איוב 7

1 הֲלֹא־צָבָא לֶאֱנוֹשׁ על־עֲלֵי־אָרֶץ וְכִימֵי שָׂכִיר יָמָֽיו׃

Is there not a limited time of service to a mortal upon the earth? Are not his days also like the days of a hired laborer?

2 כְּעֶבֶד יִשְׁאַף־צֵל וּכְשָׂכִיר יְקַוֶּה פָעֳלֽוֹ׃

As a servant eagerly longeth for the shadow, and as a hired laborer hopeth for his reward:

3 כֵּן הָנְחַלְתִּי לִי יַרְחֵי־שָׁוְא וְלֵילוֹת עָמָל מִנּוּ־לִֽי׃

So was I compelled to possess months of vanity, and nights of trouble were counted out unto me.

4 אִם־שָׁכַבְתִּי וְאָמַרְתִּי מָתַי אָקוּם וּמִדַּד־עָרֶב וְשָׂבַעְתִּי נְדֻדִים עֲדֵי־נָֽשֶׁף׃

When I He down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am wearied with tossings about till the dawn of day.

5 לָבַשׁ בְּשָׂרִי רִמָּה וגיש וְגוּשׁ עָפָר עוֹרִי רָגַע וַיִּמָּאֵֽס׃

My flesh is covered with worms and clods of dust: my skin is burst open, and become loathsome.

6 יָמַי קַלּוּ מִנִּי־אָרֶג וַיִּכְלוּ בְּאֶפֶס תִּקְוָֽה׃

My days hasten away more swiftly than a weaver's shuttle, and they come to an end in the absence of hope.

7 זְכֹר כִּי־רוּחַ חַיָּי לֹא־תָשׁוּב עֵינִי לִרְאוֹת טֽוֹב׃

Oh remember that nothing but a breath is my life; that my eye will not again see happiness;

8 לֹֽא־תְשׁוּרֵנִי עֵין רֹאִי עֵינֶיךָ בִּי וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃

The eye of him that seeth me now will not behold me again: [thou fixest] thy eyes upon me, and I am no more.

9 כָּלָה עָנָן וַיֵּלַךְ כֵּן יוֹרֵד שְׁאוֹל לֹא יַעֲלֽ͏ֶה׃ (Sheol h7585)

As the cloud vanisheth and passeth away: so will he that goeth down to the nether world not come up again. (Sheol h7585)

10 לֹא־יָשׁוּב עוֹד לְבֵיתוֹ וְלֹא־יַכִּירֶנּוּ עוֹד מְקֹמֽוֹ׃

He will return no more to his house, and his place will not recognize him any more.

11 גַּם־אֲנִי לֹא אֶחֱשָׂךְ פִּי אֲ‍ֽדַבְּרָה בְּצַר רוּחִי אָשִׂיחָה בְּמַר נַפְשִֽׁי׃

Therefore will I also not restrain my mouth: I will speak in the anguish of my spirit: I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

12 הֲ‍ֽיָם־אָנִי אִם־תַּנִּין כִּֽי־תָשִׂים עָלַי מִשְׁמָֽר׃

Am I a sea, or a monster, that thou settest a watch over me?

13 כִּֽי־אָמַרְתִּי תְּנַחֲמֵנִי עַרְשִׂי יִשָּׂא בְשִׂיחִי מִשְׁכָּבִֽי׃

For should I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall help me bear my complaint:

14 וְחִתַּתַּנִי בַחֲלֹמוֹת וּֽמֵחֶזְיֹנוֹת תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃

Then wouldst thou frighten me with dreams, and with visions wouldst thou terrify me;

15 וַתִּבְחַר מַחֲנָק נַפְשִׁי מָוֶת מֵֽעַצְמוֹתָֽי׃

So that my soul would choose strangling, death rather than these limbs of mine.

16 מָאַסְתִּי לֹא־לְעֹלָם אֶֽחְיֶה חֲדַל מִמֶּנִּי כִּי־הֶבֶל יָמָֽי׃

I loathe it; I cannot live for ever: let me alone; for my days are but nought.

17 מָֽה־אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תְגַדְּלֶנּוּ וְכִי־תָשִׁית אֵלָיו לִבֶּֽךָ׃

What is the mortal, that thou shouldst make him great? and that thou shouldst direct thy heart toward him?

18 וַתִּפְקְדֶנּוּ לִבְקָרִים לִרְגָעִים תִּבְחָנֶֽנּוּ׃

And that thou shouldst visit him every morning, probe him every moment?

19 כַּמָּה לֹא־תִשְׁעֶה מִמֶּנִּי לֹֽא־תַרְפֵּנִי עַד־בִּלְעִי רֻקִּֽי׃

How long wilt thou not turn thy regard from me, nor let; me loose till I swallow down my spittle?

20 חָטָאתִי מָה אֶפְעַל ׀ לָךְ נֹצֵר הָאָדָם לָמָה שַׂמְתַּנִי לְמִפְגָּע לָךְ וָאֶהְיֶה עָלַי לְמַשָּֽׂא׃

If I have sinned, what [injury] can I cause unto thee, O thou Guardian of men? why hast thou set me as an object for thee to strike at, so that I am become a burden to myself?

21 וּמֶה ׀ לֹא־תִשָּׂא פִשְׁעִי וְתַעֲבִיר אֶת־עֲוֺנִי כִּֽי־עַתָּה לֶעָפָר אֶשְׁכָּב וְשִׁחֲרְתַּנִי וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃

And why wilt thou not forgive my transgression, and let my iniquity pass away? for soon must I lie down in the dust; and thou wilt seek for me, but I shall be no more.