Jubilee Bible 2000 JUB
New International Version NIV
1 Man certainly has an appointed <em>amount of</em> time upon earth, and his days are like the days of a hireling.
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“Do not mortals have hard service on earth? Are not their days like those of hired laborers?
2 As a slave earnestly desires the shade and as a hireling waits for <em>rest from</em> his work,
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Like a slave longing for the evening shadows, or a hired laborer waiting to be paid,
3 so I am made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
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so I have been allotted months of futility, and nights of misery have been assigned to me.
4 When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise? I measure the night, and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.
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When I lie down I think, ‘How long before I get up?’ The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken and abominable.
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My body is clothed with worms and scabs, my skin is broken and festering.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle and are spent without hope.
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“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and they come to an end without hope.
7 Remember thou that my life <em>is</em> wind and that my eyes shall not return to see good.
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Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath; my eyes will never see happiness again.
8 The eyes of those that see me <em>now</em> shall not see me again; thine eyes <em>shall be</em> upon me, and I will cease to be.
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The eye that now sees me will see me no longer; you will look for me, but I will be no more.
9 As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he that goes down to Sheol, who shall not come up again;
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As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so one who goes down to the grave does not return.
10 he shall return no more to his house; neither shall his place know him any more.
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He will never come to his house again; his place will know him no 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.
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“Therefore I will not keep silent; I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 <em>Am</em> I a sea, or a dragon, that thou settest a watch over me?
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Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that you put me under guard?
13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;
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When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint,
14 then thou dost scare me with dreams and terrify me with visions.
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even then you frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions,
15 And my soul thought it better to be strangled <em>and desired</em> death more than my bones.
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so that I prefer strangling and death, rather than this body of mine.
16 I loathed <em>life</em>; I do not <em>desire</em> to live for ever; let me alone; for my days <em>are</em> vanity.
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I despise my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone; my days have no meaning.
17 What <em>is</em> man that thou should magnify him and that thou should set thine heart upon him
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“What is mankind that you make so much of them, that you give them so much attention,
18 and <em>that</em> thou should visit him every morning <em>and</em> try him every moment?
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that you examine them every morning and test them every moment?
19 For how long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone until I swallow down my spittle?
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Will you never look away from me, or let me alone even for an instant?
20 If I have sinned, what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? Why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?
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If I have sinned, what have I done to you, you who see everything we do? Why have you made me your target? Have I become a burden to you?
21 And why dost thou not take away my rebellion and pass over my iniquity? For now I shall sleep in the dust; and if thou shalt seek me in the morning, I shall not be found.
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Why do you not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins? For I will soon lie down in the dust; you will search for me, but I will be no more.”
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.