Job 7

Job’s Life Seems Futile

1 “ ▼

▼Lit Has not man compulsory labor

Is a person not ^bforced to labor on earth,
And are his days not like the days of ^ca hired worker?
2 “As a slave pants for the shade,
And as a hired worker who eagerly waits for his wages,
3 So I am allotted worthless months,
And ^dnights of trouble are apportioned to me.
4 “When I ^elie down, I say,
‘When shall I arise?’
But the night continues,
And I am continually tossing until dawn.
5 “My ^fflesh is clothed with maggots and a crust of dirt,
My skin hardens and ▼

▼Lit melts

oozes.
6 “My days are ^hswifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
And they come to an end ⁱwithout hope.

7 “Remember that my life ^jis a mere breath;
My eye will ^knot see goodness again.
8 “The ^leye of him who sees me will no longer look at me;
Your eyes will be on me, but ^mI will not exist.
9 “When a ⁿcloud vanishes, it is gone;
In the same way ^oone who goes down to ▼

▼I.e., the netherworld

, ^qSheol does not come up.
10 “He will not return to his house again,
Nor will ^rhis place know about him anymore.

11 “Therefore ^sI will not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit,
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 “Am I the sea, or ^tthe sea monster,
That You set a guard over me?
13 “If I say, ‘ ^uMy couch will comfort me,
My bed will ▼

▼Lit bear

ease my complaint,’
14 Then You frighten me with dreams,
And terrify me by visions,
15 So that my soul would choose suffocation,
Death rather than my ▼

▼Lit bones

pains.
16 “I ▼

▼Or loathe

, ^ywaste away; I will not live forever.
Leave me alone, ^zfor my days are only a breath.
17 “ ^aaWhat is man that You exalt him,
And that You ▼

▼Lit set Your heart on

are concerned about him,
18 That ^acYou examine him every morning
And put him to the test every moment?
19 “ ▼

▼Lit How long will You not

, ^aeWill You never turn Your gaze away from me,
Nor leave me alone until I swallow my spittle?
20 “ ^afHave I sinned? What have I done to You,
^agWatcher of mankind?
Why have You made me Your target,
So that I am a burden to myself?
21 “Why then ^ahdo You not forgive my wrongdoing
And take away my ▼

▼Or unjust deed

guilt?
For now I will ^ajlie down in the dust;
And You will search for me, ^akbut I will no longer exist.”