Job 7
New American Standard Bible
Job’s Life Seems Futile
7 “[a]Is a person not (A)forced to labor on earth,
And are his days not like the days of (B)a hired worker?
2 As a slave pants for the shade,
And as a hired worker who eagerly waits for his wages,
3 So I am allotted worthless months,
And (C)nights of trouble are apportioned to me.
4 When I (D)lie down, I say,
‘When shall I arise?’
But the night continues,
And I am continually tossing until dawn.
5 My (E)flesh is clothed with maggots and a crust of dirt,
My skin hardens and [b]oozes.
6 My days are (F)swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
And they come to an end (G)without hope.
7 “Remember that my life (H)is a mere breath;
My eye will (I)not see goodness again.
8 The (J)eye of him who sees me will no longer look at me;
Your eyes will be on me, but (K)I will not exist.
9 When a (L)cloud vanishes, it is gone;
In the same way (M)one who goes down to [c](N)Sheol does not come up.
10 He will not return to his house again,
Nor will (O)his place know about him anymore.
11 “Therefore (P)I will not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit,
I will complain in 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 couch will comfort me,
My bed will [d]ease my complaint,’
14 Then You frighten me with dreams,
And terrify me by visions,
15 So that my soul would choose suffocation,
Death rather than my [e]pains.
16 I [f](S)waste away; I will not live forever.
Leave me alone, (T)for my days are only a breath.
17 (U)What is man that You exalt him,
And that You [g]are concerned about him,
18 That (V)You examine him every morning
And put him to the test every moment?
19 [h](W)Will You never turn Your gaze away from me,
Nor leave me alone until I swallow my spittle?
20 (X)Have I sinned? What have I done to You,
(Y)Watcher of mankind?
Why have You made me Your target,
So that I am a burden to myself?
21 Why then (Z)do You not forgive my wrongdoing
And take away my [i]guilt?
For now I will (AA)lie down in the dust;
And You will search for me, (AB)but I will no longer exist.”
Job 7
American Standard Version
7 Is there not a [a]warfare to man upon earth?
And are not his days like the days of a hireling?
2 As a servant that earnestly desireth the shadow,
And as a hireling that looketh for his wages:
3 So am I made to possess months of misery,
And wearisome nights are appointed to me.
4 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.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust;
My skin [b]closeth up, and breaketh out afresh.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
And are spent without hope.
7 Oh remember that my life is a breath:
Mine eye shall no more see good.
8 The eye of him that seeth me shall behold me no more;
Thine eyes shall be upon me, but I shall not be.
9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away,
So he that goeth down to Sheol 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 sea-monster,
That thou settest a watch over me?
13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me,
My couch shall ease my complaint;
14 Then thou scarest me with dreams,
And terrifiest me through visions:
15 So that my soul chooseth strangling,
And death rather than these my bones.
16 [c]I loathe my life; I [d]would not live alway:
Let me alone; for my days are [e]vanity.
17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him,
And that thou shouldest set thy mind upon him,
18 And that thou shouldest visit him every morning,
And try him every moment?
19 How long wilt thou not look away from me,
Nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
20 If I have sinned, what [f]do I unto thee, O thou [g]watcher of men?
Why hast thou set me as a mark for thee,
So that I am a burden to myself?
21 And 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.
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