Job 7

1 “Isn’t a man forced to labor on earth? Aren’t his days like the days of a hired hand?

“Is not man consigned to labor on earth? Are not his days like those of a hired hand?

2 As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, as a hireling who looks for his wages,

Like a slave he longs for shade; like a hireling he waits for his wages.

3 so I am made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me.

So I am allotted months of futility, and nights of misery are appointed 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.

When I lie down I think: ‘When will I get up?’ But the night drags 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 flesh is clothed with worms and encrusted with dirt; my skin is cracked and festering.

6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.

My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; 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 but a breath. My eyes will never again see happiness.

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 that beholds me will no longer see me. You will look for me, but I will be no more.

9 As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol will come up no more. (Sheol h7585)

As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he 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.

He never returns to his house; his place remembers him no more.

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 the sea, or the monster of the deep, that You must keep me under guard?

13 When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me. My couch will ease my complaint,’

When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint,

14 then you scare me with dreams and terrify me through visions,

then You frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions,

15 so that my soul chooses strangling, death rather than my bones.

so that I would prefer strangling and death over my life in this body.

16 I loathe my life. I don’t want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.

I loathe my life! I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.

17 What is man, that you should magnify him, that you should set your mind on him,

What is man that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart upon him,

18 that you should visit him every morning, and test him every moment?

that You attend to him every morning, and test him every moment?

19 How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?

Will You never look away from me, or leave me alone to swallow 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?

If I have sinned, what have I done to You, O watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to You?

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.”

Why do You not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For soon I will lie down in the dust; You will seek me, but I will be no more.”