| International Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1"Men have harsh servitude on earth, do they not? His days are like those of a hired laborer, are they not? | 1"Do not mortals have hard service on earth? Are not their days like those of hired laborers? |
| 2I'm like a servant who longs for the shade, like a hired laborer who is looking for his wages. | 2Like a slave longing for the evening shadows, or a hired laborer waiting to be paid, |
| 3Truly I've been allotted months of emptiness; nights of trouble have been appointed for me. | 3so I have been allotted months of futility, and nights of misery have been assigned to me. |
| 4"When I lie down I ask, 'When will I wake up?' But the night continues and I keep tossing and turning until dawn. | 4When I lie down I think, 'How long before I get up?' The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn. |
| 5My skin is covered with worms and clods of dirt; my skin becomes rough and then breaks out afresh. | 5My body is clothed with worms and scabs, my skin is broken and festering. |
| 6My days pass as swiftly as a hand-loom; they come to their conclusion without hope. | 6"My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and they come to an end without hope. |
| 7Remember that my life is a breath; my eyes won't go back to seeing good things. | 7Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath; my eyes will never see happiness again. |
| 8The eyes of the one who sees me won't see me anymore; your eyes will look for me but I won't be around! | 8The eye that now sees me will see me no longer; you will look for me, but I will be no more. |
| 9As a cloud fades away and vanishes, the one who descends to the afterlife doesn't return. | 9As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so one who goes down to the grave does not return. |
| 10He doesn't return again to his house, and his place won't recognize him anymore." | 10He will never come to his house again; his place will know him no more. |
| 11"In addition, I won't keep my opinion to myself; I'll speak from my distressed spirit; I'll complain with my bitter soul. | 11"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. |
| 12Am I the sea, or a sea monster, that you keep watching me? | 12Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that you put me under guard? |
| 13For I've said, 'My bed will comfort me; my couch will ease my burdens while I complain.' | 13When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint, |
| 14But then you scared me with dreams; you terrified me with visions. | 14even then you frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions, |
| 15I would rather die by strangulation than continue living. | 15so that I prefer strangling and death, rather than this body of mine. |
| 16I hate the thought of living forever! Leave me alone, because my days are pointless." | 16I despise my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone; my days have no meaning. |
| 17"What is a human being, that you make so much of him; that you set your affections on him, | 17"What is mankind that you make so much of them, that you give them so much attention, |
| 18visit him every morning, and test him continually? | 18that you examine them every morning and test them every moment? |
| 19Why won't you look away from me? Why don't you leave me alone so I can swallow my saliva? | 19Will you never look away from me, or let me alone even for an instant? |
| 20So what if I sin? What have I done against you, you observer of humankind? Why have you made me your target? Why burden yourself with me? | 20If 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? |
| 21Why haven't you pardoned my transgression and taken away my iniquity? Now I'm about to lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I won't be around!" | 21Why 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 Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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