Job 7
Young's Literal Translation
7 Is there not a warfare to man on earth? And as the days of an hireling his days?
2 As a servant desireth the shadow, And as a hireling expecteth his wage,
3 So I have been caused to inherit months of vanity, And nights of misery they numbered to me.
4 If I lay down then I said, `When do I rise!' And evening hath been measured, And I have been full of tossings till dawn.
5 Clothed hath been my flesh [with] worms, And a clod of dust, My skin hath been shrivelled and is loathsome,
6 My days swifter than a weaving machine, And they are consumed without hope.
7 Remember Thou that my life [is] a breath, Mine eye turneth not back to see good.
8 The eye of my beholder beholdeth me not. Thine eyes [are] upon me -- and I am not.
9 Consumed hath been a cloud, and it goeth, So he who is going down to Sheol cometh not up.
10 He turneth not again to his house, Nor doth his place discern him again.
11 Also I -- I withhold not my mouth -- I speak in the distress of my spirit, I talk in the bitterness of my soul.
12 A sea-[monster] am I, or a dragon, That thou settest over me a guard?
13 When I said, `My bed doth comfort me,' He taketh away in my talking my couch.
14 And thou hast affrighted me with dreams, And from visions thou terrifiest me,
15 And my soul chooseth strangling, Death rather than my bones.
16 I have wasted away -- not to the age do I live. Cease from me, for my days [are] vanity.
17 What [is] man that Thou dost magnify him? And that Thou settest unto him Thy heart?
18 And inspectest him in the mornings, In the evenings dost try him?
19 How long dost Thou not look from me? Thou dost not desist till I swallow my spittle.
20 I have sinned, what do I to Thee, O watcher of man? Why hast Thou set me for a mark to Thee, And I am for a burden to myself -- and what?
21 Thou dost not take away my transgression, And cause to pass away mine iniquity, Because now, for dust I lie down: And Thou hast sought me -- and I am not!
Job 7
Complete Jewish Bible
7 “Human life on earth is like serving in the army;
yes, we drudge through our days like a hired worker,
2 like a slave longing for shade,
like a worker thinking only of his wages.
3 So I am assigned months of meaninglessness;
troubled nights are my lot.
4 When I lie down, I ask,
‘When can I get up?’
But the night is long, and I keep tossing
to and fro until daybreak.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and dirt,
my skin forms scabs that ooze pus.
6 My days pass more swiftly than a weaver’s shuttle
and come to their end without hope.
7 “Remember that my life is but a breath;
my eyes will never again see good times.
8 The eye that now sees me will see me no more;
while your eyes are on me, I will be gone.
9 Like a cloud dissolving and disappearing,
so he who descends to Sh’ol won’t come back up.
10 He will not return again to his house,
and his home will know him no more.
11 “Therefore I will not restrain my mouth
but will speak in my anguish of spirit
and complain in my bitterness of soul.
12 Am I the sea, or some sea monster,
that you put a guard over me?
13 When I think that my bed will comfort me,
that my couch will relieve my complaint,
14 then you terrify me with dreams
and frighten me with visions.
15 I would rather be strangled;
death would be better than these bones of mine.
16 I hate it! I won’t live forever,
so leave me alone, for my life means nothing.
17 “What are mere mortals, that you make so much of them?
Why do you keep them on your mind?
18 Why examine them every morning
and test them every moment?
19 Won’t you ever take your eyes off of me,
at least long enough for me to swallow my spit?
20 “Suppose I do sin — how do I harm you,
you scrutinizer of humanity?
Why have you made me your target,
so that I am a burden to you?
21 Why don’t you pardon my offense
and take away my guilt?
For soon I will lie down in the dust;
you will seek me, but I will be gone.”
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.