7 “Is not the life of mortal man on earth like compulsory labor,
And are not his days like those of a hired worker?+
2 Like a slave, he longs for the shadow,
And like a hired worker, he waits for his wages.+
3 Thus I have been assigned months of futility
And nights of misery have been counted out for me.+
4 When I lie down I ask, ‘When will I get up?’+
But as the night drags on, I toss restlessly until the dawning of the day.
5 My flesh is covered with maggots and clods of dirt;+
My skin is full of scabs and pus.+
6 My days go by more quickly than a weaver’s shuttle,+
And they come to an end without hope.+
7 Remember that my life is wind,+
That my eye will never again see happiness.
8 The eye that sees me now will see me no more;
Your eyes will look for me, but I will be gone.+
9 Like a cloud that fades and vanishes,
The one who goes down to the Grave does not come back up.+
10 He will not return again to his house,
And his place will acknowledge him no more.+
11 Therefore, I will not restrain my mouth.
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will complain in my bitter distress!+
12 Am I the sea or a sea monster,
That you should set a guard over me?
13 When I say, ‘My couch will comfort me;
My bed will help ease my misery,’
14 Then you terrify me with dreams
And frighten me with visions,
15 So that I would choose suffocation,
Yes, death rather than this body of mine.+
16 I loathe my life;+ I do not want to go on living.
Leave me alone, for my days are like a breath.+
17 What is mortal man that you should concern yourself with him
And fix your attention on him?+
18 Why do you inspect him every morning
And test him every moment?+
19 Will you not look away from me
And leave me alone long enough to swallow my saliva?+
20 If I have sinned, how could I harm you, the Observer of mankind?+
Why have you made me your target?
Have I become a burden to you?
21 Why do you not pardon my transgression
And excuse my error?
For soon I will lie down in the dust,+
And you will look for me, but I will be gone.”