| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1"Does not humanity have hard service on earth? Are not their days also 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? |
| 2Like a servant longing for the evening shadow, and like a hired man looking for his wages, | 2I'm like a servant who longs for the shade, like a hired laborer who is looking for his wages. |
| 3thus I have been made to inherit months of futility, and nights of sorrow have been appointed to me. | 3Truly I've been allotted months of emptiness; nights of trouble have been appointed for me. |
| 4If I lie down, I say, 'When will I arise?', and the night stretches on and I toss and turn restlessly until the day dawns. | 4"When I lie down I ask, 'When will I wake up?' But the night continues and I keep tossing and turning until dawn. |
| 5My body is clothed with worms and dirty scabs; my skin is broken and festering. | 5My skin is covered with worms and clods of dirt; my skin becomes rough and then breaks out afresh. |
| 6My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle and they come to an end without hope. | 6My days pass as swiftly as a hand-loom; they come to their conclusion without hope. |
| 7Remember that my life is but a breath, that my eyes will never again see happiness. | 7Remember that my life is a breath; my eyes won't go back to seeing good things. |
| 8The eye of him who sees me now will see me no more; your eyes will look for me, but I will be gone. | 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! |
| 9As a cloud is dispersed and then disappears, so the one who goes down to the grave does not come up again. | 9As a cloud fades away and vanishes, the one who descends to the afterlife doesn't return. |
| 10He returns no more to his house, nor does his place of residence know him any more. | 10He doesn't return again to his house, and his place won't recognize him anymore." |
| 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"In addition, I won't keep my opinion to myself; I'll speak from my distressed spirit; I'll complain with my bitter soul. |
| 12Am I the sea, or the creature of the deep, that you must put me under guard? | 12Am I the sea, or a sea monster, that you keep watching me? |
| 13If 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 scare me with dreams and terrify me with visions, | 14But then you scared me with dreams; you terrified me with visions. |
| 15so that I would prefer strangling, and death more than life. | 15I would rather die by strangulation than continue living. |
| 16I loathe it; I do not want to live forever; leave me alone, for my days are a vapor! | 16I hate the thought of living forever! Leave me alone, because my days are pointless." |
| 17"What is mankind that you make so much of them, and that you pay attention to them? | 17"What is a human being, that you make so much of him; that you set your affections on him, |
| 18And that you visit them every morning, and try them every moment? | 18visit him every morning, and test him continually? |
| 19Will you never look away from me, will you not let me alone long enough to swallow my spittle? | 19Why won't you look away from me? Why don't you leave me alone so I can swallow my saliva? |
| 20If I have sinned--what have I done to you, O watcher of men? Why have you set me as your target? Have I become a burden to you? | 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? |
| 21And why 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 diligently, but I will be gone." | 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!" |
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