Job 7 New American Standard Bible
New American Standard Bible | ►► |
Job’s Life Seems Futile
1“[a]Is a person not forced to labor on earth,
And are his days not like the days of a hired worker?
2“As a slave pants for the shade,
And as a hired worker who eagerly waits for his wages,
3So I am allotted worthless months,
And nights of trouble are apportioned to me.
4“When I lie down, I say,
‘When shall I arise?’
But the night continues,
And I am continually tossing until dawn.
5“My flesh is clothed with maggots and a crust of dirt,
My skin hardens and [b]oozes.
6“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
And they come to an end without hope.
7“Remember that my life is a mere breath;
My eye will not see goodness again.
8“The eye of him who sees me will no longer look at me;
Your eyes will be on me, but I will not exist.
9“When a cloud vanishes, it is gone;
In the same way one who goes down to [c]Sheol does not come up.
10“He will not return to his house again,
Nor will his place know about him anymore.
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 the sea, or the sea monster,
That You set a guard over me?
13“If I say, ‘My couch will comfort me,
My bed will [d]ease my complaint,’
14Then You frighten me with dreams,
And terrify me by visions,
15So that my soul would choose suffocation,
Death rather than my [e]pains.
16“I [f]waste away; I will not live forever.
Leave me alone, for my days are only a breath.
17“What is man that You exalt him,
And that You [g]are concerned about him,
18That You examine him every morning
And put him to the test every moment?
19“[h]Will You never turn Your gaze away from me,
Nor leave me alone until I swallow my spittle?
20“Have I sinned? What have I done to You,
Watcher of mankind?
Why have You made me Your target,
So that I am a burden to myself?
21“Why then do You not forgive my wrongdoing
And take away my [i]guilt?
For now I will lie down in the dust;
And You will search for me, but I will no longer exist.”
[a] 1 Lit Has not man compulsory labor
[b] 5 Lit melts
[c] 9 I.e., the netherworld
[d] 13 Lit bear
[e] 15 Lit bones
[f] 16 Or loathe
[g] 17 Lit set Your heart on
[h] 19 Lit How long will You not
[i] 21 Or unjust deed
New American Standard Bible
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by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved.
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