¹ Is there not a warfare to a mortal, upon earth? And, as the days of a hireling, are not his days?

² As, a bondman, panteth for the shadow, and as, a hireling, longeth for his wage,

³ So, have I been made to inherit months of calamity, and, nights of weariness, have been appointed me.

⁴ As soon as I lie down, I say, When shall I arise? yet he lengtheneth out the evening, and I am wearied with tossings until the breeze of twilight.

⁵ My flesh is clothed with worms and a coating of dust, My skin, hath hardened, and then run afresh:

⁶ My days, are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and they are spent, without hope.

⁷ Remember thou, that, a wind, is my life, not again shall mine eye see blessing:

⁸ Nor shall see me—the eye that used to behold me, Thine eyes, are upon me, and I am not.

⁹ A cloud faileth, and is gone, So, he that descendeth to hades, shall not come up:

¹⁰ He shall not return again to his house, and his own place shall be acquainted with him no more.

¹¹ I also, cannot restrain my mouth,—I must speak, in the anguish of my spirit, I must find utterance, in the bitterness of my soul.

¹² Am, I, a sea, or a sea-monster,—That thou shouldst set over me a watch?

¹³ When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall help to carry my complaint,

¹⁴ Then thou scarest me with dreams, and, by visions, dost thou terrify me:

¹⁵ So that my soul chooseth strangling, Death, rather than [these] my bones!

¹⁶ I am wasted away, Not, to times age-abiding, can I live, Let me alone, for, a breath, are my days.

¹⁷ What is a mortal, that thou shouldst nurture him? Or that thou shouldst fix upon him thy mind?

¹⁸ That thou shouldst inspect him morning by morning, moment by moment, shouldst test him?

¹⁹ How long wilt thou not look away from me? Wilt thou not let me alone, till I can swallow my spittle?

²⁰ I have sinned, What can I do for thee, thou watcher of men? Wherefore hast thou set me as thine object of attack, or have I become, unto thee, a burden?

²¹ And why wilt thou not remove my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? For, now, in the dust, should I lie down, and thou shouldst seek me diligently, and I should not be.