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“·People have [L Do not people have…?] a hard ·task [service] on earth,
    and their days are like those of a [L hired] laborer [C hard work with little profit].
They are like a ·slave [servant] ·wishing [L panting] for the evening shadows,
    like a [L hired] laborer waiting to be paid.
But I ·am given [L inherit] months that are ·empty [vain; futile],
    and nights of ·misery [or toil] have been ·given [L allotted] to me.
When I lie down, I think, ‘How long until I get up?’
    The night is long, and I toss until dawn.
My body is covered with worms and ·scabs [L clods of dust/dirt],
    and my skin ·is broken and full of sores [L crusts over and oozes].

“My days go by faster than a weaver’s ·tool [shuttle],
    and they come to an end without hope.
Remember, God, that my life is only a breath.
    My eyes will never see happy times again.
·Those who [L The eyes that] see me now will see me no more;
    you will look for me, but I will ·be gone [L be no more; not exist].
As a cloud ·disappears [fades] and is gone,
    people go to ·the grave [L Sheol; C the grave or the underworld] and never return.
10 They will never come back to their houses again,
    and their places will not know them anymore.

11 “So I will not ·stay quiet [L restrain my mouth];
    I will speak out in the ·suffering [distress; L pinch] of my spirit.
    I will ·complain [groan] ·because I am so unhappy [L in the bitterness of my soul].
12 ·I am not [L Am I…?] ·the sea [L Yam] or ·the sea monster [L Tannin; C Yam and Tannin are legendary sea monsters representing chaos].
    ·So why have you […that you] set a guard over me?
13 Sometimes I think my bed will comfort me
    or that my couch will ·stop my complaint [ease my groans].
14 Then you ·frighten [terrorize] me with dreams
    and ·terrify [scare] me with visions.
15 My throat prefers to be choked;
    my bones welcome death.
16 I ·hate [L reject] my life; I don’t want to live forever.
    Leave me alone, because my days have no meaning.

17 “Why do you make people so important
    and ·give them so much attention [L set your heart on them; C contrast Ps. 8:4]?
18 You ·examine [visit] them every morning
    and test them ·every moment [all the time].
19 Will you never look away from me
    or leave me alone even long enough to swallow [L my saliva]?
20 If I have sinned, what have I done to you,
    you watcher of humans?
Why have you made me your target?
    Have I become a ·heavy load [burden] for you?
21 Why don’t you ·pardon [forgive] my ·wrongs [transgressions]
    and ·forgive my sins [carry away my guilt]?
I will soon lie down in the dust of death.
    Then you will ·search [look] for me, but I will be no more.”

“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.

Job Keeps On Talking

“Is not man made to work on earth? Are not his days like the days of a man paid to work? Like a servant who desires to be out of the sun, and like a working man who waits for his pay, I am given months of pain and nights of suffering for no reason. When I lie down I say, ‘When will I get up?’ But the night is long, and I am always turning from side to side until morning. My flesh is covered with worms and dirt. My skin becomes hard and breaks open. My days are faster than a cloth-maker’s tool, and come to their end without hope.

“Remember that my life is only a breath. My eye will not again see good. The eye of him who sees me will see me no more. Your eyes will be on me, but I will be gone. When a cloud goes away, it is gone. And he who goes down to the place of the dead does not come back. 10 He will not return to his house, and his place will not know him any more.

11 “So I will not keep my mouth shut. I will speak in the suffering of my spirit. I will complain because my soul is bitter. 12 Am I the sea, or a large sea animal, that You put someone to watch me? 13 When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me, and there I will find rest from my complaining,’ 14 then You send dreams to me which fill me with fear. 15 So a quick death by having my breath stopped would be better to me than my pains. 16 I hate my life. I will not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are only a breath. 17 What is man, that You make so much of him? Why do You care about him, 18 that You look at him every morning, and test him all the time? 19 How long will it be until You look away from me? Will You not let me alone until I swallow my spit? 20 Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have you made me something to shoot at, so that I am a problem to myself? 21 Why then do You not forgive my wrong-doing and take away my sin? For now I will lie down in the dust. You will look for me, but I will not be.”