The Brevity of Life

7:1 Does not man have hard service¹ on earth?
are not his days also
like the days of a hired man?²
7:2 Like a servant³ longing for the evening shadow,⁴
and like a hired man looking⁵ for his wages.⁶
7:3 Thus,⁷ I have been made to inherit⁸
months of futility,⁹
and nights of sorrow¹⁰
have been appointed¹¹ to me.
7:4 If I lie down, I say,¹² `When will I arise?’
and the night stretches on¹³
and I am full of tossing¹⁴ to and fro
unto the dawning of the day.
7:5 My body¹⁵ is clothed¹⁶ with worms¹⁷ and dirty scabs,¹⁸
my skin is broken¹⁹ and festering.
7:6 My days²⁰ are swifter²¹ than a weaver’s shuttle²²
and they come to an end without hope.²³
7:7 Remember²⁴ that my life is but a breath,
that²⁵ my eyes will never again²⁶ see happiness.
7:8 The eye of him who now sees me will see me no more,²⁷
your eyes will look for me, but I will be gone.²⁸
7:9 As²⁹ a cloud is dispersed and then disappears,³⁰
so the one who goes down to the grave³¹
does not come up again.³²
7:10 He returns no more to his house
neither does his place³³ know him³⁴ any more.

Job Remonstrates With God

7:11 Therefore,³⁵ I will not refrain my mouth³⁶
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit
I will complain³⁷ in the bitterness of my soul.
7:12 Am I the sea, or the creature of the deep³⁸
that you must set³⁹ a watch⁴⁰ over me?
7:13 If⁴¹ I say,⁴² “My bed will comfort me,⁴³
my couch will ease⁴⁴ my complaint,”
7:14 Then you scare me⁴⁵ with dreams
and terrify⁴⁶ me with⁴⁷ visions.
7:15 So that I⁴⁸ would prefer⁴⁹ strangling⁵⁰
and⁵¹ death⁵² more⁵³ than life.⁵⁴
7:16 I loathe⁵⁵ it;⁵⁶ I would not live forever;
let my alone,⁵⁷ for my days are a vapor!⁵⁸

Insignificance of Humans

7:17 What is man⁵⁹ that you make so much of him,⁶⁰
and that you pay attention⁶¹ to him?
7:18 And that you visit⁶² him every morning,
and try⁶³ him every moment?⁶⁴
7:19 Will you never⁶⁵ look away from me,⁶⁶
will you not let me alone⁶⁷
till I swallow my spittle?
7:20 If⁶⁸ I have sinned—what have I done to you,⁶⁹
O watcher of men?⁷⁰
Why have you set me as your target?⁷¹
Have I become a burden to you?⁷²
7:21 And why do you not pardon my transgression,
and take away my iniquity?
For now I will lie down in the dust,⁷³
and you will seek me diligently,⁷⁴
but I will be gone.