1 “ Isn’t a man forced to labor on earth? Aren’t his days like the days of a hired hand?

“Is not man made to work on earth? Are not his days like the days of a man paid to work?

2 A s a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, as a hireling who looks for his wages,

Like a servant who desires to be out of the sun, and like a working man who waits for his pay,

3 s o am I made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me.

I am given months of pain and nights of suffering for no reason.

4 W hen I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise, and the night be gone?’ I toss and turn until the dawning of the day.

When I lie down I say, ‘When will I get up?’ But the night is long, and I am always turning from side to side until morning.

5 M y flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust. My skin closes up, and breaks out afresh.

My flesh is covered with worms and dirt. My skin becomes hard and breaks open.

6 M y days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.

My days are faster than a cloth-maker’s tool, and come to their end without hope.

7 O h remember that my life is a breath. My eye shall no more see good.

“Remember that my life is only a breath. My eye will not again see good.

8 T he eye of him who sees me shall see me no more. Your eyes shall be on me, but I shall not be.

The eye of him who sees me will see me no more. Your eyes will be on me, but I will be gone.

9 A s the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol shall come up no more.

When a cloud goes away, it is gone. And he who goes down to the place of the dead does not come back.

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

He will not return to his house, and his place will not know him any more.

11 “ Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

“So I will not keep my mouth shut. I will speak in the suffering of my spirit. I will complain because my soul is bitter.

12 A m I a sea, or a sea monster, that you put a guard over me?

Am I the sea, or a large sea animal, that You put someone to watch me?

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

When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me, and there I will find rest from my complaining,’

14 t hen you scare me with dreams, and terrify me through visions:

then You send dreams to me which fill me with fear.

15 s o that my soul chooses strangling, death rather than my bones.

So a quick death by having my breath stopped would be better to me than my pains.

16 I loathe my life. I don’t want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.

I hate my life. I will not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are only a breath.

17 W hat is man, that you should magnify him, that you should set your mind on him,

What is man, that You make so much of him? Why do You care about him,

18 t hat you should visit him every morning, and test him every moment?

that You look at him every morning, and test him all the time?

19 H ow long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?

How long will it be until You look away from me? Will You not let me alone until I swallow my spit?

20 I f I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men? Why have you set me as a mark for you, so that I am a burden to myself?

Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have you made me something to shoot at, so that I am a problem to myself?

21 W hy do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I shall not be.”

Why then do You not forgive my wrong-doing and take away my sin? For now I will lie down in the dust. You will look for me, but I will not be.”