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Job’s Second Speech: A Response to Eliphaz

“Does not a human being[a] have hard service[b] on earth?
And are not his[c] days like the days of a laborer?
Like a slave he longs for the shadow,
and like a laborer he waits for his wages.
So I had to inherit[d] months of worthlessness,
and nights of misery are apportioned to me.
When I lie down, I say,[e] ‘When shall I rise?’
But[f] the night is long,
and I have my fill of tossing until dawn.
My body is clothed with maggots and clods of dust;
my skin hardens, then[g] it gives way again.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 7:1 Or a collective singular, “human beings”
  2. Job 7:1 Literally “hard service for a human being”
  3. Job 7:1 Or a collective singular, “their”
  4. Job 7:3 Literally “I am allotted to me”
  5. Job 7:4 Hebrew “and I say”
  6. Job 7:4 Hebrew “And”
  7. Job 7:5 Hebrew “and”

“Isn’t a man forced to labor on earth?
    Aren’t his days like the days of a hired hand?
As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow,
    as a hireling who looks for his wages,
so I am made to possess months of misery,
    wearisome nights are appointed to me.
When I lie down, I say,
    ‘When will I arise, and the night be gone?’
    I toss and turn until the dawning of the day.
My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust.
    My skin closes up, and breaks out afresh.

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