Job 7

Job’s Life Seems Futile

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

7“Remember that my life 10is a mere breath; My eye will 11not see goodness again.8The 12eye of him who sees me will no longer look at me; Your eyes will be on me, but 13I will not exist.9When a 14cloud vanishes, it is gone; In the same way 15one who goes down to 1617Sheol does not come up.10He will not return to his house again, Nor will 18his place know about him anymore.

11“Therefore 19I 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 20the sea monster, That You set a guard over me?13If I say, ‘21My couch will comfort me, My bed will 22ease my complaint,’14Then You frighten me with dreams, And terrify me by visions,15So that my soul would choose suffocation, Death rather than my 23pains.16I 2425waste away; I will not live forever. Leave me alone, 26for my days are only a breath.1727What is man that You exalt him, And that You 28are concerned about him,18That 29You examine him every morning And put him to the test every moment?193031Will You never turn Your gaze away from me, Nor leave me alone until I swallow my spittle?2032Have I sinned? What have I done to You, 33Watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, So that I am a burden to myself?21Why then 34do You not forgive my wrongdoing And take away my 35guilt? For now I will 36lie down in the dust; And You will search for me, 37but I will no longer exist.”