Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?

As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:

So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.

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.

My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.

My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.

O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.

The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.

As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave 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 whale, that thou settest a watch over me?

13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaints;

14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:

15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.

16 I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.

17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?

18 And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?

19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

20 I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?

21 And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.

“Do not mortals have hard service(A) on earth?(B)
    Are not their days like those of hired laborers?(C)
Like a slave longing for the evening shadows,(D)
    or a hired laborer waiting to be paid,(E)
so I have been allotted months of futility,
    and nights of misery have been assigned to me.(F)
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)
My body is clothed with worms(I) and scabs,
    my skin is broken and festering.(J)

“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,(K)
    and they come to an end without hope.(L)
Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath;(M)
    my eyes will never see happiness again.(N)
The eye that now sees me will see me no longer;
    you will look for me, but I will be no more.(O)
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)

Footnotes

  1. Job 7:20 A few manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition and Septuagint; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text I have become a burden to myself.

(A) Har inte människan

    ett slitsamt liv på jorden?
    Är inte hennes dagar
        som daglönarens dagar?
Hon är som en slav
        som flämtar efter skugga,
    som en daglönare
        som väntar på sin lön.
Månader av elände
        har jag fått till arvedel,
    nätter av vedermöda
        har blivit min lott.
Så snart jag har lagt mig frågar jag:
    ”När ska jag stiga upp?
        När ska natten ta slut?”
    Jag mättas av oro
        ända till morgonen.
(B) Min kropp täcks av maskar
        och med en skorpa som av jord,
    min hud skrumpnar och faller av.

(C) Mina dagar flyr snabbare
        än vävarens spole,
    de försvinner utan hopp.
(D) Tänk på att mitt liv är en vindfläkt,
    att mitt öga inte längre
        får se det goda.
Det öga som ser mig
        ska inte mer iaktta mig,
    om din blick söker mig
        finns jag inte längre.
Ett moln löses upp och är borta,
    den som farit ner i dödsriket
        kommer inte upp igen.
10 (E) Aldrig mer återvänder han
        till sitt hus,
    hans plats känner honom inte längre.

11 (F) Därför vill jag inte lägga band
        på min mun,
    jag vill tala i min andes ångest,
        jag vill klaga i min själs
            bedrövelse.
12 Jag är väl inte ett hav
        eller ett havsodjur,
    så att du måste sätta ut vakt
        mot mig?
13 När jag säger:
        ”Min bädd ska trösta mig,
    min viloplats ska lindra min oro”,
14 då skrämmer du mig med drömmar
        och skräckslår mig med syner.
15 Hellre vill jag bli kvävd,
    hellre dö än vara ett benrangel.
16 (G) Jag är trött på det här,
        jag kommer inte att leva för evigt.
    Låt mig vara,
        för mina dagar är en vindfläkt.

17 (H) Vad är då en människa,
    att du gör så stor sak av henne,
        ger akt på henne så noga,
18 synar henne var morgon,
    prövar henne vart ögonblick?
19 (I) När ska du vända din blick
        ifrån mig,
    ge mig tid att svälja min saliv?
20 Har jag syndat, vad gör det dig,
        du människornas bevakare?
    Varför har du gjort mig
        till din måltavla
    och låtit mig bli en börda
        för mig själv[a]?
21 Varför förlåter du inte min synd
        och tar bort min skuld?
    Snart ska jag ligga i stoftet,
        du kommer att söka efter mig
            men jag finns inte mer.

Footnotes

  1. 7:20 för mig själv   Andra handskrifter (Septuaginta): ”för dig”.

Job Continues: My Life Has No Hope

“Has not man (A)a hard service on earth,
    and are not his (B)days like the days of a hired hand?
Like a slave who longs for (C)the shadow,
    and like (D)a hired hand who looks for his (E)wages,
so I am allotted months of (F)emptiness,
    (G)and nights of misery are apportioned to me.
(H)When I lie down I say, ‘When shall I arise?’
    But the night is long,
    and I toss and turn till the dawn.
My flesh is clothed with (I)worms and (J)dirt;
    my skin hardens, then (K)breaks out afresh.
My days are (L)swifter than (M)a weaver's shuttle
    and come to their end without hope.

“Remember that my life is a (N)breath;
    my eye will never again see good.
(O)The eye of him who sees me will behold me no more;
    while your eyes are on me, (P)I shall be gone.
As (Q)the cloud fades and vanishes,
    so he who (R)goes down to Sheol does not come up;
10 he (S)returns no more to his house,
    nor does his (T)place know him anymore.

11 “Therefore I will not (U)restrain my mouth;
    I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
    I will (V)complain in (W)the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I the sea, or (X)a sea monster,
    that you set a guard over me?
13 (Y)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 I would choose strangling
    and death rather than my (Z)bones.
16 I (AA)loathe my life; I would not live forever.
    (AB)Leave me alone, for my days are (AC)a breath.
17 (AD)What is man, that you make so much of him,
    and that you set your heart on him,
18 (AE)visit him every morning
    and (AF)test him every moment?
19 How long will you not (AG)look away from me,
    nor leave me alone till I swallow my spit?
20 If I sin, what do I do to you, you watcher of mankind?
    Why have you made me (AH)your mark?
    Why have I become a burden to you?
21 Why do you not pardon my transgression
    and take away my iniquity?
For now I shall lie in (AI)the earth;
    you will (AJ)seek me, (AK)but I shall not be.”