Job 7
1 Is there not a warfare to man on earth? And as the days of an hireling his days?
“Isn't life for human beings like serving a sentence of hard labor? Don't their days pass like those of a hired laborer?
2 As a servant desireth the shadow, And as a hireling expecteth his wage,
Like some slave longing for a bit of shade, like a hired hand anxiously waiting for pay day,
3 So I have been caused to inherit months of vanity, And nights of misery they numbered to me.
I've been given months of emptiness and nights of misery.
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.
When I go to bed I ask, ‘When shall I get up?’ But the night goes on and on, and I toss and turn until dawn.
5 Clothed hath been my flesh [with] worms, And a clod of dust, My skin hath been shrivelled and is loathsome,
My body is covered with maggots and caked in dirt; my skin is cracked, with oozing sores.
6 My days swifter than a weaving machine, And they are consumed without hope.
My days pass quicker than a weaver's shuttle and they come to an end without hope.
7 Remember Thou that my life [is] a breath, Mine eye turneth not back to see good.
Remember that my life is just a breath; I will not see happiness again.
8 The eye of my beholder beholdeth me not. Thine eyes [are] upon me — and I am not.
Those watching me won't see me anymore; your eyes will be looking for me, but I will be gone.
9 Consumed hath been a cloud, and it goeth, So he who is going down to Sheol cometh not up. (Sheol h7585)
When a cloud disappears, it's gone, just as anyone who goes down to Sheol does not come back up. (Sheol h7585)
10 He turneth not again to his house, Nor doth his place discern him again.
They will never return home, and the people they knew will forget them.
11 Also I — I withhold not my mouth — I speak in the distress of my spirit, I talk in the bitterness of my soul.
So, no, I won't hold my tongue—I will speak in the agony 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 the sea or a sea monster that you have to guard me?
13 When I said, 'My bed doth comfort me,' He taketh away in my talking my couch.
If I tell myself, ‘I'll feel better if I lie down in my bed,’ or ‘it will help me to lie down on my couch,’
14 And thou hast affrighted me with dreams, And from visions thou terrifiest me,
then you scare me so much with dreams and terrify me with visions
15 And my soul chooseth strangling, Death rather than my bones.
that I would rather be strangled—I would rather die than become just a bag of bones.
16 I have wasted away — not to the age do I live. Cease from me, for my days [are] vanity.
I hate my life! I know I won't live long. Leave me alone because my life is just a breath.
17 What [is] man that Thou dost magnify him? And that Thou settest unto him Thy heart?
Why are human beings so important to you; why are you so concerned about them
18 And inspectest him in the mornings, In the evenings dost try him?
that you inspect them every morning and test them every moment? Won't you ever stop staring at me?
19 How long dost Thou not look from me? Thou dost not desist till I swallow my spittle.
Won't you ever leave me alone long enough to catch my breath?
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?
What have I done wrong? What have I done to you, Watcher of Humanity? Why have you made me your target, so that I'm a burden even 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!
If so why don't you pardon my sins, and take away my guilt? Right now I'm going to lie down in the dust, and though you will look for me, I will be gone.”
