“Isn’t a man forced to labor on earth? Aren’t his days like the days of a hired hand?
Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?
As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, as a hireling who looks for his wages,
As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:
so I am made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me.
So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
When I lie down, I say, ‘When will I arise, and the night be gone?’ I toss and turn until the dawning of the day.
When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.
My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust. My skin closes up, and breaks out afresh.
My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.
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.
Oh remember that my life is a breath. My eye will no more see good.
O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.
The eye of him who sees me will see me no more. Your eyes will be on me, but I will not be.
The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more : thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol will come up no more.
As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more .
He will return no more to his house, neither will his place know him any more.
He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
“Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
Am I a sea, or a sea monster, that you put a guard over me?
Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?
When 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;
then you scare me with dreams and terrify me through visions,
Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:
so that my soul chooses strangling, death rather than my bones.
So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.
I loathe my life. I don’t want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
I loathe it ; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.
What is man, that you should magnify him, that you should set your mind on him,
What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?
that you should visit him every morning, and test him every moment?
And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?
How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?
How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
If 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?
I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?
Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity? For now will I lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I will not be.”
And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be .