Thou settest unto him Thy heart?
What is man, that thou makest much of him? and that thou settest thy heart upon him?
18 And inspectest him in the mornings, In the evenings dost try him?
And that thou visitest him every morning, triest him every moment?
19 How long dost Thou not look from me? Thou dost not desist till I swallow my spittle.
How long wilt thou not look away from me, nor let me alone till I 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?
Have I sinned, what do I unto thee, thou Observer of men? Why hast thou set me as an object of assault for thee, so that I am become a burden to myself?
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!
And why dost not thou forgive my transgression and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I lie down in the dust, and thou shalt seek me early, and I shall not be.
