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Job Speaks about the Futility of Human Existence

“Isn’t a mortal’s stay on earth difficult
    like a hired hand’s daily work?
Like a slave, he longs for shade.
    Like a hired hand, he eagerly looks for his pay.
Likewise, I have been given months that are of no use,
    and I have inherited nights filled with misery.
        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.
My body is covered with maggots and scabs.
    My skin is crusted over with sores; then they ooze.
My days go swifter than a weaver’s shuttle.
    They are spent without hope.
Remember, my life is only a breath,
    and never again will my eyes see anything good.
The eye that watches over me will no longer see me.
    Your eye will look for me, but I’ll be gone.
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?[b]
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

  1. Job 7:15 Or “bones.”
  2. Job 7:19 English equivalent of this verse difficult.

Job: My Suffering Is Comfortless

Is there not (A)a time of hard service for man on earth?
Are not his days also like the days of a hired man?
Like a servant who [a]earnestly desires the shade,
And like a hired man who eagerly looks for his wages,
So I have been allotted (B)months of futility,
And wearisome nights have been appointed to me.
(C)When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise,
And the night be ended?’
For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn.
My flesh is (D)caked with worms and dust,
My skin is cracked and breaks out afresh.

“My(E) days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
And are spent without hope.
Oh, remember that (F)my life is a breath!
My eye will never again see good.
(G)The eye of him who sees me will see me no more;
While your eyes are upon me, I shall no longer be.
As the cloud disappears and vanishes away,
So (H)he who goes down to the grave does not come up.
10 He shall never return to his house,
(I)Nor shall his place know him anymore.

11 “Therefore I will (J)not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will (K)complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I a sea, or a sea serpent,
That You set a guard over me?
13 (L)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
And death rather than [b]my body.
16 (M)I loathe my life;
I would not live forever.
(N)Let me alone,
For (O)my days are but [c]a breath.

17 “What(P) is man, that You should exalt him,
That You should set Your heart on him,
18 That You should [d]visit him every morning,
And test him every moment?
19 How long?
Will You not look away from me,
And let me alone till I swallow my saliva?
20 Have I sinned?
What have I done to You, (Q)O watcher of men?
Why (R)have You set me as Your target,
So that I am a burden [e]to myself?
21 Why then 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 no longer be.

Footnotes

  1. Job 7:2 Lit. pants for
  2. Job 7:15 Lit. my bones
  3. Job 7:16 Without substance, futile
  4. Job 7:18 attend to
  5. Job 7:20 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX, Jewish tradition to You

Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?

As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:

So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.

When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.

My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.

O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.

The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.

As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.

10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

11 Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

12 Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?

13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaints;

14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:

15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.

16 I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.

17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?

18 And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?

19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

20 I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?

21 And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.