King James Version KJV
The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
1 Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?
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"Human life on earth is like serving in the army; yes, we drudge through our days like a hired worker,
2 As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:
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like a slave longing for shade, like a worker thinking only of his wages.
3 So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
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So I am assigned months of meaninglessness; troubled nights are my lot.
4 When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.
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When I lie down, I ask, 'When can I get up?'But the night is long, and I keep tossing to and fro until daybreak.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.
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My flesh is clothed with worms and dirt, my skin forms scabs that ooze pus.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.
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My days pass more swiftly than a weaver's shuttle and come to their end without hope.
7 O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.
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"Remember that my life is but a breath; my eyes will never again see good times.
8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
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The eye that now sees me will see me no more; while your eyes are on me, I will be gone.
9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.
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Like a cloud dissolving and disappearing, so he who descends to Sh'ol won't come back up.
10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
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He will not return again to his house, and his home 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 restrain my mouth but will speak in my anguish of spirit and complain in my bitterness of soul.
12 Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?
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Am I the sea, or some sea monster, that you put a guard over me?
13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;
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When I think that my bed will comfort me, that my couch will relieve my complaint,
14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:
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then you terrify me with dreams and frighten me with visions.
15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.
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I would rather be strangled; death would be better than these bones of mine.
16 I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.
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I hate it! I won't live forever, so leave me alone, for my life means nothing.
17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?
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"What are mere mortals, that you make so much of them? Why do you keep them on your mind?
18 And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?
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Why examine them every morning and test them every moment?
19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
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Won't you ever take your eyes off of me, at least long enough for me to swallow my spit?
20 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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"Suppose I do sin - how do I harm you, you scrutinizer of humanity? Why have you made me your target, so that I am a burden to you?
21 And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.
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Why don't you pardon my offense and take away my guilt? For soon I will lie down in the dust; you will seek me, but I will be gone."