- 1
- Is there not a time of service to man upon earth?
And are not his days like the days of a hireling?
- 2
- As a servant that eagerly longeth for the shadow, and as a hireling that looketh for his wages;
- 3
- So am I made to possess - months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
- 4
- When I lie down, I say: "When shall I arise?" But the night is long, and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.
- 5
- My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust;
my skin closeth up and breaketh out afresh.
- 6
- My days are swifter than a weaver"s shuttle, and are spent without hope.
- 7
- O remember that my life is a breath;
mine eye shall no more see good.
- 8
- The eye of him that seeth me shall behold me no more;
while Thine eyes are upon me, I am gone.
- 9
- As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away, so he that goeth down to the grave 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 refrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
- 12
- Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, that Thou settest a watch over me?
- 13
- When I say: "My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint";
- 14
- Then Thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions;
- 15
- So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than these my bones.
- 16
- I loathe it;
I shall not live alway;
let me alone;
for my days are vanity.
- 17
- What is man, that Thou shouldest magnify him, and that Thou shouldest set Thy heart upon him,
- 18
- And that Thou shouldest remember him every morning, and try him every moment?
- 19
- How long wilt Thou not look away from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
- 20
- If I have sinned, what do I unto Thee, O Thou watcher of men?
Why hast Thou set me as a mark for Thee, so that I am a burden to myself?
- 21
- And why dost Thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity?
For now shall I lie down in the dust;
and Thou wilt seek me, but I shall not be.
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