7:1 "Has not man a hard service upon earth, and are not his days like the days of a hireling?
7:1 "Do not human beings have a hard service on earth, and are not their days like the days of a laborer?

7:2 Like a slave who longs for the shadow, and like a hireling who looks for his wages,
7:2 Like a slave who longs for the shadow, and like laborers who look for their wages,

7:3 so I am allotted months of emptiness, and nights of misery are apportioned to me.
7:3 so I am allotted months of emptiness, and nights of misery are apportioned to me.

7:4 When I lie down I say, `When shall I arise?' But the night is long, and I am full of tossing till the dawn.
7:4 When I lie down I say, 'When shall I rise?' But the night is long, and I am full of tossing until dawn.

7:5 My flesh is clothed with worms and dirt; my skin hardens, then breaks out afresh.
7:5 My flesh is clothed with worms and dirt; my skin hardens, then breaks out again.

7:6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and come to their end without hope.
7:6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and come to their end without hope.

7:7 "Remember that my life is a breath; my eye will never again see good.
7:7 "Remember that my life is a breath; my eye will never again see good.

7:8 The eye of him who sees me will behold me no more; while thy eyes are upon me, I shall be gone.
7:8 The eye that beholds me will see me no more; while your eyes are upon me, I shall be gone.

7:9 As the cloud fades and vanishes, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come up;
7:9 As the cloud fades and vanishes, so those who go down to Sheol do not come up;

7:10 he returns no more to his house, nor does his place know him any more.
7:10 they return no more to their houses, nor do their places know them any more.

7:11 "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.
7:11 "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.

7:12 Am I the sea, or a sea monster, that thou settest a guard over me?
7:12 Am I the Sea, or the Dragon, that you set a guard over me?

7:13 When I say, `My bed will comfort me, my couch will ease my complaint,'
7:13 When I say, 'My bed will comfort me, my couch will ease my complaint,'

7:14 then thou dost scare me with dreams and terrify me with visions,
7:14 then you scare me with dreams and terrify me with visions,

7:15 so that I would choose strangling and death rather than my bones.
7:15 so that I would choose strangling and death rather than this body.

7:16 I loathe my life; I would not live for ever. Let me alone, for my days are a breath.
7:16 I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, for my days are a breath.

7:17 What is man, that thou dost make so much of him, and that thou dost set thy mind upon him,
7:17 What are human beings, that you make so much of them, that you set your mind on them,

7:18 dost visit him every morning, and test him every moment?
7:18 visit them every morning, test them every moment?

7:19 How long wilt thou not look away from me, nor let me alone till I swallow my spittle?
7:19 Will you not look away from me for a while, let me alone until I swallow my spittle?

7:20 If I sin, what do I do to thee, thou watcher of men? Why hast thou made me thy mark? Why have I become a burden to thee?
7:20 If I sin, what do I do to you, you watcher of humanity? Why have you made me your target? Why have I become a burden to you?

7:21 Why dost thou not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For now I shall lie in the earth; thou wilt seek me, but I shall not be."
7:21 Why do you not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For now I shall lie in the earth; you will seek me, but I shall not be."