7 “Do not mortals have hard service^(A) on earth?^(B)
    Are not their days like those of hired laborers?^(C)
2 Like a slave longing for the evening shadows,^(D)
    or a hired laborer waiting to be paid,^(E)
3 so I have been allotted months of futility,
    and nights of misery have been assigned to me.^(F)
4 When I lie down I think, ‘How long before I get up?’^(G)
    The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.^(H)
5 My body is clothed with worms^(I) and scabs,
    my skin is broken and festering.^(J)

⁶ “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,^(K)
    and they come to an end without hope.^(L)
7 Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath;^(M)
    my eyes will never see happiness again.^(N)
8 The eye that now sees me will see me no longer;
    you will look for me, but I will be no more.^(O)
9 As a cloud vanishes^(P) and is gone,
    so one who goes down to the grave^(Q) does not return.^(R)
10 He will never come to his house again;
    his place^(S) will know him no more.^(T)

¹¹ “Therefore I will not keep silent;^(U)
    I will speak out in the anguish^(V) of my spirit,
    I will complain^(W) in the bitterness of my soul.^(X)
12 Am I the sea,^(Y) or the monster of the deep,^(Z)
    that you put me under guard?^(AA)
13 When I think my bed will comfort me
    and my couch will ease my complaint,^(AB)
14 even then you frighten me with dreams
    and terrify^(AC) me with visions,^(AD)
15 so that I prefer strangling and death,^(AE)
    rather than this body of mine.^(AF)
16 I despise my life;^(AG) I would not live forever.^(AH)
    Let me alone;^(AI) my days have no meaning.^(AJ)

¹⁷ “What is mankind that you make so much of them,
    that you give them so much attention,^(AK)
18 that you examine them every morning^(AL)
    and test them^(AM) every moment?^(AN)
19 Will you never look away from me,^(AO)
    or let me alone even for an instant?^(AP)
20 If I have sinned, what have I done to you,^(AQ)
    you who see everything we do?
Why have you made me your target?^(AR)
    Have I become a burden to you?^[a](AS)
21 Why do you not pardon my offenses
    and forgive my sins?^(AT)
For I will soon lie down in the dust;^(AU)
    you will search for me, but I will be no more.”^(AV)

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”^[a](D)

³ Sound the ram’s horn^(E) at the New Moon,^(F)
    and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival;
⁴ this is a decree for Israel,
    an ordinance of the God of Jacob.^(G)
5 When God went out against Egypt,^(H)
    he established it as a statute for Joseph.

I heard an unknown voice say:^(I)

⁶ “I removed the burden^(J) from their shoulders;^(K)
    their hands were set free from the basket.
⁷ In your distress you called^(L) and I rescued you,
    I answered^(M) you out of a thundercloud;
    I tested you at the waters of Meribah.^[c](N)
8 Hear me, my people,^(O) and I will warn you—
    if you would only listen to me, Israel!
⁹ You shall have no foreign god^(P) among you;
    you shall not worship any god other than me.
¹⁰ I am the Lord your God,
    who brought you up out of Egypt.^(Q)
Open^(R) wide your mouth and I will fill^(S) it.

¹¹ “But my people would not listen to me;
    Israel would not submit to me.^(T)
12 So I gave them over^(U) to their stubborn hearts
    to follow their own devices.

¹³ “If my people would only listen to me,^(V)
    if Israel would only follow my ways,
¹⁴ how quickly I would subdue^(W) their enemies
    and turn my hand against^(X) their foes!
¹⁵ Those who hate the Lord would cringe^(Y) before him,
    and their punishment would last forever.
¹⁶ But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;^(Z)
    with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”