Job 7

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 "Has not man a hard service upon earth, and are not his days like the days of a hireling?	1 Is not man's life on earth a drudgery? Are not his days those of a hireling?
2 Like a slave who longs for the shadow, and like a hireling who looks for his wages,	2 He is a slave who longs for the shade, a hireling who waits for his wages.
3 so I am allotted months of emptiness, and nights of misery are apportioned to me.	3 So I have been assigned months of misery, and troubled nights have been told off for me.
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.	4 If in bed I say, "When shall I arise?" then the night drags on; I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and dirt; my skin hardens, then breaks out afresh.	5 My flesh is clothed with worms and scabs; my skin cracks and festers;
6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and come to their end without hope.	6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle; they come to an end without hope.
7 "Remember that my life is a breath; my eye will never again see good.	7 Remember that my life is like the wind; I shall not see happiness again.
8 The eye of him who sees me will behold me no more; while thy eyes are upon me, I shall be gone.	8 The eye that now sees me shall no more behold me; as you look at me, I shall be gone.
9 As the cloud fades and vanishes, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come up;	9 As a cloud dissolves and vanishes, so he who goes down to the nether world shall come up no more.
10 he returns no more to his house, nor does his place know him any more.	10 He shall not again return to his house; his place shall know him no more.
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.	11 My own utterance I will not restrain; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I the sea, or a sea monster, that thou settest a guard over me?	12 Am I the sea, or a monster of the deep, that you place a watch over me? Why have you set me up as an object of attack; or why should I be a target for you?
13 When I say, 'My bed will comfort me, my couch will ease my complaint,'	13 When I say, "My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint,"
14 then thou dost scare me with dreams and terrify me with visions,	14 Then you affright me with dreams and with visions terrify me,
15 so that I would choose strangling and death rather than my bones.	15 So that I should prefer choking and death rather than my pains.
16 I loathe my life; I would not live for ever. Let me alone, for my days are a breath.	16 I waste away: I cannot live forever; let me alone, for my days are but a breath.
17 What is man, that thou dost make so much of him, and that thou dost set thy mind upon him,	17 What is man, that you make much of him, or pay him any heed?
18 dost visit him every morning, and test him every moment?	18 You observe him with each new day and try him at every moment!
19 How long wilt thou not look away from me, nor let me alone till I swallow my spittle?	19 How long will it be before you look away from me, and let me alone long enough to swallow my spittle?
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?	20 Though I have sinned, what can I do to you, O watcher of men?
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."	21 Why do you not pardon my offense, or take away my guilt? For soon I shall lie down in the dust; and should you seek me I shall then be gone.