New American Standard Bible 1995 | International Standard Version |
1"Is not man forced to labor on earth, And are not his days like the days of a hired man? | 1"Men have harsh servitude on earth, do they not? His days are like those of a hired laborer, are they not? |
2"As a slave who pants for the shade, And as a hired man who eagerly waits for his wages, | 2I'm like a servant who longs for the shade, like a hired laborer who is looking for his wages. |
3So am I allotted months of vanity, And nights of trouble are appointed me. | 3Truly I've been allotted months of emptiness; nights of trouble have been appointed for me. |
4"When I lie down I say, 'When shall I arise?' But the night continues, And I am continually tossing until dawn. | 4"When I lie down I ask, 'When will I wake up?' But the night continues and I keep tossing and turning until dawn. |
5"My flesh is clothed with worms and a crust of dirt, My skin hardens and runs. | 5My skin is covered with worms and clods of dirt; my skin becomes rough and then breaks out afresh. |
6"My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, And come to an end without hope. | 6My days pass as swiftly as a hand-loom; they come to their conclusion without hope. |
7"Remember that my life is but breath; My eye will not again see good. | 7Remember that my life is a breath; my eyes won't go back to seeing good things. |
8"The eye of him who sees me will behold me no longer; Your eyes will be on me, but I will not be. | 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! |
9"When a cloud vanishes, it is gone, So he who goes down to Sheol does not come up. | 9As a cloud fades away and vanishes, the one who descends to the afterlife doesn't return. |
10"He will not return again to his house, Nor will his place know him anymore. | 10He doesn't return again to his house, and his place won't recognize 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. | 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. |
12"Am I the sea, or the sea monster, That You set a guard over me? | 12Am I the sea, or a sea monster, that you keep watching me? |
13"If I say, 'My bed will comfort me, My couch will ease my complaint,' | 13For I've said, 'My bed will comfort me; my couch will ease my burdens while I complain.' |
14Then You frighten me with dreams And terrify me by visions; | 14But then you scared me with dreams; you terrified me with visions. |
15So that my soul would choose suffocation, Death rather than my pains. | 15I would rather die by strangulation than continue living. |
16"I waste away; I will not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath. | 16I hate the thought of living forever! Leave me alone, because my days are pointless." |
17"What is man that You magnify him, And that You are concerned about him, | 17"What is a human being, that you make so much of him; that you set your affections on him, |
18That You examine him every morning And try him every moment? | 18visit him every morning, and test him continually? |
19"Will You never turn Your gaze away from me, Nor let me alone until I swallow my spittle? | 19Why won't you look away from me? Why don't you leave me alone so I can swallow my saliva? |
20"Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden to myself? | 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? |
21"Why then do You not pardon my transgression And take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust; And You will seek me, but I will not be." | 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!" |
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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