7:1  Is there not a warfare to man on earth? And as the days of an hireling his days?

7:2  As a servant desireth the shadow, And as a hireling expecteth his wage,

7:3  So I have been caused to inherit months of vanity, And nights of misery they numbered to me.

7:4  If I lay down then I said, `When do I rise!' And evening hath been measured, And I have been full of tossings till dawn.

7:5  Clothed hath been my flesh `with' worms, And a clod of dust, My skin hath been shrivelled and is loathsome,

7:6  My days swifter than a weaving machine, And they are consumed without hope.

7:7  Remember Thou that my life `is' a breath, Mine eye turneth not back to see good.

7:8  The eye of my beholder beholdeth me not. Thine eyes `are' upon me -- and I am not.

7:9  Consumed hath been a cloud, and it goeth, So he who is going down to Sheol cometh not up.

7:10  He turneth not again to his house, Nor doth his place discern him again.

7:11  Also I -- I withhold not my mouth -- I speak in the distress of my spirit, I talk in the bitterness of my soul.

7:12  A sea-`monster' am I, or a dragon, That thou settest over me a guard?

7:13  When I said, `My bed doth comfort me,' He taketh away in my talking my couch.

7:14  And thou hast affrighted me with dreams, And from visions thou terrifiest me,

7:15  And my soul chooseth strangling, Death rather than my bones.

7:16  I have wasted away -- not to the age do I live. Cease from me, for my days `are' vanity.

7:17  What `is' man that Thou dost magnify him? And that Thou settest unto him Thy heart?

7:18  And inspectest him in the mornings, In the evenings dost try him?

7:19  How long dost Thou not look from me? Thou dost not desist till I swallow my spittle.

7:20  I have sinned, what do I to Thee, O watcher of man? Why hast Thou set me for a mark to Thee, And I am for a burden to myself -- and what?

7:21  Thou dost not take away my transgression, And cause to pass away mine iniquity, Because now, for dust I lie down: And Thou hast sought me -- and I am not!