Job 7
1 “Isn’t a man forced to labour on earth? Aren’t his days like the days of a hired hand?
Hath not man a life of labour upon earth? and are not his days like the days of a hireling?
2 As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, as a hireling who looks for his wages,
As a bondman earnestly desireth the shadow, and a hireling expecteth his wages,
3 so I am made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me.
So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
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.
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 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust. My skin closes up, and breaks out afresh.
My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and suppurates.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.
My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.
7 Oh remember that my life is a breath. My eye will no more see good.
Remember thou that my life is wind; mine eye shall no more see good.
8 The eye of him who sees me will see me no more. Your eyes will be on me, but I will not be.
The eye of him that hath seen me shall behold me no [more]: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
9 As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol will come up no more. (Sheol h7585)
The cloud consumeth and vanisheth away; so he that goeth down to Sheol shall not come up. (Sheol h7585)
10 He will return no more to his house, neither will his place know him any more.
He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him again.
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.
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 Am I a sea, or a sea monster, that you put a guard over me?
Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, that thou settest a watch over me?
13 When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me. My couch will ease my complaint,’
When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;
14 then you scare me with dreams and terrify me through visions,
Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions;
15 so that my soul chooses strangling, death rather than my bones.
So that my soul chooseth strangling, death, rather than my bones.
16 I loathe my life. I don’t want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
I loathe it; I shall not live always: let me alone, for my days are a breath.
17 What is man, that you should magnify him, that you should set your mind on him,
What is man, that thou makest much of him? and that thou settest thy heart upon him?
18 that you should visit him every morning, and test him every moment?
And that thou visitest him every morning, triest him every moment?
19 How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?
How long wilt thou not look away from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
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?
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 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.”
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.
