7:1 " Has not man become forced to labor on earth, And do not his days seem like the days of a hired man? |
7:2 "As a slave who pants for the shade, And as a hired man who eagerly waits for his wages, |
7:3 So have I received months of vanity, And nights of trouble have come to me. |
7:4 "When I lie down I say, 'When shall I arise?' But the night continues, And I continually toss until dawn. |
7:5 "My flesh becomes clothed with worms and a crust of dirt, My skin hardens and runs. |
7:6 "My days seem swifter than a weaver's shuttle, And come to an end without hope. |
7:7 "Remember that my life seems but breath; My eye will not again see good. |
7:8 "The eye of him who sees me will behold me no longer; Your eyes will focus on me, but I will cease to exist. |
7:9 "When a cloud vanishes, it disappears, So he who goes down to Sheol does not come up. |
7:10 "He will not return again to his house, Nor will his place know him anymore. |
7:11 "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. |
7:12 "Do I resemble the sea, or the sea monster, That You set a guard over me? |
7:13 "If I say, ' My bed will comfort me, My couch will ease my complaint,' |
7:14 Then You frighten me with dreams And terrify me by visions; |
7:15 So that my soul would choose suffocation, Death rather than my pains. |
7:16 "I waste away; I will not live forever Leave me alone, for my days seem but a breath. |
7:17 " What do You consider man that You magnify him, And that You concern Yourself about him, |
7:18 That You examine him every morning And try him every moment? |
7:19 " Will You never turn Your gaze away from me, Nor let me alone until I swallow my spittle? |
7:20 " Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I have become a burden to myself? |
7:21 "Why then do You not pardon my transgression And take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust; And You will seek me, but I will no longer exist." |