1 “Is not man forced to labor on earth?And are not his days like the days of a hired man?
1 Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?
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 earnestly longs for the shade,And as a hired man eagerly awaits his wages,
2 “As a slave who pants for the shade,And as a hired man who eagerly waits for his wages,
2 As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:
2 Like a slave he longs for shade;like a hired man he waits for his pay.
2 I'm like a servant who longs for the shade, like a hired laborer who is looking for his wages.
3 So am I allotted months of futility and suffering,And [long] nights of trouble and misery are appointed to me.
3 So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
3 So I have been made to inherit months of futility,and troubled nights have been assigned to me.(B)
3 Truly 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 [and the night be gone]?’But the night continues,And I am continually tossing until the dawning of day.
4 “When I (D)lie down I say,‘When shall I arise?’But the night continues,And I am (b)continually tossing until dawn.
4 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.
4 When I lie down I think:When will I get up?But the evening drags on endlessly,and I toss and turn 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 body is clothed with worms and a crust of dust;My skin is hardened [and broken and loathsome], and [breaks out and] runs.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.
5 My flesh is clothed with maggots and encrusted with dirt.(a)My skin forms scabs(b) and then oozes.(C)
5 My skin is covered with worms and clods of dirt; my skin becomes rough and then breaks out afresh.
8 “The eye of him who sees me [now] will see me no more;Your eyes will be upon me, but I will not be.
8 “The (J)eye of him who sees me will behold me no longer;Your eyes will be on me, but (K)I will not be.
8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
8 The eye of anyone who looks on mewill no longer see me.Your eyes will look for me, but I will be gone.(F)
8 The 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 “As a cloud vanishes and is gone,So he who goes down to Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) does not come up.
9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.
9 As a cloud fades away and vanishes, the one who descends to the afterlife doesn't return.
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 [O Lord].
11 “Therefore (P)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 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 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.
13 “When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,My couch will ease my complaint,’
13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;
13 When I say: My bed will comfort me,and my couch will ease my complaint,
13 For I've said, "My bed will comfort me; my couch will ease my burdens while I complain.'
16 “I waste away and loathe my life; I will not live forever.Let me alone, for my days are but a breath [futile and without substance].
16 I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.
16 I hate the thought of living forever! Leave me alone, because my days are pointless."
17 “What is man that You [should] magnify him [and think him important]?And that You are concerned about him?(A)
17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?
17 "What is a human being, that you make so much of him; that you set your affections on him,
20 “If I have sinned, what [harm] have I done to You,O Watcher of mankind?Why have You set me as a target for You,So that I am a burden to myself?
20 “(X)Have I sinned? What have I done to You,O (Y)watcher of men?Why have You set me as Your target,So that I am a burden to myself?
20 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?
20 If I have sinned, what have I done to You,Watcher of mankind?Why have You made me Your target,(P)so that I have become a burden to You?(i)
20 So 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 transgressionAnd take away my sin and guilt?For now I will lie down in the dust;And You will seek me [diligently], but I will not be.”
21 “Why then (Z)do You not pardon my transgressionAnd take away my iniquity?For now I will (AA)lie down in the dust;And You will seek me, (AB)but I will not be.”
21 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.
21 Why not forgive my sinand pardon my transgression?(Q)For soon I will lie down in the grave.(R)You will eagerly seek me, but I will be gone.(S)
21 Why 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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