Job 7
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Job: My Suffering Is without End
7 “Do not human beings have a hard service on earth,
and are not their days like the days of a laborer?(A)
2 Like a slave who longs for the shadow,
and like laborers who look for their wages,(B)
3 so I am allotted months of emptiness,
and nights of misery are apportioned to me.(C)
4 When I lie down I say, ‘When shall I rise?’
But the night is long,
and I am full of tossing until dawn.(D)
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and dirt;
my skin hardens, then breaks out again.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle
and come to their end without hope.[a](E)
7 “Remember that my life is a breath;
my eye will never again see good.(F)
8 The eye that beholds me will see me no more;
while your eyes are upon me, I shall be gone.(G)
9 As the cloud fades and vanishes,
so those who go down to Sheol do not come up;(H)
10 they return no more to their houses,
nor do their places know them any more.(I)
11 “Therefore I will not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.(J)
12 Am I the Sea or the Dragon
that you set a guard over me?(K)
13 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,(L)
15 so that I would choose strangling
and death rather than this body.
16 I loathe my life; I would not live forever.
Let me alone, for my days are a breath.(M)
17 What are humans, that you make so much of them,
that you set your mind on them,(N)
18 visit them every morning,
test them every moment?
19 Will you not look away from me for a while,
let me alone until I swallow my spittle?
20 If I sin, what do I do to you, you watcher of humanity?
Why have you made me your target?
Why have I become a burden to you?(O)
21 Why do you not pardon my transgression
and take away my iniquity?
For now I shall lie in the earth;
you will seek me, but I shall not be.”(P)
Footnotes
- 7.6 Or as the thread runs out
Job 7
International Standard Version
Job Acknowledges the Brevity of Life
7 “Men have harsh servitude on earth, do they not?
His days are like those of a hired laborer, are they not?[a]
2 I’m like a servant who longs for the shade,
like a hired laborer who is looking for his wages.
3 Truly I’ve been allotted months of emptiness;
nights of trouble have been appointed for me.
4 “When I lie down I ask,
‘When will I wake up?’
But the night continues
and I keep tossing and turning until dawn.[b]
5 My skin[c] is covered with worms and clods of dirt;
my skin becomes rough and then breaks out afresh.
6 My days pass as swiftly as a hand-loom;
they come to their conclusion without hope.
7 Remember that my life is a breath;
my eyes won’t go back to seeing good things.[d]
8 The eyes of the one who sees me won’t see me anymore;
your eyes will look[e] for me
but I won’t be around![f]
9 As a cloud fades away and vanishes,
the one who descends to the afterlife[g] doesn’t return.[h]
10 He doesn’t return again to his house,
and his place won’t recognize him anymore.”
Job Intends to Complain
11 “In addition, I won’t keep my opinion[i] to myself;
I’ll speak from my distressed spirit;
I’ll complain with my bitter soul.
12 Am I the sea, or a sea monster,
that you keep watching me?
13 For I’ve said, ‘My bed will comfort me;
my couch will ease my burdens[j] while I complain.’
14 But then you scared me with dreams;
you terrified me with visions.
15 I would rather die by strangulation
than continue living.[k]
16 I hate the thought of living forever!
Leave me alone, because my days are pointless.”
Job Acknowledges Humankind’s Insignificance
17 “What is a human being, that you make so much of him;
that you set your affections on him,
18 visit him every morning,
and test him continually?
19 Why won’t you look away from me?
Why don’t you leave me alone so I can swallow my saliva?
20 So what if I sin? What have I done against you,
you observer of humankind?
Why have you made me your target?
Why burden yourself with me?
21 Why haven’t you pardoned my transgression
and taken away my iniquity?
Now I’m about to lie down in the dust.
You will seek me diligently,
but I won’t be around!”[l]
Footnotes
- Job 7:1 Or hireling
- Job 7:4 Or twilight
- Job 7:5 Or flesh
- Job 7:7 The Heb. lacks things
- Job 7:8 The Heb. lacks will look
- Job 7:8 The Heb. lacks around
- Job 7:9 Lit. Sheol; i.e. the dwelling place of the dead
- Job 7:9 Lit. doesn’t come back up
- Job 7:11 Lit. mouth
- Job 7:13 Or carry
- Job 7:15 Lit. my bones
- Job 7:21 The Heb. lacks around
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
