| New International Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1"Do not mortals have hard service on earth? Are not their days like those of hired laborers? | 1"Is not man forced to labor on earth, And are not his days like the days of a hired man? |
| 2Like a slave longing for the evening shadows, or a hired laborer waiting to be paid, | 2"As a slave who pants for the shade, And as a hired man who eagerly waits for his wages, |
| 3so I have been allotted months of futility, and nights of misery have been assigned to me. | 3So am I allotted months of vanity, And nights of trouble are appointed me. |
| 4When I lie down I think, 'How long before I get up?' The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn. | 4"When I lie down I say, 'When shall I arise?' But the night continues, And I am continually tossing until dawn. |
| 5My body is clothed with worms and scabs, my skin is broken and festering. | 5"My flesh is clothed with worms and a crust of dirt, My skin hardens and runs. |
| 6"My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and they come to an end without hope. | 6"My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, And come to an end without hope. |
| 7Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath; my eyes will never see happiness again. | 7"Remember that my life is but breath; My eye will not again see good. |
| 8The eye that now sees me will see me no longer; you will look for me, but I will be no more. | 8"The eye of him who sees me will behold me no longer; Your eyes will be on me, but I will not be. |
| 9As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so one who goes down to the grave does not return. | 9"When a cloud vanishes, it is gone, So he who goes down to Sheol does not come up. |
| 10He will never come to his house again; his place will know him no more. | 10"He will not return again to his house, Nor will his place know him anymore. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 12Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that you put me under guard? | 12"Am I the sea, or the sea monster, That You set a guard over me? |
| 13When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint, | 13"If I say, 'My bed will comfort me, My couch will ease my complaint,' |
| 14even then you frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions, | 14Then You frighten me with dreams And terrify me by visions; |
| 15so that I prefer strangling and death, rather than this body of mine. | 15So that my soul would choose suffocation, Death rather than my pains. |
| 16I despise my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone; my days have no meaning. | 16"I waste away; I will not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath. |
| 17"What is mankind that you make so much of them, that you give them so much attention, | 17"What is man that You magnify him, And that You are concerned about him, |
| 18that you examine them every morning and test them every moment? | 18That You examine him every morning And try him every moment? |
| 19Will you never look away from me, or let me alone even for an instant? | 19"Will You never turn Your gaze away from me, Nor let me alone until I swallow my spittle? |
| 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? | 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? |
| 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." | 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." |
| 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. | 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 |
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