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[a]Is not man (A)conscripted to labor on earth,
And are not his days like the days of (B)a hired man?
As a slave who pants for the shade,
And as a hired man who eagerly hopes for his wages,
So am I apportioned months of worthlessness,
And (C)nights of trouble are appointed me.
If I (D)lie down I say,
‘When shall I arise?’
But the twilight continues,
And I am saturated with tossing until dawn.
My (E)flesh is clothed with worms and a crust of dirt;
My skin scabs over and flows out again.
My days are (F)swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
And come to an end (G)without hope.

“Remember that my life (H)is but wind;
My eye will (I)not again see good.
The (J)eye of him who sees me will behold me no longer;
Your eyes will be on me, but (K)I will not be.
A (L)cloud vanishes, and it is gone,
So (M)he who goes down to (N)Sheol does not come up.
10 He will not return again to his house,
Nor will (O)his place recognize him anymore.

11 “Indeed (P)I will not hold back my mouth;
I will speak in the distress of my spirit;
I will muse on the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I the sea or (Q)the sea monster,
That You set a guard over me?
13 If I say, ‘(R)My bed will comfort me;
My couch will [b]ease my bitter musing,’
14 Then You frighten me with dreams
And terrify me by visions,
15 So that my soul would choose suffocation,
Death rather than my [c]pains.
16 I have (S)rejected everything; I will not live forever.
Leave me alone, (T)for my days are but a breath.
17 (U)What is man that You magnify him,
And that You set Your heart on him,
18 That (V)You [d]examine him every morning
And test him every moment?
19 [e](W)Will You never turn Your gaze away from me,
Nor let me alone until I swallow my spit?
20 (X)Have I sinned? What have I done to You,
O (Y)watcher of men?
Why have You set me as Your target,
So that I am a burden to myself?
21 Why then (Z)do You not forgive my transgression
And take away my iniquity?
For now I will (AA)lie down in the dust;
And You will seek me earnestly, (AB)but I will not be.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 7:1 Lit Has not man compulsory labor
  2. Job 7:13 Lit bear
  3. Job 7:15 Lit bones
  4. Job 7:18 Or care for, cf. Ps 8:4
  5. Job 7:19 Lit How long will You not

Job: My Suffering Is Comfortless

Is there not (A)a time of hard service for man on earth?
Are not his days also like the days of a hired man?
Like a servant who [a]earnestly desires the shade,
And like a hired man who eagerly looks for his wages,
So I have been allotted (B)months of futility,
And wearisome nights have been appointed to me.
(C)When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise,
And the night be ended?’
For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn.
My flesh is (D)caked with worms and dust,
My skin is cracked and breaks out afresh.

“My(E) days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
And are spent without hope.
Oh, remember that (F)my life is a breath!
My eye will never again see good.
(G)The eye of him who sees me will see me no more;
While your eyes are upon me, I shall no longer be.
As the cloud disappears and vanishes away,
So (H)he who goes down to the grave does not come up.
10 He shall never return to his house,
(I)Nor shall his place know him anymore.

11 “Therefore I will (J)not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will (K)complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I a sea, or a sea serpent,
That You set a guard over me?
13 (L)When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,
My couch will ease my complaint,’
14 Then You scare me with dreams
And terrify me with visions,
15 So that my soul chooses strangling
And death rather than [b]my body.
16 (M)I loathe my life;
I would not live forever.
(N)Let me alone,
For (O)my days are but [c]a breath.

17 “What(P) is man, that You should exalt him,
That You should set Your heart on him,
18 That You should [d]visit him every morning,
And test him every moment?
19 How long?
Will You not look away from me,
And let me alone till I swallow my saliva?
20 Have I sinned?
What have I done to You, (Q)O watcher of men?
Why (R)have You set me as Your target,
So that I am a burden [e]to myself?
21 Why then do You not pardon my transgression,
And take away my iniquity?
For now I will lie down in the dust,
And You will seek me diligently,
But I will no longer be.

Footnotes

  1. Job 7:2 Lit. pants for
  2. Job 7:15 Lit. my bones
  3. Job 7:16 Without substance, futile
  4. Job 7:18 attend to
  5. Job 7:20 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX, Jewish tradition to You