Job, 7

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

1. Man's life on earth is a thankless jo his days are those of a mercenary.

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

2. Like a slave he longs for the shade of evening, like a hireling waiting for his wages.

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

3. Thus I am allotted months of boredom and nights of grief and misery.

4. 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.

4. In bed I say, "When shall the day break?" On rising, I think, "When shall evening come?" and I toss restless till dawn.

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

5. My body is full of worms and scabs; my skin festers with its boils and cracks.

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

6. My days pass swifter than a weaver's shuttle, heading without hope to their end.

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

7. My life is like wind, you well know it, O God; never will I see happiness again.

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

8. The eye that saw me will see me no more; when you look for me, I shall have gone.

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

9. As a cloud dissolves and vanishes, so he who goes to the grave never returns.

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

10. He will never come back to his house; or be seen by his household.

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.

11. So I will not restrain my words, I will speak out in anguish; and complain with embittered soul,

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

12. "Am I the sea or a monster of the deep, that you keep me under watch?"

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

13. When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will soothe my pain,

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

14. then you frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions,

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

15. I would prefer death by strangling rather than such a trial.

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

16. See I am dying, never to live again. Leave me alone; I am finished.

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

17. What is man that you make much of him, that you give him so much attention,

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

18. that every morning you examine him and check him all the time?

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

19. Will you never take your eyes off me and give me respite to swallow 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?

20. Suppose I sinned, what has it done to you, O keeper of mankind? Why choose me as your target? Have I become a burden to you?

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

21. Why not pardon my sin and take away my guilt? For in the dust I will soon lie down; when you search for me, I shall have gone.