Job 7

Job’s Life Seems Futile

1“1Is not man 2forced to labor on earth, And are not his days like the days of 3a hired man?2As a slave who pants for the shade, And as a hired man who eagerly waits for his wages,3So am I allotted months of vanity, And 4nights of trouble are appointed me.4When I 5lie down I say, ‘When shall I arise?’ But the night continues, And I am 6continually tossing until dawn.5My 7flesh is clothed with worms and a crust of dirt, My skin hardens and runs.6My days are 8swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, And come to an end 9without hope.

7“Remember that my life 10is but breath; My eye will 11not again see good.8The 12eye of him who sees me will behold me no longer; Your eyes will be on me, but 13I will not be.9When a 14cloud vanishes, it is gone, So 15he who goes down to 16Sheol does not come up.10He will not return again to his house, Nor will 17his place know him anymore.

11“Therefore 18I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.12Am I the sea, or 19the sea monster, That You set a guard over me?13If I say, ‘20My bed will comfort me, My couch will 21ease my complaint,’14Then You frighten me with dreams And terrify me by visions;15So that my soul would choose suffocation, Death rather than my 22pains.16I 2324waste away; I will not live forever. Leave me alone, 25for my days are but a breath.1726What is man that You magnify him, And that You 27are concerned about him,18That 28You examine him every morning And try him every moment?192930Will You never turn Your gaze away from me, Nor let me alone until I swallow my spittle?2031Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O 32watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden to myself?21Why then 33do You not pardon my transgression And take away my iniquity? For now I will 34lie down in the dust; And You will seek me, 35but I will not be.”