Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?

“Is not man consigned to labor on earth? Are not his days like those of a hired hand?

As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:

Like a slave he longs for shade; like a hireling he waits for his wages.

So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.

So I am allotted months of futility, and nights of misery are appointed me.

When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

When I lie down I think: ‘When will I get up?’ But the night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.

My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.

My flesh is clothed with worms and encrusted with dirt; my skin is cracked and festering.

My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.

My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope.

O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.

Remember that my life is but a breath. My eyes will never again see happiness.

The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.

The eye that beholds me will no longer see me. You will look for me, but I will be no more.

As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.

As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come back up.

He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

He never returns to his house; his place remembers him no more.

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.

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.

Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?

Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that You must keep me under guard?

When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;

When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint,

Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:

then You frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions,

So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.

so that I would prefer strangling and death over my life in this body.

I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.

I loathe my life! I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.

What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?

What is man that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart upon him,

And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?

that You attend to him every morning, and test him every moment?

How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

Will You never look away from me, or leave me alone to swallow my spittle?

I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?

If I have sinned, what have I done to You, O watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to You?

And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.

Why do You not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For soon I will lie down in the dust; You will seek me, but I will be no more.”