1 “Is not man forced to labor on earth, And are not his days like the days of a hired man?
2
-“As a slave who pants for the shade, And as a hired man who eagerly waits for his wages,
3
So am I allotted months of vanity, And nights of trouble are appointed me.
4
-“When I lie down I say, ‘When shall I arise?’ But the night continues, And I am continually tossing until dawn.
5
-“My flesh is clothed with worms and a crust of dirt, My skin hardens and runs.
6
-“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, And come to an end without hope.
7
“Remember that my life is but breath; My eye will not again see good.
8
-“The eye of him who sees me will behold me no longer; Your eyes will be on me, but I will not be.
9
-“When a cloud vanishes, it is gone, So he who goes down to Sheol does not come up.
10
-“He will not return again to his house, Nor will his place know him anymore.
11
“Therefore I 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 the sea monster, That You set a guard over me?
13
-“If I say, ‘My bed will comfort me, My couch will 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 pains.
16
-“I waste away; I will not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
17
-“What is man that You magnify him, And that You are concerned about him,
18
That You examine him every morning And try him every moment?
19
-“Will You never turn Your gaze away from me, Nor let me alone until I swallow my spittle?
20
-“Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden 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, but I will not be.”
1. “Is not man forced to labor on earth, And are not his days like the days of a hired man?
2.
-“As a slave who pants for the shade, And as a hired man who eagerly waits for his wages,
3.
So am I allotted months of vanity, And nights of trouble are appointed me.
4.
-“When I lie down I say, ‘When shall I arise?’ But the night continues, And I am continually tossing until dawn.
5.
-“My flesh is clothed with worms and a crust of dirt, My skin hardens and runs.
6.
-“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, And come to an end without hope.
7.
“Remember that my life is but breath; My eye will not again see good.
8.
-“The eye of him who sees me will behold me no longer; Your eyes will be on me, but I will not be.
9.
-“When a cloud vanishes, it is gone, So he who goes down to Sheol does not come up.
10.
-“He will not return again to his house, Nor will his place know him anymore.
11.
“Therefore I 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 the sea monster, That You set a guard over me?
13.
-“If I say, ‘My bed will comfort me, My couch will 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 pains.
16.
-“I waste away; I will not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
17.
-“What is man that You magnify him, And that You are concerned about him,
18.
That You examine him every morning And try him every moment?
19.
-“Will You never turn Your gaze away from me, Nor let me alone until I swallow my spittle?
20.
-“Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden 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, but I will not be.”
