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Isn’t man’s time on earth like being compelled to serve in the army? Aren’t his days like those of a hired man?
Like a slave, he longs for shade,
or like a day laborer, he waits for his pay.
In the same way, I have been allotted months of futility,
and nights of agony have been assigned to me.
When I lie down, I think, “How long before I get up?”
But the night drags on,
and I am filled with restlessness until dawn.
My flesh is clothed with maggots and caked with dirt.
My skin scabs over and then oozes again.
My days pass by more swiftly than the shuttle of a weaver’s loom.
They come to an end without hope.

Job Addresses God

Remember that my life is just a breath.[a]
My eyes will never again see good fortune.
The eyes that see me now will no longer watch me.
Your eyes will look for me, but I will not be there.
As a cloud vanishes and is gone,
so does the one who goes down to the grave.[b]
He does not come back up again.
10 He never again returns to his home,
and his place will no longer know him.
11 That is why I will not restrain my mouth.
I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit.
I will lament in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I the sea or a great creature of the deep
    that you need to put me under guard?
13 When I say that my bed will comfort me,
and my couch will help me with my lament,
14 then you frighten me with dreams
and terrify me with visions,
15 so I would prefer to be strangled,
and I prefer death more than my current existence.[c]
16 I reject my life. I do not want to live forever.
Leave me alone, for my days are just a vanishing vapor.
17 What is man that you make so much of him,
that you pay so much attention to him,
18 that you inspect[d] him every morning
and test him every minute?
19 Why do you never stop watching me?
Why don’t you leave me alone long enough for me to swallow my spit?
20 If I have sinned, what harm has it done to you,
    you who keep watch on mankind?
Why have you set me up as your target?
How have I become a burden to you?[e]
21 Why do you not forgive my rebellion?
Why do you not take away my guilt?

Soon I will lie down in the dust.
You will search for me, but I will not be there.

Footnotes

  1. Job 7:7 This verse begins a new section of Job’s speech. For the rest of the chapter, Job is no longer speaking to Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, but directly to God. This happens often in Job’s speeches.
  2. Job 7:9 Hebrew sheol
  3. Job 7:15 Literally than my bones
  4. Job 7:18 Or scrutinize
  5. Job 7:20 To you is an alternate reading of the Hebrew text. The main Hebrew text reads to me.

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.”

El ser humano cumple un servicio en la tierra,
son sus días los de un jornalero;
como el esclavo, busca la sombra;
como el jornalero, espera su salario.
Yo he heredado meses baldíos,
me han asignado noches de agobio.
Me acuesto y pienso: ¿cuándo me levantaré?
La noche se alarga sin medida
y me harto de dar vueltas hasta el alba;
mi cuerpo está cubierto de gusanos y costras,
la piel se me rasga y supura.
Corren mis días con toda rapidez,
se consumen, vacíos de esperanza.
Recuerda que mi vida es un soplo,
que mis ojos no verán ya la dicha.
Los ojos que me ven no me verán,
me buscarás con la mirada y no estaré.
Igual que nube que pasa y se disipa
es el que baja al reino de los muertos;
ya no volverá a subir;
10 ya no regresará a su casa,
ni su morada lo reconocerá.
11 Así que no pondré freno a mi lengua,
hablará mi espíritu angustiado,
me quejaré henchido de amargura.
12 ¿Soy acaso el Mar o el Dragón
para que tú me pongas un guardián?
13 Cuando pienso que el lecho será mi alivio,
que la cama adormecerá mis gemidos,
14 entonces me aterras con sueños,
entonces me atemorizas con pesadillas.
15 Preferiría morir asfixiado;
antes la muerte que vivir así.
16 ¡Qué más da! Si no viviré para siempre,
déjame en paz; mis días son un soplo.
17 ¿Qué es el ser humano para que de él te ocupes,
para que te muestres interesado por él,
18 para que le pases revista por la mañana
y a cada instante lo examines?
19 ¿Por qué no dejas de vigilarme?
¡Ni tragar saliva me permites!
20 Si he pecado, ¿en qué te afecta,
Vigía de los humanos?
¿Por qué me conviertes en tu blanco
y me has considerado tu carga?
21 ¿Por qué no perdonas mi culpa
y pasas por alto mi ofensa?
Pues pronto me acostaré en el polvo;
me buscarás, pero ya no estaré.

“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.