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.”
Job 7
Modern English Version
Job: My Suffering Is Endless
7 “Is there not a time of hard service for a man upon earth?
Are not his days also like the days of a hired worker?
2 Like a servant, he longs for the shade,
and like a hired worker, he looks for his wages,
3 so I have been assigned months of futility,
and nights of trouble have been appointed to me.
4 When I lie down, I say,
‘When will I arise and the night be ended?’
And I am full of restlessness until the dawn.
5 My flesh is covered with worms and caked with dirt;
my skin is broken, and has become loathsome.
6 “My days fly more swiftly than a weaver’s shuttle,
and are spent without hope.
7 Oh, remember that my life is a breath!
My eye will never again see good.
8 The eye of him who sees me will behold me no more;
your eyes will be on me, but I will be no more.
9 As the cloud disappears and vanishes away,
so he who goes down to Sheol will come up no more.
10 He will never return to his house,
and his place will not recognize him anymore.
11 “Therefore, I will not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I the sea, or a sea monster,
that You set a guard over me?
13 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,
even death rather than my life.
16 I loathe my life; I would not live forever;
let me alone, for my days are emptiness.
17 “What is man, that You should exalt him,
and that You should set Your heart on him,
18 and that You should visit him every morning,
and test him every moment?
19 How long until You look away from me?
Will You not let me alone until I swallow my saliva?
20 Have I sinned? What am I doing to You,
O You watcher of men?
Why have You set me as Your target,
so that I am a burden to myself?
21 And why 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 not be.”
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.