Job 7

1Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?

1Has not man his ordered time of trouble on the earth? and are not his days like the days of a servant working for payment?

2As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:

2As a servant desiring the shades of evening, and a workman looking for his payment:

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

3So I have for my heritage months of pain to no purpose, and nights of weariness are given 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 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.

5My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.

5My flesh is covered with worms and dust; my skin gets hard and then is cracked again.

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

6My days go quicker than the cloth-worker's thread, and come to an end without hope.

7O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.

7O, keep in mind that my life is wind: my eye will never again see good.

8The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.

8The eye of him who sees me will see me no longer: your eyes will be looking for me, but I will be gone.

9As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.

9A cloud comes to an end and is gone; so he who goes down into the underworld comes not up again.

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

10He will not come back to his house, and his place will have no more knowledge of 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.

11So 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.

12Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?

12Am I a sea, or a sea-beast, that you put a watch over me?

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

13When I say, In my bed I will have comfort, there I will get rest from my disease;

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

14Then you send dreams to me, and visions of fear;

15So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.

15So that a hard death seems better to my soul than my pains.

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

16I have no desire for life, I would not be living for ever! Keep away from me, for my days are as a breath.

17What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?

17What is man, that you have made him great, and that your attention is fixed on him,

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

18And that your hand is on him every morning, and that you are testing him every minute?

19How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

19How long will it be before your eyes are turned away from me, so that I may have a minute's breathing-space?

20I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?

20If 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?

21And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.

21And 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.