Job 7
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 7
1 (A)Is not life on earth a drudgery,[a]
its days like those of a hireling?
2 Like a slave who longs for the shade,
a hireling who waits for wages,
3 So I have been assigned months of futility,
and troubled nights have been counted off for me.
4 When I lie down I say, “When shall I arise?”
then the night drags on;
I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and scabs;(B)
my skin cracks and festers;
6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle;
they come to an end without hope.
7 Remember that my life is like the wind;(C)
my eye will not see happiness again.
8 The eye that now sees me shall no more behold me;
when your eye is on me, I shall be gone.
9 As a cloud dissolves and vanishes,(D)
so whoever goes down to Sheol shall not come up.
10 They shall not return home again;
their place shall know them no more.
11 My own utterance I will not restrain;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 [b]Am I the Sea, or the dragon,
that you place a watch over me?[c]
13 When I say, “My bed shall comfort me,
my couch shall ease my complaint,”
14 Then you frighten me with dreams
and terrify me with visions,
15 So that I should prefer strangulation
and death rather than my existence.[d]
16 I waste away: I will not live forever;(E)
let me alone, for my days are but a breath.
17 [e]What are human beings, that you make much of them,
or pay them any heed?
18 You observe them every morning(F)
and try them at every moment!
19 How long before you look away from me,
and let me alone till I swallow my spit?
20 If I sin, what do I do to you,
O watcher of mortals?
Why have you made me your target?
Why should I be a burden for you?
21 Why do you not pardon my offense,
or take away my guilt?
For soon I shall lie down in the dust;
and should you seek me I shall be gone.
Footnotes
- 7:1 Drudgery: taken by some to refer to military service; cf. also 14:14.
- 7:12–21 Job now speaks not to his friends (who never speak to God), but to God. He does this frequently; cf. 9:28; 10:2–22; 13:20–28; 14:13–22.
- 7:12 An allusion to the personification of primeval chaos as a monstrous ocean vanquished by God; see note on 3:8.
- 7:15 Existence: lit., bones; the Hebrew is unclear.
- 7:17–18 An ironic allusion to Ps 8:5.
Job 7
GOD’S WORD Translation
Job Speaks about the Futility of Human Existence
7 “Isn’t a mortal’s stay on earth difficult
like a hired hand’s daily ⌞work⌟?
2 Like a slave, he longs for shade.
Like a hired hand, he eagerly looks for his pay.
3 Likewise, I have been given months that are of no use,
and I have inherited nights filled with misery.
4 When I lie down, I ask,
‘When will I get up?’
But the evening is long,
and I’m exhausted from tossing about until dawn.
5 My body is covered with maggots and scabs.
My skin is crusted over with sores; then they ooze.
6 My days go swifter than a weaver’s shuttle.
They are spent without hope.
7 Remember, my life is only a breath,
and never again will my eyes see anything good.
8 The eye that watches over me will no longer see me.
Your eye will look for me, but I’ll be gone.
9 As a cloud fades away and disappears,
so a person goes into the grave and doesn’t come back again.
10 He doesn’t come back home again,
and his household doesn’t recognize him anymore.
11 So I won’t keep my mouth shut,
but I will speak from the distress that is in my spirit
and complain about the bitterness in my soul.
Job Says to God: Leave Me Alone
12 “Am I the sea or a sea monster
that you have set a guard over me?
13 When I say,
‘My couch may give me comfort.
My bed may help me bear my pain,’
14 then you frighten me with dreams
and terrify me with visions.
15 My throat would rather be choked.
My body [a] would prefer death ⌞to these dreams⌟.
16 I hate my life; I do not want to live forever.
Leave me alone because my days are so brief.
17 “What is a mortal that you should make so much of him,
that you should be concerned about him?
18 ⌞What is he⌟ that you should inspect him every morning
and examine him every moment?
19 Why don’t you stop looking at me
long enough to let me swallow my spit?
20 If I sin, what can I ⌞possibly⌟ do to you
since you insist on spying on people?
Why do you make me your target?
I’ve become a burden even to myself.
21 Why don’t you forgive my disobedience
and take away my sin?
Soon I’ll lie down in the dust.
Then you will search for me, but I’ll be gone!”
Footnotes
- 7:15 Or “bones.”
Job 7
La Biblia de las Américas
Miserias de la vida
7 ¿No está el hombre obligado a trabajar[a] sobre la tierra(A)?
¿No son sus días como los días de un jornalero(B)?
2 Como esclavo que suspira por la sombra,
y como jornalero que espera con ansias su paga,
3 así me han dado en herencia meses inútiles,
y noches de aflicción me han asignado(C).
4 Cuando me acuesto, digo:
«¿Cuándo me levantaré?».
Pero la noche sigue,
y estoy dando[b] vueltas continuamente hasta el amanecer(D).
5 Mi carne está cubierta de gusanos y de una costra de tierra;
mi piel se endurece y supura(E).
6 Mis días pasan más veloces que la lanzadera(F),
y llegan a su fin sin esperanza(G).
7 Recuerda, oh Dios, que mi vida es un soplo(H),
mis ojos no volverán a ver el bien(I).
8 El ojo del que me ve no me verá más(J);
tus ojos estarán sobre mí, pero yo no existiré(K).
9 Como una nube se desvanece y pasa(L),
así el que desciende(M) al Seol[c](N) no subirá;
10 no volverá más a su casa,
ni su lugar lo verá más(O).
11 Por tanto, no refrenaré mi boca,
hablaré en la angustia de mi espíritu,
me quejaré en la amargura de mi alma(P).
12 ¿Soy yo el mar, o un monstruo marino(Q),
para que me pongas guardia?
13 Si digo: «Mi cama me consolará,
mi lecho atenuará[d] mi queja(R)»,
14 entonces tú me asustas con sueños
y me aterrorizas con visiones;
15 mi alma, pues, escoge la asfixia,
la muerte, en lugar de mis dolores[e].
16 Languidezco[f]; no he de vivir para siempre(S).
Déjame solo, pues mis días son un soplo(T).
17 ¿Qué es el hombre para que lo engrandezcas,
para que te preocupes por[g] él(U),
18 para que lo examines cada mañana,
y a cada momento lo pongas a prueba(V)?
19 ¿Nunca[h] apartarás de mí tu mirada,
ni me dejarás solo(W) hasta que trague mi saliva?
20 ¿He pecado(X)? ¿Qué te he hecho a ti,
oh guardián de los hombres(Y)?
¿Por qué has hecho de mí tu blanco,
de modo que soy una carga para mí mismo?
21 Entonces, ¿por qué no perdonas mi transgresión
y quitas mi iniquidad(Z)?
Porque ahora dormiré en el polvo(AA);
y tú me buscarás, pero ya no existiré(AB).
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
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