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“Isn’t a man forced to labor on earth?
    Aren’t his days like the days of a hired hand?
As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow,
    as a hireling who looks for his wages,
so I am made to possess months of misery,
    wearisome nights are appointed to me.
When I lie down, I say,
    ‘When will I arise, and the night be gone?’
    I toss and turn until the dawning of the day.
My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust.
    My skin closes up, and breaks out afresh.
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
    and are spent without hope.
Oh remember that my life is a breath.
    My eye will no more see good.
The eye of him who sees me will see me no more.
    Your eyes will be on me, but I will not be.
As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away,
    so he who goes down to Sheol[a] will come up no more.
10 He will return no more to his house,
    neither will his place know him any more.

11 “Therefore I will not keep silent.
    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 you put a guard over me?
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 through visions:
15 so that my soul chooses strangling,
    death rather than my bones.
16 I loathe my life.
    I don’t want to live forever.
    Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
17 What is man, that you should magnify him,
    that you should set your mind on him,
18 that you should visit him every morning,
    and test him every moment?
19 How long will you not look away from me,
    nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?
20 If I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men?
    Why have you set me as a mark for you,
    so that I am a burden to myself?
21 Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity?
    For now will I lie down in the dust.
    You will seek me diligently, but I will not be.”

Footnotes

  1. 7:9 Sheol is the place of the dead.

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