1 “ Is there not a time of hard service for man on earth? Are not his days also like the days of a hired man?

Hath not man a life of labour upon earth? and are not his days like the days of a hireling?

2 L ike a servant who earnestly desires the shade, And like a hired man who eagerly looks for his wages,

As a bondman earnestly desireth the shadow, and a hireling expecteth his wages,

3 S o I have been allotted months of futility, And wearisome nights have been appointed to me.

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

4 W hen I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise, And the night be ended?’ For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn.

If I lie down, I say, When shall I rise up, and the darkness be gone? and I am full of tossings until the dawn.

5 M y flesh is caked with worms and dust, My skin is cracked and breaks out afresh.

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

6 “ My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, And are spent without hope.

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

7 O h, remember that my life is a breath! My eye will never again see good.

Remember thou that my life is wind; mine eye shall no more see good.

8 T he eye of him who sees me will see me no more; While your eyes are upon me, I shall no longer be.

The eye of him that hath seen me shall behold me no: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.

9 A s the cloud disappears and vanishes away, So he who goes down to the grave does not come up.

The cloud consumeth and vanisheth away; so he that goeth down to Sheol shall not come up.

10 H e shall never return to his house, Nor shall his place know him anymore.

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

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.

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 A m I a sea, or a sea serpent, That You set a guard over me?

Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, that thou settest a watch over me?

13 W hen I say, ‘My bed will comfort me, My couch will ease my complaint,’

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

14 T hen You scare me with dreams And terrify me with visions,

Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions;

15 S o that my soul chooses strangling And death rather than my body.

So that my soul chooseth strangling, death, rather than my bones.

16 I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, For my days are but a breath.

I loathe it; I shall not live always: let me alone, for my days are a breath.

17 “ What is man, that You should exalt him, That You should set Your heart on him,

What is man, that thou makest much of him? and that thou settest thy heart upon him?

18 T hat You should visit him every morning, And test him every moment?

And that thou visitest him every morning, triest him every moment?

19 H ow long? Will You not look away from me, And let me alone till I swallow my saliva?

How long wilt thou not look away from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

20 H ave 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?

Have I sinned, what do I unto thee, thou Observer of men? Why hast thou set me as an object of assault for thee, so that I am become a burden to myself?

21 W hy 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 diligently, But I will no longer be. ”

And why dost not thou forgive my transgression and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I lie down in the dust, and thou shalt seek me early, and I shall not be.