「人生在世豈不像服勞役嗎?
他有生之年豈不像個雇工嗎?
他像切望陰涼的奴隸,
又如盼望報酬的雇工。
同樣,我註定要度過虛空的歲月,
熬過悲慘的黑夜。
我躺在床上,想著何時起來。
長夜漫漫,我輾轉難眠,直到拂曉。
我身上佈滿蛆蟲、傷疤,
皮膚破裂,流膿不止。
我的年日飛逝,比梭還快,
轉眼結束,毫無盼望。

「上帝啊,別忘了我的生命不過是一口氣,
我再也看不見幸福。
注視我的眼睛將再也看不見我,
你將尋找我,而我已不復存在。
人死後一去不返,
就像煙消雲散;
10 他永不再返回家園,
故土也不再認識他。

11 「因此我不再緘默不語,
我要吐露胸中的悲愁,
傾訴心裡的苦楚。
12 上帝啊,我豈是大海,豈是海怪,
值得你這樣防範我?
13 我以為床鋪是我的安慰,
臥榻可解除我的哀愁,
14 你卻用噩夢驚我,
用異象嚇我,
15 以致我寧願窒息而死,
也不願這樣活著。
16 我厭惡生命,不想永活。
不要管我,因為我的日子都是虛空。

17 「人算什麼,你竟這樣看重他,
這樣關注他?
18 你天天早上察看他,
時時刻刻考驗他。
19 你的視線何時離開我,
給我嚥口唾沫的時間?
20 鑒察世人的主啊,
我若犯了罪,又於你何妨?
為何把我當成你的箭靶?
難道我成了你的重擔?
21 為何不赦免我的過犯,
饒恕我的罪惡?
我很快將歸於塵土,
你將尋找我,
而我已不復存在。」

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

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

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

When 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

11 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 whale, that thou settest a watch over me?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

20 I 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?

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

Human life is like forced army service,
    like a life of hard manual labor,
    like a slave longing for cool shade;
    like a worker waiting to be paid.
Month after month I have nothing to live for;
    night after night brings me grief.
When I lie down to sleep, the hours drag;
    I toss all night and long for dawn.
My body is full of worms;
    it is covered with scabs;
    pus runs out of my sores.
My days pass by without hope,
    pass faster than a weaver's shuttle.[a]

Remember, O God, my life is only a breath;
    my happiness has already ended.
You see me now, but never again.
    If you look for me, I'll be gone.
9-10 (A)Like a cloud that fades and is gone,
    we humans die and never return;
    we are forgotten by all who knew us.
11 No! I can't be quiet!
    I am angry and bitter.
    I have to speak.

12 Why do you keep me under guard?
    Do you think I am a sea monster?[b]
13 I lie down and try to rest;
    I look for relief from my pain.
14 But you—you terrify me with dreams;
    you send me visions and nightmares
15     until I would rather be strangled
    than live in this miserable body.
16 I give up; I am tired of living.
Leave me alone. My life makes no sense.

17 (B)Why are people so important to you?
    Why pay attention to what they do?
18 You inspect them every morning
    and test them every minute.
19 Won't you look away long enough
    for me to swallow my spit?
20 Are you harmed by my sin, you jailer?
    Why use me for your target practice?
    Am I so great a burden to you?
21 Can't you ever forgive my sin?
    Can't you pardon the wrong I do?
Soon I will be in my grave,
    and I'll be gone when you look for me.

Footnotes

  1. Job 7:6 A small device in the loom which carries threads back and forth rapidly in weaving cloth.
  2. Job 7:12 A reference to ancient stories in which sea monsters had to be guarded so that they would not escape and do damage.