Print Page Options Listen to Job 7

“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.

Non ha forse un duro lavoro l'uomo sulla terra
e i suoi giorni non sono come quelli d'un mercenario?
Come lo schiavo sospira l'ombra
e come il mercenario aspetta il suo salario,
così a me son toccati mesi d'illusione
e notti di dolore mi sono state assegnate.
Se mi corico dico: «Quando mi alzerò?».
Si allungano le ombre e sono stanco di rigirarmi fino
all'alba.
Ricoperta di vermi e croste è la mia carne,
raggrinzita è la mia pelle e si disfà.
I miei giorni sono stati più veloci d'una spola,
sono finiti senza speranza.
Ricordati che un soffio è la mia vita:
il mio occhio non rivedrà più il bene.
Non mi scorgerà più l'occhio di chi mi vede:
i tuoi occhi saranno su di me e io più non sarò.
Una nube svanisce e se ne va,
così chi scende agl'inferi più non risale;
10 non tornerà più nella sua casa,
mai più lo rivedrà la sua dimora.
11 Ma io non terrò chiusa la mia bocca,
parlerò nell'angoscia del mio spirito,
mi lamenterò nell'amarezza del mio cuore!
12 Son io forse il mare oppure un mostro marino,
perché tu mi metta accanto una guardia?
13 Quando io dico: «Il mio giaciglio mi darà
sollievo,
il mio letto allevierà la mia sofferenza»,
14 tu allora mi spaventi con sogni
e con fantasmi tu mi atterrisci.
15 Preferirei essere soffocato,
la morte piuttosto che questi miei dolori!
16 Io mi disfaccio, non vivrò più a lungo.
Lasciami, perché un soffio sono i miei giorni.
17 Che è quest'uomo che tu nei fai tanto conto
e a lui rivolgi la tua attenzione
18 e lo scruti ogni mattina
e ad ogni istante lo metti alla prova?
19 Fino a quando da me non toglierai lo sguardo
e non mi lascerai inghiottire la saliva?
20 Se ho peccato, che cosa ti ho fatto,
o custode dell'uomo?
Perché m'hai preso a bersaglio
e ti son diventato di peso?
21 Perché non cancelli il mio peccato
e non dimentichi la mia iniquità?
Ben presto giacerò nella polvere,
mi cercherai, ma più non sarò!

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.

「人生在世豈不像服勞役嗎?
他有生之年豈不像個雇工嗎?
他像切望陰涼的奴隸,
又如盼望報酬的雇工。
同樣,我註定要度過虛空的歲月,
熬過悲慘的黑夜。
我躺在床上,想著何時起來。
長夜漫漫,我輾轉難眠,直到拂曉。
我身上佈滿蛆蟲、傷疤,
皮膚破裂,流膿不止。
我的年日飛逝,比梭還快,
轉眼結束,毫無盼望。

「上帝啊,別忘了我的生命不過是一口氣,
我再也看不見幸福。
注視我的眼睛將再也看不見我,
你將尋找我,而我已不復存在。
人死後一去不返,
就像煙消雲散;
10 他永不再返回家園,
故土也不再認識他。

11 「因此我不再緘默不語,
我要吐露胸中的悲愁,
傾訴心裡的苦楚。
12 上帝啊,我豈是大海,豈是海怪,
值得你這樣防範我?
13 我以為床鋪是我的安慰,
臥榻可解除我的哀愁,
14 你卻用噩夢驚我,
用異象嚇我,
15 以致我寧願窒息而死,
也不願這樣活著。
16 我厭惡生命,不想永活。
不要管我,因為我的日子都是虛空。

17 「人算什麼,你竟這樣看重他,
這樣關注他?
18 你天天早上察看他,
時時刻刻考驗他。
19 你的視線何時離開我,
給我嚥口唾沫的時間?
20 鑒察世人的主啊,
我若犯了罪,又於你何妨?
為何把我當成你的箭靶?
難道我成了你的重擔?
21 為何不赦免我的過犯,
饒恕我的罪惡?
我很快將歸於塵土,
你將尋找我,
而我已不復存在。」

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