Job 7
1 Has not man his ordered time of trouble on the earth? and are not his days like the days of a servant working for payment?
Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of a worker?
2 As a servant desiring the shades of evening, and a workman looking for his payment:
As a servant earnestly desires the shadow, and as a worker looks for the reward of his work:
3 So I have for my heritage months of pain to no purpose, and nights of weariness are given to me.
So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
4 When I go to my bed, I say, When will it be time to get up? but the night is long, and I am turning from side to side till morning light.
When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings back and forth unto the dawning of the day.
5 My flesh is covered with worms and dust; my skin gets hard and then is cracked again.
My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.
6 My days go quicker than the cloth-worker's thread, and come to an end without hope.
My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.
7 O, keep in mind that my life is wind: my eye will never again see good.
O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.
8 The eye of him who sees me will see me no longer: your eyes will be looking for me, but I will be gone.
The eye of him that has seen me shall see me no more: your eyes are upon me, and I am not.
9 A cloud comes to an end and is gone; so he who goes down into the underworld comes not up again. (Sheol h7585)
As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away: so he that goes down to the grave shall come up no more. (Sheol h7585)
10 He will not come back to his house, and his place will have no more knowledge of him.
He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
11 So I will not keep my mouth shut; I will let the words come from it in the pain of my spirit, my soul will make a bitter outcry.
Therefore I will not refrain 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-beast, that you put a watch over me?
Am I a sea, or a whale, that you set a watch over me?
13 When I say, In my bed I will have comfort, there I will get rest from my disease;
When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaints;
14 Then you send dreams to me, and visions of fear;
Then you scare me with dreams, and terrify me through visions:
15 So that a hard death seems better to my soul than my pains.
So that my soul chooses strangling, and death rather than my life.
16 I have no desire for life, I would not be living for ever! Keep away from me, for my days are as a breath.
I loathe it; I would not live always: let me alone; for my days are vanity.
17 What is man, that you have made him great, and that your attention is fixed on him,
What is man, that you should magnify him? and that you should set your heart upon him?
18 And that your hand is on him every morning, and that you are testing him every minute?
And that you should visit him every morning, and try him every moment?
19 How long will it be before your eyes are turned away from me, so that I may have a minute's breathing-space?
How long will you not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
20 If I have done wrong, what have I done to you, O keeper of men? why have you made me a mark for your blows, so that I am a weariness to myself?
I have sinned; what shall I do unto you, O you preserver of men? why have you set me as a mark against you, so that I am a burden to myself?
21 And why do you not take away my sin, and let my wrongdoing be ended? for now I go down to the dust, and you will be searching for me with care, but I will be gone.
And why do you not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and you shall seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.
