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“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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Job Acknowledges the Brevity of Life

“Men have harsh servitude on earth, do they not?
    His days are like those of a hired laborer, are they not?[a]
I’m like a servant who longs for the shade,
    like a hired laborer who is looking for his wages.
Truly I’ve been allotted months of emptiness;
    nights of trouble have been appointed for me.

“When I lie down I ask,
    ‘When will I wake up?’
But the night continues
    and I keep tossing and turning until dawn.[b]
My skin[c] is covered with worms and clods of dirt;
    my skin becomes rough and then breaks out afresh.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 7:1 Or hireling
  2. Job 7:4 Or twilight
  3. Job 7:5 Or flesh