Job 7
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
7 Is there not an [appointed] warfare and hard labor to man upon earth? And are not his days like the days of a hireling?
2 As a servant earnestly longs for the shade and the evening shadows, and as a hireling who looks for the reward of his work,
3 So am I allotted months of futile [suffering], and [long] nights of misery are appointed to me.
4 When I lie down I say, When shall I arise and the night be gone? And I am full of tossing to and fro till the dawning of the day.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken and has become loathsome, and it closes up and breaks out afresh.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.
7 Oh, remember that my life is but wind (a puff, a breath, a sob); my eye shall see good no more.
8 The eye of him who sees me shall see me no more; while your eyes are upon me, I shall be gone.
9 As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol (the place of the dead) shall come up no more.
10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
11 Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul [O Lord]!
12 Am I the sea, or the sea monster, that You set a watch over me?
13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint,
14 Then You scare me with dreams and terrify me through visions,
15 So that I would choose strangling and death rather than these my bones.
16 I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, for my days are a breath (futility).
17 What is man that You should magnify him and think him important? And that You should set Your mind upon him?(A)
18 And that You should visit him every morning and try him every moment?
19 How long will Your [plaguing] glance not look away from me, nor You let me alone till I swallow my spittle?
20 If I have sinned, what [harm] have I done You, O You Watcher and Keeper of men? Why have You set me as a mark for You, so that I am a burden to myself [and You]?
21 And why do You not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust; and [even if] You will seek me diligently, [it will be too late, for] I shall not be.
Job 7
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition
Job: My Suffering Is without End
7 ‘Do not human beings have a hard service on earth,
and are not their days like the days of a labourer?
2 Like a slave who longs for the shadow,
and like labourers who look for their wages,
3 so I am allotted months of emptiness,
and nights of misery are apportioned to me.
4 When I lie down I say, “When shall I rise?”
But the night is long,
and I am full of tossing until dawn.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and dirt;
my skin hardens, then breaks out again.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
and come to their end without hope.[a]
7 ‘Remember that my life is a breath;
my eye will never again see good.
8 The eye that beholds me will see me no more;
while your eyes are upon me, I shall be gone.
9 As the cloud fades and vanishes,
so those who go down to Sheol do not come up;
10 they return no more to their houses,
nor do their places know them any more.
11 ‘Therefore I will not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I the Sea, or the Dragon,
that you set a guard over me?
13 When I say, “My bed will comfort me,
my couch will ease my complaint”,
14 then you scare me with dreams
and terrify me with visions,
15 so that I would choose strangling
and death rather than this body.
16 I loathe my life; I would not live for ever.
Let me alone, for my days are a breath.
17 What are human beings, that you make so much of them,
that you set your mind on them,
18 visit them every morning,
test them every moment?
19 Will you not look away from me for a while,
let me alone until I swallow my spittle?
20 If I sin, what do I do to you, you watcher of humanity?
Why have you made me your target?
Why have I become a burden to you?
21 Why do you not pardon my transgression
and take away my iniquity?
For now I shall lie in the earth;
you will seek me, but I shall not be.’
Footnotes
- Job 7:6 Or as the thread runs out
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.