1 I s there not a warfare to man on earth? And as the days of an hireling his days?

“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 desireth the shadow, And as a hireling expecteth his wage,

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

3 S o I have been caused to inherit months of vanity, And nights of misery they numbered to me.

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

4 I f I lay down then I said, `When do I rise!' And evening hath been measured, And I have been full of tossings till dawn.

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 C lothed hath been my flesh worms, And a clod of dust, My skin hath been shrivelled and is loathsome,

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

6 M y days swifter than a weaving machine, And they are consumed without hope.

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

7 R emember Thou that my life a breath, Mine eye turneth not back to see good.

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

8 T he eye of my beholder beholdeth me not. Thine eyes upon me -- and I am not.

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

9 C onsumed hath been a cloud, and it goeth, So he who is going down to Sheol cometh not up.

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 turneth not again to his house, Nor doth his place discern him again.

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

11 A lso I -- I withhold not my mouth -- I speak in the distress of my spirit, I talk 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 sea- am I, or a dragon, That thou settest over me a guard?

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

13 W hen I said, `My bed doth comfort me,' He taketh away in my talking my couch.

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

14 A nd thou hast affrighted me with dreams, And from visions thou terrifiest me,

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

15 A nd my soul chooseth 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 have wasted away -- not to the age do I live. Cease from me, for my days vanity.

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

17 W hat man that Thou dost magnify him? And that Thou settest unto him Thy heart?

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

18 A nd inspectest him in the mornings, In the evenings dost try him?

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

19 H ow long dost Thou not look from me? Thou dost not desist till I swallow 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 have sinned, what do I to Thee, O watcher of man? Why hast Thou set me for a mark to Thee, And I am for a burden to myself -- and what?

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 T hou dost not take away my transgression, And cause to pass away mine iniquity, Because now, for dust I lie down: And Thou hast sought me -- and I am not!

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.”