[1] “Isn’t a man forced to labor on earth? Aren’t his days like the days of a hired hand?
[2] As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, as a hireling who looks for his wages,
[3] so am I made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me.
[4] When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise, and the night be gone?’ I toss and turn until the dawning of the day.
[5] My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust. My skin closes up, and breaks out afresh.
[6] My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.
[7] Oh remember that my life is a breath. My eye shall no more see good.
[8] The eye of him who sees me shall see me no more. Your eyes shall be on me, but I shall not be.
[9] As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol shall come up no more.
[10] He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
[11] “Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
[12] Am I a sea, or a sea monster, that you put a guard over me?
[13] When I say, ‘My bed shall comfort me. My couch shall ease my complaint;’
[14] then you scare me with dreams, and terrify me through visions:
[15] so that my soul chooses strangling, death rather than my bones.
[16] I loathe my life. I don’t want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
[17] What is man, that you should magnify him, that you should set your mind on him,
[18] that you should visit him every morning, and test him every moment?
[19] How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?
[20] If I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men? Why have you set me as a mark for you, so that I am a burden to myself?
[21] Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I shall not be.”