King James Version KJV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?
1
"Has not man a hard service upon earth, and are not his days like the days of a hireling?
2 As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:
2
Like a slave who longs for the shadow, and like a hireling who looks for his wages,
3 So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
3
so I am allotted months of emptiness, and nights of misery are apportioned to me.
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.
4
When I lie down I say, 'When shall I arise?' But the night is long, and I am full of tossing till the dawn.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.
5
My flesh is clothed with worms and dirt; my skin hardens, then breaks out afresh.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.
6
My days are swifter 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.
7
"Remember that my life is a breath; my eye will never again see good.
8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
8
The eye of him who sees me will behold me no more; while thy eyes are upon me, I shall be gone.
9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.
9
As the cloud fades and vanishes, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come up;
10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
10
he returns no more to his house, nor does 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.
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.
12 Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?
12
Am I the sea, or a sea monster, that thou settest a guard over me?
13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;
13
When I say, 'My bed will comfort me, my couch will ease my complaint,'
14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:
14
then thou dost scare me with dreams and terrify me with visions,
15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.
15
so that I would choose strangling and death rather than my bones.
16 I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.
16
I loathe my life; I would not live for ever. Let me alone, for my days are a breath.
17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?
17
What is man, that thou dost make so much of him, and that thou dost set thy mind upon him,
18 And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?
18
dost visit him every morning, and test him every moment?
19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
19
How long wilt thou not look away from me, nor let me alone till I swallow my spittle?
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?
20
If I sin, what do I do to thee, thou watcher of men? Why hast thou made me thy mark? Why have I become a burden to thee?
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.
21
Why dost thou not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For now I shall lie in the earth; thou wilt seek me, but I shall not be."
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.