Job 7

1Is there not a warfare to man upon earth? And are not his days like the days of a hireling?

1Doesn’t every person have to struggle on earth? Aren’t their days just like those of a hired laborer?

2As a servant that earnestly desireth the shadow, And as a hireling that looketh for his wages:

2Like a slave who longs for the shade, or a hired worker waiting to be paid,

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

3I have been given months of emptiness, and long nights of misery have been assigned to me.

4When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? And I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

4When I lie down, I think, 'When will I get up?' But the night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.

5My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; My skin closeth up, and breaketh out afresh.

5My body is covered with worms and scabs; my skin cracks and oozes.

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

6My days fly by faster than a weaver’s shuttle, and they end without any hope.

7Oh remember that my life is a breath: Mine eye shall no more see good.

7Remember, O God, that my life is just a breath; I will never see happiness again.

8The eye of him that seeth me shall behold me no more; Thine eyes shall be upon me, but I shall not be.

8The eye that sees me now will see me no more; you will look for me, but I will be gone.

9As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away, So he that goeth down to Sheol shall come up no more.

9Just as a cloud fades and disappears, whoever goes down to the grave does not come back up.

10He shall return no more to his house, Neither shall his place know him any more.

10He will never return to his house again, and his home will no longer recognize him.

11Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

11Therefore, I will not keep quiet; I will speak out in my deep distress and complain in the bitterness of my soul.

12Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, That thou settest a watch over me?

12Am I the sea or a sea monster, that you have to keep me under guard?

13When I say, My bed shall comfort me, My couch shall ease my complaint;

13When I think, 'My bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my misery,'

14Then thou scarest me with dreams, And terrifiest me through visions:

14then you scare me with dreams and terrify me with visions.

15So that my soul chooseth strangling, And death rather than these my bones.

15I would rather be strangled; I prefer death over living in this body.

16I loathe my life; I would not live alway: Let me alone; for my days are vanity.

16I hate my life; I don't want to live forever. Leave me alone, because my days have no meaning.

17What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him, And that thou shouldest set thy mind upon him,

17What are mere humans that you make so much of them, or that you give them so much of your attention?

18And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, And try him every moment?

18Why do you examine them every morning and test them every single moment?

19How long wilt thou not look away from me, Nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

19Will you never look away from me or leave me alone long enough to swallow my spit?

20If I have sinned, what do I unto thee, O thou watcher of men? Why hast thou set me as a mark for thee, So that I am a burden to myself?

20Even if I have sinned, what have I done to you, O watcher of humanity? Why have you made me your target? Have I become a burden to you?

21And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust; And thou wilt seek me diligently, but I shall not be.

21Why don’t you forgive my sins and take away my guilt? For soon I will lie down in the dust; you will look for me, but I will be gone.